HOTEL DEL WEDDING: UNDER THE NIGHT SKY

There is that moment of twilight after the sun has long set and the night sky turns to dusk. This is when Christina and Sean said, “I do.”

Set beachfront outside of the legendary Hotel Del Coronado, with the glowing iconic turrets as part of their scene, Christina and Sean had the romantic setting that Christina had always dreamed of. 

When I had first met with the beautiful bride-to-be to talk about her wedding décor, she had brought with her an inspiration board from a summer wedding she wanted to recreate with large dinner plate dahlias as the basis of the floral palette. Being that her wedding was a pre-winter affair in November, we had to tailor the plan to include seasonal flowers that could give the same grandiose effect and opted for large china mums to take the place perfectly.  David Austin garden roses dominated the design with natural foliage that lent a handpicked styling, with subtle hints of metallic gold. Queen Anne’s lace, maidenhair fern, and white veronica imbued movement, peaking amongst the garden roses. We were able to weave in smaller varieties of dahlias to keep the bride’s original vision at play, but let the china mums do their job to emphasize the scale.

Our favorite design element in Christina and Sean’s wedding was the crochet chuppah that added such unexpected personality to the décor. With nightfall, the chuppah illuminated in ambient lighting that complemented The Del’s iconic radiance making this one unique and gorgeous celebration. 

VENDOR: Photography: Pam Scott Photography. Location: Hotel Del Coronado. Coordination & Styling: Monarch Weddings. Floral Design: Adorations Botanical Artistry. Rentals: Concepts Event Design. Linens: La Tavola. Lighting: San Diego Events Lighting. Menus: Whimsique Invitations & Stationery.

RINGING IN THE NEW YEAR WITH A ROOFTOP WEDDING

As we ring in the New Year, Adorations Botanical Artistry would love to thank every one of our amazing vendor collaborators and couples for making 2014 such a successful and inspiring year of innovative design. I am truly humbled to look back on our incredible event décor and am so grateful to continue to share the collective work of many talented artists and professionals in our industry.

This rooftop wedding celebration is no exception. In fact, it is one of my favorite events from this year, being with one of my extremely creative and stylish friends, Thomas Bui.

Our modern couple chose one of San Diego’s most notable downtown haute spot’s for their ceremony and reception celebration, the Andaz Hotel. Keeping with the ultimate city-vibe, Thomas came to me with a vision to create elevated arrangements with suspended elements. While our couple was invested in their rooftop affair, Astrid, our bride, was transferred to Africa for a job and her husband-to-be Peter took over the final planning details. We all wanted her to be wowed with the final result… and that she was.

The overall color palette was pure white boasting a dramatic grouping of florals, very Jeff-Leatham style with verdant greens brought into the reception décor. The bride carried a chic asymmetrical bouquet mixed with peonies, garden roses, and string of pearl succulent strands, lady slipper orchids, and ranunculus and cymbidium orchids. 

Since the Andaz is set in sections, as it doubles as a high-end nightlife venue as well, we had just one hour to turnover the orchid-infused ceremony site into a 65ft king table with the elevated tabletop installation during cocktail hour, transforming the space into an enchanting floral paradise. The tabletop of contemporary Lucite was the dwelling of sandblasted grapevine that rambled organically above guests’ heads with lush with foliage and hanging glass globes. Garden roses, scabiosa pods, brunia, hanging strings of pearls, succulents, fresh Spanish moss, and lotus pods comprised the table botanicals making this one OVER-THE-TOP table setting of 2014. 

VENDORS: Photography: Luna Photo. Location: Andaz, San Diego. Coordination & Styling: Thomas Bui Lifestyle. Rentals: Chiavari Chair Rentals. Floral Design: Adorations Botanical Artistry. Invitations and Stationery: Wendy Ware. Hair: Audra Rene. Makeup: Ann DeNicolo.

