Wedding Resource
Tilt: The Alternative Wedding Fair
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If the thought of donning a puffy white dress and nibbling on hors d'oeuvres causes sudden onset freak-out, vow to usher your soon-to-married self (and better half) to the Tilt Wedding Fair on September 25. Designed as the first-ever, against-the-norm Bay Area bridal affair, Swarm Gallery’s party-cum-event promises to inspire with local visionaries and their off beat, ultra-modern twists on wedding wares, event styling, floral designs, food, music, and more.
Weddington Way: Bridesmaid Shopping Gets Social
A Burmese Thriller-themed wedding in Vegas. A fairytale wedding on a barn. A salsa-fueled wedding in Zihuantanejo, Mexico. All true wedding stories, all different, all requiring a lot of planning. And while a wedding planner can help with a lot of the details, there are certain parts of the wedding process that can be a bonding experience, rather than a stressful one. Such as outfitting the bridesmaids.
A Chance Encounter Leads to A Quick Trip Down The Aisle
Schuyler Sokolow couldn’t decide if she wanted to go to a Christmas party. It was late, she was tired, and she was getting ready to leave San Francisco for New York City in a matter of weeks. Trying to psych herself up for the ordeal, Schuyler told her friend: “Come on, let’s go! We’ll meet our husbands there.” It turned out she was half right.
The women walked into the party, and a man made a beeline for them. “Hey, my name is Hal,” he said. When he went to get them drinks, Schuyler whispered to her friend: “He’s adorable.” Schuyler didn’t know it then, but she’d just met the man who was about to change her travel plans.
Four of San Francisco's Finest Wedding Planners
It seems it's always wedding season around the Bay. I blame it on the countless amounts of beautiful venues. Oh, and romance. While I have a fondness for destination weddings (vacay!), I have celebrated at some of the City's and surrounding area's loveliest locations. When there are so many possibilities for one's monumental matromonial day, planning can be daunting. So let someone else do it, while you sit back and bask in love. Here are four local planners who love love and love to help.
Opposites Attract and Marry in a Sentimental North Country Wedding
She laughs a lot, he smiles occasionally; she is a fun-loving social butterfly, he’s a homebody; she sips wine, he drinks beer; but, despite their differences, they came together down the aisle last weekend. She (Jennifer Patterson) married him (David Duffield) overlooking the stunning Placerville landscape at the Lava Cap Winery.
Ocean Views, Clint Eastwood, and A Cockroach: A Dream Wedding in Hawaii
If it weren't for his TiVo and persistence, Ali Grosslight (our associate publisher) might not have married Adam Chetkowski. Ali met Adam eight years ago at a party. In truth, she noticed someone else first, but it was Adam who called her the next day. She didn’t bother to call him back. He called again and asked her to dinner, first letting her know he wasn’t the kind of guy to dial twice. She said she was busy. When he pressed the issue, she admitted she didn’t want to miss the series finale of Sex & The City. “That’s OK,” he said. “I have TiVo!”
A Wine Country Wedding at the Kenwood Inn and Spa in Sonoma
Brian Marcinek was attending a charity event in Seattle for disadvantaged children around the globe, but he was thinking locally. Specifically, his mind was on the woman across the room wearing a form-fitting pair of Alice + Olivia black pants. The wearer of the pants, Malissa Rackley, was a stranger to him then, but she would soon be his fiancée.
His opening line was: “Where have you been hiding?” Her initial comments were not as suggestive. “We were talking in a group and somehow the conversation turned to his hair,” she says. “He said he was wearing it combed over so he would look older, and I said ‘the operative word there is old.’”
A Small, Elegant, Unfussy Wedding: Mission Impossible?
The beautifully designed building at 355 11th St. has more than its share of design know-how. It is home to architects as well the construction firm Matarozzi Pelsinger (where Bob Carroll is the general manager) and Northbrook Design (Katherine North’s interior design firm). The building was undergoing a Matarozzi Pelsinger-engineered remodel when Bob noticed Katherine. His offer to help her move office furniture led to an invitation to a Robert Plant and Alison Krauss concert and then, last year, to a marriage proposal.
At first, the couple planned to marry under the big top of a circus tent (Katherine’s middle name is Ringling, and yes, we mean THOSE Ringlings), but that would entail inviting an entire circus troupe, and the couple wanted a small, intimate (not to mention budget-friendly) wedding.
10 Tips for Perfect Engagement Photos
When it comes to wedding photography, Vivian Sachs likes to get in on the ground floor, as in the engagement photo session. But these days, engagement photos—the pictures couples commission to announce the big event—have the rep for being outdated and somewhat tacky. Sachs, who specializes in pre-wedding photography that’s more sweet than saccharine, believes it’s time to take a new look at the old tradition.
Vintage Chic Wedding in Napa Valley
It took two chance encounters to ignite the relationship between Dr. Cherilin Johnson and Ian Kirby. They first noticed each other at a mutual friend’s party, but nothing came of it. But two months later, when Ian visited the office Cherilin shared with another doctor, they spotted each other again, and this time they both acted on it. After the appointment, Ian dropped by their friend-in-common’s office to ask about Cherilin. At the same moment, Cherilin was texting their friend inquiring about Ian. “She held up her phone and said, ‘You mean this girl?’” says Cherilin. “The rest is history.”
Preferred Wedding Vendors
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The perfect place to turn to when celebrating life’s many milestones
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A Spoonful of Sugar |
Custom wedding cakes to match your tastes and personality while using local ingredients.
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WedSpring |
WedSpring is the one stop wedding shop. Our complimentary planning boutique is your destination for wedding stationery, venue and vendor selection, day-of coordination, free honeymoon planning and venue tours.
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Gallery of Jewels |
Gallery of Jewels showcases over 100 designer collections by local, national, and international artisans at three distinct San Francisco locations.
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San Francisco Giftcenter & Jewelrymart |
With over 125 Bay Area vendors and the largest selection in the Bay Area, the SF Giftcenter & Jewelrymart has your wedding needs covered from head to toe.
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Archive Vintage Rentals |
Archive Vintage Rentals is your source for alternative, vintage, and one-of-a-kind rentals for weddings and events.
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Hyatt Regency Lake Tahoe Resort, Spa and Casino |
Create cherished lifelong memories in the stunning alpine setting at Tahoe’s newly renovated and only lakefront 4-diamond resort.
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Edgewood Tahoe |
Set along the beautiful shoreline of Lake Tahoe, Edgewood Tahoe is a world-class destination for weddings and special events.
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Nordstrom Wedding Suites - San Francisco Centre and Valley Fair |
From your dress to every little detail, our Wedding Stylists will help bring your bridal vision to life, including looks for your entire wedding party.
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Blu Bungalow |
Our exclusive resource center provides a curated collection of the Bay Area's finest industry professionals for weddings & events. Come in for a complimentary consultation.
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A Breathtaking Setting for the Perfect San Francisco Wedding.
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Church Street Flowers is a full service floral boutique specializing in custom creations for every occasion.
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Custom wedding and event planning company for the stylish bride
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French Lingerie, sleepwear, hosiery & jewelry perfect for brides.
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