valerie & justin

valerie and justin were some of the nicest people ever! they decided to get married at estancia, and the rustic surroundings and california charm were perfect for all of their out of town guests. haydee created some really beautiful flower arrangements to enhance the existing flowers and landscaping at estancia. thank you to heather vallentyne for these awesome images!

an amazing gift

so, anyone who knows me knows that i lived in texas for many years and adore the place! i was born in del rio, and my dad was stationed all around texas for years out of my childhood. although i have lived in san diego for many years, i still consider san antonio my hometown, the place i grew up. with that being said, it is no wonder that for the past 15 years i have wanted a pair of cowboy boots. i love them. i love how they look with a cute skirt, or an awesome pair of jeans. however, i never found the right pair, and my quest has continued.

and, anyone who knows me knows that i believe in the power of belief, and that i believe that i am lucky and blessed. so, fast forward about 15 years. i am sitting with a friend of mine who just lost her mom unexpectedly. my heart breaks for her still. she and her business partner moved all of her mom's belongings across the country and back to san diego. i met up with them for a dinner party when they rolled into town, and they asked me what i was asking for this christmas. i started out with my list~ a bbq, the tiffany bracelet i had been coveting, etc. etc....i ended the sentence with "and a pair of cowboy boots, but i ask for those every year." they looked at each other and asked what size i wore. then they asked what color i wanted. well, to make the story short, my friend told me that she would like to give me her mom's cowboy boots. the perfect pair of cowboy boots. only worn once by her mom, in amazing shape, with dark brown leather and light chocolate piping. of course, i answered "YES!!"

a few days later, i was handed the boots. i tried them on, and they are perfect. they are magical. i swore to my friend that i would wear them and always think of her mom, i would take them to places near and far. i would party in them, i would wear them with my kids. i will wear them to texas, i will wear them to the grocery store. i will give them a life outside of the box the came in, and i will be proud and honored each time i do. i will think of her mom, and i will think of my friend. it will be like the sisterhood of the traveling pants, but just with me and the boots! :) i wore them on new years, and we rocked. i will always rock in my cowboy boots, and i thank you Bek for sharing a piece of your mom and you with me. i will never forget it, and i will do you proud. :) without further ado, here they are in all of their glory :)

trina & franky

trina & franky were such a cool couple, and they had tons of style. trina approached us to do her wedding, and had so many fun ideas and creative twists, we just had to do it!! since they were going to be at the photographic museum of arts, they wanted to do a retro vibed wedding, with bright colors. also inspired by the vintage crazy, trina wanted to complete many of the projects on their own. so, i sent them to do some serious homework! they began shopping at all of the flea markets and swap markets in town to find really cool vintage pieces that would add to the look. after moths of scouring the markets, they had a sizeable collection of glasses, old bottles, vintage signs & cameras, and many other details. i will let the pictures tell the story, as they are beautiful! thank you to studio castillero for your beautiful work. joseph comstock dj'd the event and spun the music from vinyl records, a special request from trina and franky. the day was just beautiful, and with these amazing details, how could you go wrong?? :) [gallery link="file"]

rachel & john

i was super lucky this year and got to work at one of my favorite properties~ the lodge at torrey pines~ quite a few times! i ADORE the lodge~ it is one of the most beautiful places to get married at, the staff is attentive and awesome to work with, the catering team is exceptional, the food is beautiful and delicious, and i obviously could go on and on!! needless to say, when rachel and john contacted me about doing their wedding and i jumped at the chance! rachel and john chose some of my most favorite vendors for their wedding~ luna photo was in charge of capturing the details and moments of the day with their amazing photographer's eye. lavonne from adorations created one of my most favorite and beautiful ceremony structures ever, and did amazing work on the rest of the flowers and decor, and wayne foster kept the guests entertained all night. russell was back in san diego again to video the day, and i was in heaven surrounded with the creative team that we had assembled. rachel and john were so much fun to work with, they knew exactly the vibe they wanted to set for their guests. great food, and a fun party. the day went just as we had planned~ rachel even made her own veil just minutes before going down the aisle! after the ceremony, they received a standing ovation :). their laid back style really transferred over to their guests, and people had so much fun dancing all night long. john gave one of my most favorite speeches ever, and the crowd loved it! congratulations rachel and john, and thank you for choosing us to help you with your day! [gallery link="file"]

mari & dave

mari & dave were married at the gorgeous  ritz carlton in laguna niguel. mari was determined from the beginning to fill the wedding with purple, silver and tons of bling......from the hanging crystals to the silver chargers, this idea was carried through the entire event. we settled on the ritz overlooking the pacific, and what a view it provided! i have to admit that i was **very** nervous on the wedding day that all of our plans and carefully laid out ideas for flowers would need to be altered. as i left the house that morning from san diego, rain was literally pouring in sheets ~ we could barely see out of the windows!! as we made our way further up the coast, though, the clouds literally parted, and we were left with one of the most beautiful fall days ever~ perfectly sunny and bright! we had such a fun crew of vendors~ tim otto provided the beautiful images, and he is such a blast to work with :) spencer bezy provided the music, and he kept the energy high all night. russell fowler documented the day with his awesome videography skills, and the staff at the ritz were generous and extremely helpful. tess provided the most beautiful and abundant flowers for mari~ she was thrilled with the final result! congratulations dave and mari~ we wish you the very best!!