Christmas in July: Holiday Party Offer

For the entire month of JULY, pre-book your holiday party or event with Adorations Botanical Artistry and receive 15% off the cost of your décor and receive a gorgeous gift arrangement for you or someone you love, FREE OF CHARGE!!! Time to cross that one of your wish list! 

There’s nothing better than celebrating a bit of the holiday season while we are in the midst of SUMMER!!! While the BBQs and the bathing suits of the 4th will come and go, Adorations is already preparing for our Fall/Winter months with this VERY SPECIAL offer just for you!! 

In anticipation of Thanksgiving, Christmas, Hanukkah, Kwanzaa, and the New Year, Adorations is your go-to floral & event designer for all your celebrated festivities! We’ve created some incredible holiday décor, as seen here on our site, like Thomas Bui’s Annual Holiday Party and our extravagant tabletop styling! If you are looking for someone to decorate your Thanksgiving dinner table for a family of 4 (or the whole 40+ entourage) or are planning to host a corporate holiday party or a New Year’s Eve cocktail countdown with your closest friends, we’ve got you covered!

This festive discount will only last through the month, so contact us today! We can accommodate any holiday or winter celebration and will customize the décor to fit your needs.

Santa and his elves are already jealous… 

See more pictures from Thomas Bui’s Annual Holiday Party and Magical Christmas at the Hotel Del. 

Ode to Peonies

Oh sweet peony, how we love you so! We truly despise having to see you go…

It is that season! The most sought after flower has been in bloom since about mid-May and carries through till the end of June. While we floral designers are known to pull a few tricks out of our sleeve, the precious peony is only available for just a few more weeks, and then we must bid farewell to the most popular seasonal wedding fleur of all time!

Last weekend, I purchased peonies from a grower in Oregon and they were the last of his crop. The shipment arrived on Tuesday morning and the flowers looked more like marshmallows tightly bound up in shape. As the week progressed I watched, as the blooms started to magically unfold exploding into their femininity like that of a woman. By Saturday they had opened up into their magnificence and were such a sight to be seen! As if I didn’t know before, I completely understand why us ladies adore this very, VERY, special flower.

We were in Vegas for a wedding and as you know, there is a lot of heat in Sin City. The temperature had its effect on the flower and I mean that in a positive way. The heat caused the phenomenal bloom, allowing the luscious petals to exude its full beauty. These peonies were so spectacularly gorgeous that I just had to pull a few out of the arrangements (after the wedding, of course) and left them in my hotel room overnight, hoping the maids took them home to enjoy!

There are so many varieties of peonies, some single, double or multi-layered, like the Sarah Bernhardt, which is the classic, double-bloomed, frilly pink peony that resembles that of an old-fashioned rose. Coral Charm Peonies are also quite popular, as they open into a bowl-shaped bloom revealing a glowing mass of stamens in a deep coral-peach shade. The Cerise Peony is more fuchsia in color and has an outer guard petal that protects the fluffy petaloids insides. Yellow tree peonies are one of my favorite kinds and actually grow trees as opposed to bushes so they aren’t quite as dense. It amazes me the number of peony varietals there are—over 3,000 cultivated types are known throughout the world!!

So enjoy these seasonal beauties while they last… I know Trader Joe’s has been quite a haute spot to pick up a bouquet of stems for your home at an amazing price!!! And while we can’t get peonies all year, we do see some varieties return in the winter months, like the Coral Charm in October, white in November and the deep burgundy blooms in December, right in time for the holidays. However, these lovely pink petals are on their way out, which does make me wonder if that’s why June has become known for weddings…it MUST be because of the picture-perfect PEONY season!

Photography by Gene Higa, Rodrigo Mendez, Samuel Lippke, Schnack Studios & Victor Sizemore

Maharani Weddings FEATURES Adoration’s FLOWER CROWNS

Shot by Braja Mandala Wedding Photography 

There is something magical about placing a flower crown a top a lady’s head. It’s the moment when she transforms into her very own inner princess…

Adoration’s was inspired to create three very special floral crowns for a shoot with the incredibly talented photographer, Braja Mandala. Braja sent me the image of three Radhiki Gopi Skirts in different styles and asked that I create the finishing or rather crowning look with a floral headpiece.

