Category: Wedding Receptions

We all love “new,” right? New cars, new clothes, new guy (Ok, you’re probably past that one.) To prove our love of all things “new,” we’ve added a fresh crop of ceremony, wedding and rehearsal dinner locationsto the Here Comes The Guide website. Be sure to check them out soon on our “New Stuff” page before they’re all booked up! Visit this page on a regular basis to find updated lists of all our newest California wedding locations and vendors. For access to all of our event sites, click here.

My colleague Jolene has a husband whose singing voice is often compared to Michael Buble’s, but I try (hard) not to be jealous. I tell myself that with the advent of iTunes, I can instantly have Michael and my own husband to keep me warm. If your fiancé can only muster a few off-key karaoke tunes, you might want to invest in some music downloads to get you through the winter. And if you’re looking for wedding music inspiration, Michael Buble’s updated covers of standards like “Wonderful Tonight” and “The Best is Yet to Come” are guaranteed crowd-pleasers, and also get high marks for a first turn around the dance floor.

If you’re on the lookout for a San Diego wedding location that has a history as special as the one you and your fiancé share, you’re in luck: Many of the San Diego venues we feature have historical significance that is only surpassed by their impressive architecture. Here are a few of my faves:

Recently, KC and I had the pleasure of visiting Carmel Valley Ranch. It’s a fantastic weekend getaway with a wonderful restaurant, Citronelle, that offers many creative menu choices. The lobby’s rust-brown and burnt orange hues are warm and inviting. The golf clubhouse has shades of lime green, deep chocolate and white, giving it a crisp, modern feel. The pool area is charming without being too fussy, and the staff is so attentive. I can’t remember how many of them remembered my name, “Mrs. Chin!”. The in-room spa service was terrific, and they even honored my request to have my spa services near the pool. I believe I had Carmel Valley Ranch’s very first by-the-pool massage!

After a few days of long meetings, the ladies of Here Comes The Guide refueled and toasted a job well done with a delectable dinner at Cantinetta Luca, a sister venue of L’Auberge Carmel. The bistro is designed around the concept that Italian dining is a celebration of sharing, simplicity and family—and as a company that considers each other family, we warmed to this notion immediately.

We never cease to be amazed at the innovation in modern food trends. The latest example comes from event planner Sabrina Di Nardo in fashion-forward Montreal: dessert sushi. Just divvy up sweet treats maki-style, put together a pretty-and-zen presentation, and you’ve got an eye-catching meal finisher. Think bite-sized brownies topped with a bold berry or slice of Mandarin orange. Or pump up the whimsy factor and serve our favorite, Gummy Fish Sushi. Hold the soy sauce, please!

We recently held our annual off-site 3-day planning meeting at Woods Hole—a private home right on Pebble Beach Golf Course—and it’s a wonder we got anything done. Lounging around on comfy couches and chairs, we had the perfect seats from which to ogle the mesmerizing view through a wall of glass: verdant blufftop fairways giving way to a sapphire-blue sea and cloudless sky. You try focusing on a 10-page to-do list with that gorgeous panorama constantly tugging at your peripheral vision!

There’s something cool about hues of sapphire, graphite, taupe, sky, and peridot. Together, this combination is arresting; simple but sophisticated, serene yet relaxed, serious without being overly pretentious. Add to these colors the crisp blue sky and Ferry Building clock tower in the background, and we’re definitely talking a San Francisco kind of wedding.