Ventura Wedding

Flowers are a big part of your wedding day décor. The arrangements you choose will likely be in every picture from the bouquets and boutonnieres during the ceremony to the table centerpieces at your reception. They are another layer of the overall design, theme, style, and mood of your wedding so it is worth investing time in choosing a florist that understands your needs, budget, and vision. So how do you go about finding a florist that works for you? Referrals can be helpful coming from friends, family, wedding venues, or trusted vendors but it is also important for you to do your own research. The best advice for selecting any professional for your wedding day is to look at their work. Websites are a great way to view portfolios of a florists work, and to pick up on their particular style and design knowledge. These days, a website is a must for professionals; and a modern beautiful site is a must for a great designer. Go ahead and judge, you want the best! When you...

Being asked to speak at a wedding is a great honor. If you are a best man or maid of honor you can expect to offer a toast to the happy couple. In addition, parents who host the wedding usually welcome the guests and thank them for coming. Finally, a word from the couple may also be appropriate. What a nice touch for a groom to welcome the bride to his family and say how honored he feels to have her hand in marriage!   There is a lot of advice about what to say and what to avoid when giving a toast. Overall the most important thing to remember is to honor the bride and groom with your words. Don’t risk embarrassing the couple or anyone else in the room trying to get a laugh. Practice your toast (you want it to be thoughtful), keep it short (2-5 minutes), and give genuine compliments to the couple and well wishes for their future.   Below is a great outline for writing a toast: §        Introduce yourself in one sent...

It is a good idea to prepare a wedding day schedule in writing to pass out to wedding participants a week or more before the wedding so they can make appointments and you can clear up misunderstandings or concerns (Individual schedules will vary depending on the responsibilities). Make sure to bring a copy with you to the rehearsal in case you need to make adjustments. The schedule should include details like: time and place of pre-wedding gathering, time and place the bride and attendants will dress, time and place of hair and make-up appointments, arrival time for each individual, time and place of portraits, and time and place of the ceremony and reception. Since each wedding is different, more information could be required and the clearer you are- the less room for misunderstandings. Also consider your attendants and discuss travel times, consider asking typically late friends to show up earlier to “help you with _______,” and make sure your vendors and offician...

Ceremony rehearsals are important for all wedding participants. As the bride and groom, this is your last opportunity before your wedding day to clarify your plans and wedding day schedule. For the bridal party and ushers, readers, moms and dads, and others involved it is a good chance to practice and experience what is expected of them during the ceremony: where they need to meet and stand, when they need to come down the aisle, and who they will escort. Everyone will feel more comfortable knowing that they’ve already run through the steps of the ceremony and have eliminated anxiety about travel plans if they are coming from out-of-town. To ensure that your rehearsal is effective and organized, some planning is required. You need to choose someone (not in the bridal party) to run the rehearsal. This could be your officiant, a wedding planner/coordinator, or a person you can count on to keep things on track and direct the focus of your excited family and friends. ...

Deciding on (and sticking to) a budget may seem like a difficult task, but there are several resources and plenty of advice readily available to help you get started. While some couples may start off knowing exactly how much they have to spend, others may have no idea. Nina Callaway, author of the article “Creating a Wedding Budget,” suggests budgeting about $100 per wedding guest, depending on your area. The next step is to prioritize each element of your wedding. Jo Gartin, voted best wedding coordinator by Vogue Magazine, lists the following “key components” to consider: beverages, bridal gown and accessories, celebrant, coordinator, favors, flowers, food, hair and make-up, honeymoon, insurance, location, music, photography, rentals, specialty linens, stationary, styling and décor, transportation, videography, wedding cake, and welcome gifts. Deciding what is most important to you will help you determine where to spend and where to save. The third step is to make a basic budge...

The Sunken Gardens at the Santa Barbara County Courthouse are a beautiful backdrop for weddings and private or public parties. The Courthouse itself is a historic landmark with spectacular Spanish style architecture both inside and out, perfect for photo opportunities and a grand appearance at an affordable price. The Sunken Gardens on the Court House grounds are spacious and green all year round. This site offers six different areas for wedding ceremonies, available for reservation in three hour increments. The Sunken Garden is the largest and most popular site accommodating the most guests (up to 200). The Palm Terrace which overlooks the gardens consists of a smaller lawn that can accommodate 125 guests. Across from the Sunken Gardens is a grove of majestic redwood trees. The Redwood Grove is another beautiful site overlooking the lush courthouse grounds and accommodates a guest list of 100. For more intimate guest lists, the Fiesta Stage (80 persons), Giant Bird of Paradis...

This is a FAST FORWARD sample of a Couple's Photomontage. Enjoy! Give your guests an endearing glance at you and your spouse growing up and then growing together in love with an entertaining photo slideshow. Animated transitions and music bring your photos to life and will captivate your family and friends. Your photos will make your guests laugh and awww in admiration. Photomontages also make a great wedding and anniversary gift for your spouse, or a family member or friend. Photomontages are especially meaningful for family members who have supported you throughout your life, for friends to reflect on the good times you’ve shared, and for your spouse to appreciate the individual they will spend the rest of their life with. They are also a good reflection of the loving relationship you continue to form with your husband or wife.  Make your couple’s photomontage the center of attention with a silver screen debut at your reception, or have it playing on...