I am often asked to create these fresh floral head wreaths for all ages, mostly darling young flower girls or for the bridal parties at rustic outdoor weddings, but these skirts were extravagant in their ethnic detailing, which inspired me to make dramatic accessories to complement.

The first crown was a luscious compilation of roses and dahlias in an ivory and green color palette while the second crown was a bountiful mix of colorful florals to offset the gorgeous patterned blue skirt design.  The third crown was very simple --- a strand of white hyacinth blossoms that were delicately sewn together with petite beads to add a touch of fresh flora to an ethnic head wrap.

This stunning fashion editorial shoot is featured TODAY on MaharaniWeddings.com. We are thrilled to have contributed to this incredible feature with Braja Mandala Wedding Photography and Gopi Skirts. Thank you so much for including Adorations and our floral crowns… again, perfect for any princess, at any age! 

Into the GLAMOROUS Woods: Exquisite Weddings Magazine Feature

The new Spring/Summer edition of Exquisite Weddings Magazine is now OUT on the newsstands and we are thrilled to be included in a stunning tabletop feature with A Joy Forever!

This gorgeous a la natural-chic shoot was conceived, styled, and coordinated by Krista Morrison, the founder and designer of A Joy Forever. As one of my long-standing colleagues and genuine friends, I was more than happy to work with Krista on this stylized décor editorial and knew that she would go above-and-beyond, as she does with every project or special event she produces. Wanting a classy and opulent look for this shoot, she was inspired by the Hidden Oaks property, which is known to host very casual and rustic affairs. However, Krista’s fresh perspective chose to “glam” up the styling to create a sophisticated yet whimsical outdoor setting.

Of course Krista informed me of the color palette she was going for and I chose to incorporate luscious crimson dahlias, rich pink peonies, antique blue hydrangea, and scabiosa flowers into our arrangements. The crystal chandelier was a focal point in the design so we played with the luxurious lace table runner and included many crystallized elements for added sparkle.  Our “something blue” tea lights popped perfectly up against the wood farm table and picked up the contrasting color of the hydrangea and dusty miller.

To complete our shoot, we added two sets of models to act as our bride and groom, along with their best man and maid of honor. It is always so rewarding to see people around a tabletop that you create for an editorial shoot — it breathes new life into the design and truly shows off what it would be like to have your loved ones breaking bread together surrounded by that beauty. 

As always, it was such a great pleasure collaborating with Krista on this shoot. Her sentimentality and thoughtfulness goes into every project and client she works with, and her ongoing quest to make a difference in people’s lives truly inspires me. I am truly blessed to have her wide-eyed optimism and love for discovery in my life and I can’t wait for our next shoot together!! 

TABLETOP CREDITS

Coordination & Styling: Krista Morrison for A Joy Forever Weddings & Events. Venue: Hidden Oaks Private Weddings & Events. Photography: Taylor Abeel Photography. Florals: LaVonne Crawford for Adorations Botanical Artistry, Paper Elements: Wendy Ware Calligraphy & Design. Furniture: Concepts Event Design. Tabletop Decor: Classic Party Rentals. Linens: La Tavola Linen. Gown: Danielle Berg D’Marie Bridal. Hair & Makeup: Natalie Bohlin Makeup.

Floral Subscription Giveaway

Don't miss out one fantastic arrangement delivered to you FREE for three months!
ORDER IN THE NEXT 48 hours TO BE ENTERED TO WIN!   

ORDER HERE!

ADORE YOUR MOTHER WITH A SPECIAL DELIVERY

Order Online NOW at Adorations.com 

Nothing says LOVE like a handpicked, one-of-a-kind arrangement created purely from the heart with your mother in mind! As part of our merger last week with Che Bella Fiori, Adorations Botanical Artistry is NOW thrilled to be able to service your daily, weekly, and special occasion floral delivery!

