Newman:Rowson Wedding

Steven and Regan were down to earth country folk who knew how to have a good time.  From the moment their chocolate lab walked the rings down the aisle I knew we were going to have a great evening!  Their wedding took place at Marina Village and the day could not have been more perfect.  The ceremony was held on the lawn with live music followed by photos on the water and an intimate reception in one of the banquet rooms.

The most memorable point of the evening was when Steven and Regan broke into one of the fastest two-steps I have ever seen in my life.  Granted, I have not observed many two-steps in my lifetime but this one was fast!  The wedding went off without a hitch and the happy couple and their guests danced the evening away.

Here are some highlights:

May:Hoffman Wedding

The end of the summer is such a bittersweet time of year here in San Diego. It means beach days and backyard bbq's will soon be coming to an end for yet another year. Labor Day is often seen as the "end of summer" holiday and it makes the perfect environment for a wedding.

I had the pleasure of providing dj/mc services for Danny May and Christie Hoffman as they tied-the-knot at the historic El Cortez in downtown San Diego. The ceremony was vintage Hollywood with a modern flair highlighted by the use of Goapele's Closer as the recessional song. The beautiful ceremony was performed by Jeff Zlotnik, Executive Director for the Meditation Initiative located in San Diego.

Cocktail hour took place outside to a DJ Mark Farino Mushroom Jazz mix that put everyone in a mellow mood while they awaited the grand introductions. Our grand introductions started off with the guys entering the ball room to nothing other than What They Do by the Roots. Although the guys did it up big time, the girls definitely outperformed the guys when they hit the ballroom to Ciara's 1, 2 Step.

Dinner music consisted of a playlist including Frank Sinatra, Dizzy Gillespie, Charlie Parker, Ella Fitzgerald, John Coltrane, Dean Martin, and more. The highlight of the evening was when Christie's 80 year old great aunt Mary Ann performed Exactly Like You. She received a standing ovation and set the party off to a great start.

The evening continued on the dancefloor until 11:00pm when the staff made us pull the plug. The day was a complete success and all of the guests left in good spirits. Congratulations to the new Mr. & Mrs. Danny and Christie May! Thanks for including Events by Design in your wedding plans and I hope you have a muy bueno time in Cancun.

Venue: The El Cortez
Catering/FLorals: Ranch Events
DJ: Events by Design
Officiant: Jeff Zlotnik, The Meditation Initiative
Photographer: Justin Lee Photography

Pacillo:Lach Wedding

Our little Ashley Pacillo got married on June 27th to a very handsome young man, Mike Lach. They could not have asked for a better day since it was the first weekend in June that was actually sunny. The ceremony was held at Patio A in Balboa Park and guests were transported from each venue for a more relaxing experience. The reception took place in the Don Room of the El Cortez which happens to be one of my favorite venues in San Diego.

Ashley was absolutely stunning in her wedding dress which matched the beauty of the El Cortez. The highlight of the evening was the Pacillo Family Dance which has to be playing on YouTube right now. It was the most entertaining dance I have ever seen performed at wedding and I was extremely impressed by the participation of every single family member...young and old.

Congratulations Ashley & Mike! We wish you the best!


Venue: El Cortez
Ceremony: Prado Patio A, Balboa Park
Coordination: Events by Design
Photography: Jenetta Lea Penner
Flowers: Haydee's Creative Flowers
Linen: Magical Party Rentals
Catering: Culinary Concepts
Entertainment/Lighting: Events by Design

Candelas by the Bay

Last weekend, we had the pleasure of planning an event at Candelas on the Bay for the first time. Although the actual wedding was extremely stressful due to the lack of time we had to plan...5 weeks to be exact...the event as a whole was beautiful and left the bride & groom feeling like royalty. Guests were immediately greeted with appetizers and cocktails as they arrived at Candelas just before the ceremony. They were then escorted to the grassy beach front ceremony site which has an amazing view of downtown San Diego and the USS Midway Aircraft Carrier. The reception was held on the patio where guests were able to order their dinner from a customized menu. The food, service, and ambiance at Candelas on the Bay has to be one of the best I have experienced this year.

Coordination: Events by Design
Ceremony Officiant: Just Imagine Weddings
DJ: Events by Design
Flowers: Haydee's Creative Flowers
Cake: Jessie's Bake Shop

Roncone:Guyer Wedding

We had the chance to work with a super sweet couple this weekend, Bridgette Roncone and Dan Guyer. The bride was originally from Vista but now lives in Maryland with her new husband. An interesting fact that I learned from the Father of the Bride's speech...Bridgette used to play Pop Warner Football. I love that about her!

Although Saturday wasn't the ideal weather for a San Diego destination wedding, the event was still beautiful and everyone had a wonderful time. Guests were shuttled to the ceremony site at Luscombs Point (Sunset Cliffs Blvd.) on double-decker British Buses and were greeted by the amazing view. The reception was held at the Hyatt Mission Bay. This was definitely a fun crowd and the dance floor was packed the entire evening.

Thank you so much to all the vendors who helped make Bridgette & Dan's Wedding a huge success!

Coordination: Events by Design
Photography: San Diego Wedding Candids
DJ: Entertainment at Large
Flowers: Chris Gray & Violet