Archive for January, 2012
Imagine yourself in a dream….you are on an island nestled away in a lagoon tucked in beautiful lush marshes that meanders out to the ocean. Breath taking views scents of the glistening ocean, and the sounds of seagulls above whisk you away to Nantucket while you are in beautiful Southern California, Carlsbad. This estate’s venue of Contemporary Modern meets the romantic getaway is the perfect location to have a beautiful and elegant wedding.
Chris and Sara are such a beautiful couple in mind and spirit that being such an important part of their wedding made it so much more than work, but as if I was part of the experience. Every once in a while, you come across, such a joyful couple, that have such wonderful friends and family that once the wedding is over it feels like you were there during the whole journey.
From the minute I met the lovely couple I was brought in with open arms and was welcomed into their world of a new partnership. Sara came in with a vision and a dream and I and my team from The Abbey were able to make her fairytale come true under the twinkling lights in the patio nestled among the trees. We created such an intimate setting lit by candle votives, beautiful flowers, and sumptuous food that no one could resist or forget. We set off the evening by having beautiful red cabbage bowls as our vessel for our most delicious Abbey salad. This beautiful presentation was pre-set on the tables that all you saw were splashes of reds, greens, and purples. These artful presentations were in place of party favors. Dressing up the table with nature’s vibrant colors against the beautiful centerpieces gave the table such vibrancy of color and allure, and not to mention great taste.
The food, need I mention, was so delicious. The presented buffet boasted such a beautiful romantic scene that came right of a romance novel. The candles, gems, and silver adorned branches, glistening colors of purples, reds, and blues from the flowers from the arch from the ceremony, was presented on the buffet station where our chefs served the guests. They were presented with a duo of succulent slow braised short ribs and a beautiful Jidori chicken drizzled with an herb white wine sauce. Accompanying this outstanding entrée were delicious sides of our famous truffle cream cheese mashed potatoes and ever so fresh blanched broccoli from our local farmer’s.
The second half of the evening, where the party let loose and everyone talked about the young couple after watching their amazing slideshow out under the twinkling trees is how the rest of the evening took place. The main room was light by beautiful lights, candles everywhere, and the Dj pumping out their favorite tunes. It felt liked you were plucked out of the Limelight in New York where it was one of the premier night clubs of NY’s past. Everyone participated in the union of 2 loving people. Smiles filled the room, conversations of memories of the couple, and traditions of the couple’s ancestry were shared amongst each other. Congratulations Sara and Chris from The Abbey staff and me.
Don’t let the name of this place fool you: hailing as a “contemporary art museum for families,” let your inner child and imagination run wild when planning your next event and host it at the contemporary New Children’s Museum in Downtown San Diego. Although the venue may have the word “children” attached to it, it’s sharp and modern architecture, hands-on exhibits for all ages, and the venue’s unique characteristics really lends itself to any type of reception, be it a corporate function or an elegant wedding.
I was completely blown away by NCM’s current exhibition, “Trash,” comprised of amazing and thought-provoking pieces from 12 artists, like the fully-functional rock wall made from recycled cardboard and plastic. And I really appreciate the exhibition’s mission to change how we see trash, by challenging us to ask more questions and changing our perspective on the subject and how to address issues surrounding it. As the old saying goes, “One man’s trash is another man’s treasure”.
The museum has three levels of interactive event space, with a total capacity of up to 1,000 guests for a standing reception and up to 620 guests for a seated dinner. For more intimate affairs, the main level can be broken into sections so guests don’t feel too far apart. Unique photo opportunities are endless in this venue, with most of the exhibits and rooms serving as perfect photo backdrops. You can also hire an in-house chalk artist to create some art on the museum’s huge box-like chalkboard, like an elaborate image for a photo backdrop or something as simple as a logo and seating chart.
Two patios can serve as an outdoor cocktail reception or even wedding ceremony site. For those that want a little more green, a small park across the street can also be permitted for a ceremony.
For more information, contact any of The Abbey Catering’s Event Consultants at (888) 238-0949.
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A Gift for the Groom’s men and Bride’s maids – It’s Tradition
Posted by: Robert Battoe
January 10th, 2012 >> Wedding Tips
During your special day, your bridesmaids and groomsmen favor and indulge you, they actually jump through hoops to make sure everything, from the bridal shower and bachelor party to the receiving of the rings and the throwing of the bouquet, is an absolute success. As the tradition goes with newlyweds you are supposed to show your appreciation for all of your friends’ lovely and hard work with a gift to remember so they will never forget this very special day.
When it comes to Shopping for affordable gifts of remarkable quality — it can be quite a chore, especially when your getting closer and closer to the main event. So what do you suppose would make great gifts for the bride’s maids and groom’s men? Something electronic perhaps, something stylish maybe, a spa treatment, bath kits, candles, jewelry, money clips, stylized stationary – engraved of course.
For the wonderfully alluring ladies, a locket guarantees to attract attention as it dangles from your neck. While gentleman, just imagine how zoot suit you’d look with a genuine mechanical pocket watch twirling in your hands, pocket watches used to be a thing of the past but they are slowly gaining in popularity, plus its something you can decide to pass on as an heirloom. Both are beautiful and ingenious, pocket watches have long since been held as a classic and notes a sense of style and sophistication while a locket can be the most remarkble item one owns with an endearing keepsake and memory inside. Cool, classy, and uniquely traditional. Consider as a bride and groom how surprised and happy your bridesmaids and groomsmen might be for a gift that literally stands the test of time.
This is our area of expertise, why not let us cook up some new ideas you could use?