With Mother’s Day this Sunday, order TODAY via our brand-new ONLINE feature at Adorations.com and pick your desired price point. Adoration’s will carefully curate a unique, seasonal centerpiece or bouquet, lush with top-quality market-fresh flowers and botanicals, that is sure to impress Mom or anyone you love!

And to honor our recent union with Che Bella’s founder and “mother,” Carla Bassi, Adoration’s is now offering a 10% discount for any new clients who enroll in our Splendor Subscription Service, an ongoing floral delivery customized for you with daily, weekly, bi-weekly, or monthly servicing to your home or business location.

Contact us today for details or if you have any questions! Adoration’s delivers locally to San Diego County for a flat $15 fee and is associated with the fine floral network delivering anywhere in the U.S. Specialty floral varieties and preferences are subject to additional fees, based on availability.

Show MOM how much you ADORE her this Mother's Day!!! Order Here!

ART ALIVE

The San Diego Museum of Art goes FULL BLOOM.

For the past 33 years, Art Alive has been the SDMA’s signature fundraiser and annual floral exhibition bringing great works of art to life with floral interpretations. For the first time ever, I decided to participate in this phenomenal event with many of our industry colleagues and collaborated with my good friend and wedding coordinator, Thomas Bui Lifestyle.

There were over 100 pieces of art available to choose from to inspire the floral interpretations. Thomas headed up our art selection and choose Canaletto’s “The Molo from the Bacino di San Marco, Venice, 1747-50.” We studied the painting together to conceptualize how I would recreate and transform a floral arrangement into a sculptural masterpiece. I was struck by how linear the composition was, but I knew I needed to see movement; that would be my challenge. Thomas commented on the wood boats and shape of the gondolas in the painting, which lead us to our design direction and foundation for the piece. We choose a wood grain box with gold trim and the palm boat vessel, which seemed perfectly in sync with this great work of art. I began crafting the florals, building the ocean with a nest of dusty miller and adding just a few pink peonies to represent the pantaloons of the gondolier. The tower was of course the focal point, so I designed a replication made of quicksand roses in ivory, pink and peach, with a peak of lamb’s ear to mimic the very top.  

And I must say, for an Art Alive first-timer, I was very pleased with myself…so much so that after arranging and perfecting our creation, it ironically toppled over ruining the fresh flowers I so meticulously placed!

 As you can imagine, I was crushed…at first.

But like every great artist before me, you must pick up the pieces (literally, in my case) and begin again. Second-time around, it was even better than before.

On Friday April 11th, we unveiled our floral masterpiece to the public, and celebrated Art Alive at the Museum’s BLOOM BASH that very evening. The exhibition ran just through the weekend keeping all the fresh botanicals as pristine as their hundreds-of-year-old artful counterparts.

While we didn’t take home a grand prize, we certainly received many accolades from our industry friends and press mentions. The famous bloggers behind The Horticult named us one of their FAVORITE top 25 pieces, which is truly such an honor. You can be sure that Adorations Botanical Artistry will be back at Art Alive next year. Because as you all should know… “It's not what you look at that matters, it's what you see.” - Henry David Thoreau 

Photography by Bauman Photographers 

TAP Party: Mixing Business with Pleasure

Tim Altbaum is known for his parties.

Sure his business Tim Altbaum Productions (otherwise known as TAP) is the best in San Diego, creating masterful sound, lighting, and entertainment for weddings and special events. But his annual industry party, reserved for the finest vendors in Southern California, receives accolades every year for being a showstopper, much like him.

This year, I partnered with Tim as his floral design sponsor to decorate a new amazing space. As if Brian Malarkey wasn’t already a household name, his latest San Diego creation, Green Acre Eatery located in the heart of UTC at Campus Pointe, is exactly as it sounds; an organic restaurant and event space that celebrates farm to table cuisine.

Nestled amongst the UCSD industrial park, labs, and research offices, Green Acre’s outdoor gardens are perfectly at peace with its surrounding and offers a sanctuary and retreat for those working in the vicinity. Open for breakfast and lunch until 3pm and then for a Happy Hour from 4-7pm, Green Acre’s modern rustic design perfectly transforms from day to night into a swanky special event venue.

Like any designer, I couldn’t wait to see my work come alive in this new space and working with Tim just took it to the next level. Green Acre segued into a high-end nightclub for the TAP Party and industry veterans were blown away by another phenomenal event hosted by Tim Altbaum Productions.

Our florals were an organic mix of anemones, garden roses, dahlias, sweet peas, protea and fresh greens, arranged in rustic containers and handmade wooden vessels to stay true to the farm-to-table concept.

As if I couldn’t get enough of Green Acre, I turned around and set-up a tabletop photoshoot for the very next day. I just couldn’t resist the inspiring location and know it will be such a haute spot, I just had to be one of the firsts to make it so.

Thanks to Tim Altbaum Productions and Bauman Photographers

BRIDAL BOUQUET RECIPE

Are these fleurs on fire burning to be in your bouquet? 

A bride’s bouquet is extremely personal. This is the one traditional accessory that every girl dreams about. Often times, these flowers make up a majority of the entire floral design scheme, so choosing the ones that you are passionate about is best. Plus you’ll forever be cherishing those photographs with you holding this botanical masterpiece. 

BLOOMING INGREDIENTS NEEDED: Orange Parrot Tulips, Flame Calla Lilies, Vivid Mambo Sweetheart Roses, Golden Roses, Mokara Orchids, Gloriosa Lilies 

Some like it HAUTE… like this hearts aflame bouquet in sun-kissed hues. Varieties of flowers make up this European hand-tied bouquet with tulips, calla lilies, roses and gloriosa lilies as the focal flowers. These are not just any ordinary flowers but specifically chosen breeds to suit this bride’s bright and vivacious style. Orange gold-tipped parrot tulips mixed with vivid mambo sweetheart rosebuds in varying stages of bloom comprise the majority of the bouquet with scampering red gloriosa and scattered flame calla lilies bursting in contrast. A bouquet in this orange-red color combination can be hard to achieve, but I am just in love with the freshness of this style that focuses on shape and textural elements.

COLIN COWIE FEATURES RULA & STEVEN’S LODGE AT TORREY PINES WEDDING

It’s always an honor to be amongst the industry’s most notable stars. Colin Cowie, a world-renowned celebrity event designer, featured Rula and Steven’s stunning Lodge at Torrey Pines affair on their famed site – ColinCowieWeddings.com. While I love being recognized by the extraordinarily talented Cowie, it is the company I kept on this wedding who are the real shining stars. Working alongside the creative and stylish Susanne Duffy is always a pleasure. So much so that I’ve come to expect the glamour and luxury that is synonymous with her business, Crown Weddings.

And this wedding was by no means an exception.

The bride is a surgeon from New York City, so her mother did most of the planning for this destination celebration. Susanne conveyed their overall vision for the design and color scheme consisting of aubergine, lavender and ivory, with touches of gold. Working with a coordinator like Susanne is a blessing. While the design is an ongoing collaboration between creative vendors, it’s so important to have a strong coordinator to direct the production. Susanne Duffy does so flawlessly and our final creation was simply divine.

Guests were greeted with six lush arrangements framing the aisle entrance full of roses in various stages of bloom, hydrangea, dahlias, and tulips with diminutive touches of botanical foliage, like dusty miller for movement and variation in texture. A pathway of white rose petals aligned the chairs leading up to the grand wooden arbor elaborated decorated in a lavish display of the floral palette, making a breathtaking backdrop for this lovely couple’s ceremony.

The bride’s bouquet (featured last week in our first of many ongoing Bouquet Recipe posts) comprised of Carmel Antik and Patience garden roses, Amnesia roses, ranunculus, gardenias, tulips, lisianthus, jasmine vine and dusty miller. Smaller bouquets were created for the bridesmaids and accessorized their deep plum gowns beautifully. 

Candlelight amongst the dark farm tables created an ambient glow to the Lodge for the reception décor, which showcased various table arrangements and centerpieces complementing the royal purple color palette.

It’s no wonder that Colin Cowie chose this elaborate California Lodge wedding to feature on his site. The event was a vibrant and dramatic display of true elegance, and a dream come true for this east coast couple. 

Vendors

Photographed by Braja Mandala. Venue: The Lodge at Torrey Pines. Wedding Planner: Crown Weddings. Floral Design: Adorations Botanical Artistry. Linens: La Tavola.

BRIDAL BOUQUET RECIPE

What lovely fleurs do you want in your bridal bouquet?

Adorations Botanical Artistry is so excited to share with you our new ongoing blog series highlighting some of our FAVORITE bouquet designs created for real brides. Our first bouquet is a real treat and a sneak peak into a stunning feature published on Colin Cowie Weddings, stay tuned… 

BLOOMING INGREDIENTS NEEDED:  Carmel Antik Garden Roses, Amnesia Roses, Patience Garden Roses, Ranunculus, Gardenias, Tulips, Lisianthus, Jasmine Vine & Dusty Miller

This dreamy bouquet is comprised of softly ruffled Carmel Antik garden roses in butter cream, coupled with the perfect proportion of white Patience garden roses and Amnesia roses, lending a vintage lavender hue. A variety of ranunculus and delicate handpicked gardenias add texture amongst the focal flowers, while subtle hints of tulips, lisianthus, and dusty miller complete the arrangement. This hand-tied bouquet has stems partially exposed for a natural presentation, keeping the romance alive yet not detracting from the real focus – the beautiful bride.

ALL KINDS OF GOODNESS with Creative Expert LaVonne Crawford of Adorations Botanical Artistry

There is an importance of sacred ritual and ceremony.  As a floral and event designer for weddings and special events, I am seeing a reoccurring trend in the exclusion of ceremony décor from the overall floral budget. Over time, couples seem to continue reducing their investment both personally and financially into the actual ceremony. Now I can understand from a bride’s perspective how this can make sense. Your wedding ceremony is usually only 20-30 minutes long, while the majority of the time is spent at the dinner and reception. However, as couples stand before their ministers, officiants, family, and friends, (and let’s not forget God) declaring their lifelong devotion to one another, could it be that we are missing the point and not focusing our attention to these ceremonial details?

There is a significance to the ritual, hence why it is called the ceremony, and it is human nature to mark special events. This is an opportunity for inclusion, acknowledgement, and creation, not only reflecting the dedication you are making to your partner but the merging of two families becoming one. It’s time we give proper attention and commitment back to what I believe is THE most important part of the wedding day. 

The “I Dos”

Ask yourself these questions to see how much of yourself
you are willing to give to your ceremony.

1. Determine the depth and scope of the ceremony.  How do you plan to reveal yourselves to each other? 

 2. What is your comfort level in expressing and committing yourself in front of your family and friends? 

3. Are you including any significant family members in the ritual of uniting two families as one? 

Making a lifelong commitment in front of others is so much more than just a celebration. It’s what marriage and partnership are all about. While some couples find it hard to expose themselves and their affections in front of others, I urge you to reconsider and suggest that you stretch yourself, perhaps further than you ever have before. This is the beginning of your vow to one another and going the distance reveals the importance and power of your love. 

In our INTIMATE SPRING WEDDING the focus of decoration was in the ceremony aisle and site location. When I say intimate, this beautiful celebration was just the immediate family of four, but the attention to detail proved just how special this union and ceremony meant to them. From lining the aisle with thousands of white rose petals and creating a streaming cascade of hanging orchids, this couple not only chose an elaborate private set-up but decided to recreate their ceremony décor the next week for their reception guests. What I love about this story is that it was most important for these two to be surrounded by purity and loveliness during the moments that mattered most to them. 

We’ve worked with brides and grooms who have personalized their ceremony to fit their beliefs with religious rituals that unite them in their own spiritual style. Many Southern Californian beach weddings incorporate a hand-washing ceremony which represents complete forgiveness in recognition of everything an individual experiences up to the moment they stand before one another and commit their lives to love.  The hand-tying (or handfasting) ceremony, which was part of the SACRED ELEMENTS WEDDING, paid homage to the bride’s Celtic heritage by binding the hands of the couple with ribbon to symbolize “tying the knot.” This, along with the groom’s Native American Indian roots, acknowledged the sacred rituals special to them as a couple so they could honor the four directional compass points.  Their ceremony site was enclosed within a five point floral canopy, which represented the five elements of earth, air, fire, water and spirit. While the hand-tying ceremony commenced, the couple recited their vows and prayers in the sacred space we created for them. 

What you can do is communicate with your wedding planner about creating your ceremony design as a starting point and incorporate any sacred rituals that are special to you. Engage your florist into designing with the intention of relocating their décor into your reception space if needed. Budget parameters can be seemingly stretched when a designer knows from the onset that the florals will be repurposed from the ceremony to the reception. Do proceed with caution in the summer months when determining your flower selection for outdoor ceremonies to be certain that the presentation and choice of flowers will translate well in hot weather. At Adorations, we are full service, providing a full day set up and delivery, from the first pinning of the boutonnieres to the very last candle lit.

Your wedding is a joyous day – that moment when you are joined in marriage and commit to a partnership for life. Do not take the ritual of the ceremony lightly and consider that these vows will forever be remembered long after the champagne toasts at your reception.

REAL WEDDING: VALENTINE’S DAY EDITION

Cupid and His Angel: Vincent & Angeliquea

He’s a nightclub manager. She’s a cocktail server. What they say is true. You ABSOLUTELY can meet the love of your life at a bar. 

In celebration of Valentine’s Day – Cupid’s holiday – it seemed fitting to feature one of the most stylish and passionate weddings I’ve had the pleasure to design.

Vincent and Angeliquea are an incredibly gorgeous couple, full of personality and sensual energy. You can just tell that these two are extremely hot for one another. Take a look at their engagement photos. These images by Luna Photo took my breath away that I was certain this wedding would be one steamy night.

When my groom-to-be told me that he works for the corporation that owns Fluxx Nightclub in downtown, San Diego, I knew I was in for a real treat. Being the very location Vincent first eyed his lady love, it made sense they would say their “I Dos” right there, in one of the city’s most notable nighttime hotspots. And like any great man, he wanted to give her exactly what she wanted – the wedding of her dreams.

Working with Kelly Aull of Mint Weddings, we chose to spotlight this glamorous couple in their naturally sexy setting, with an equally sensual surrounding, lush with red roses and massive amounts of petals lining the aisle. The ceremony site, the club itself, is already so captivating that we kept the altar décor very chic and simple with Manzanita trees framing the stage, dripping in moss and hanging candlelight. With a provocative color palette that completely complemented Fluxx, the couple chose black and red with hints of lavender and green for their floral décor. The bride’s bouquet was perfectly plump with red heart’s roses, while her maids, dressed in Betsey Johnson little black dresses, had black calla lilies and lavender roses mixed in for a dramatic affect. The dinner reception was held at the University Club and outfitted to resemble that of a nightclub vibe. The tables were lined with more luscious red roses and petals with candelabras that illuminated the space and highlighted all the juicy red details. 

Happy Valentine’s Day LOVERS!!!

Photography: Luna Photo. Wedding Coordinator: Mint Weddings. Ceremony Venue: Fluxx Nightclub. Reception Venue: University Club.