Location, Location, Location

Your wedding is one of the most important days of your life - and one of the most important things in making your day great is deciding where it will take place. In choosing your ceremony and reception site, location is key. It is also good to consider the size and atmosphere of the venue, along with the people you will be working with to make your vision of perfection a reality.

Your Ceremony and Reception Site Checklist:

• Review your site from the inside and the outside - make sure it's exactly what you want
• Consider your guests' comfort (size, spacing, indoor, outdoor, etc.)
• Ask what is included, what can be rented and what you can bring in (some sites will not allow an outside caterer, for instance.)
• Check the layout - where will your tables, bars and dance floor be?
• Clarify your timing - some venues charge an hourly rate, most have a flat fee. Be sure to know what happens to your costs if you go over your agreed upon time limit.
• Visit the site in person. (Use the detailed guide on the following pages for specifics on almost every ceremony and reception site in San Diego County and the surrounding areas!)
• How will your food be served? (Buffet, wait staff, etc.)
• Parking (self park or valet?)

Unique Reception Ideas

Dreams do come true
Lisa Knoer, director of catering at The Bristol San Diego received a unique request from a gentleman one December. He was born and raised in San Diego and wanted to propose to his girlfriend in the hotel's Starlight Ballroom. Lisa obliged and helped him fake that his company was having their Christmas Party at the hotel by putting the company name on the hotel's reader board. The ballroom was set up for a party the next evening and Knoer pre-arranged access for this hopeful proposal maker. He and his girlfriend arrived, checked the reader board and proceeded to the 9th floor. The ballroom's retractable roof had been pulled back and the couple walked into a starry San Diego nighttime setting. No one was there and he said they were early. He then walked to the stage and turned on the boom box that Knoer had left there for him, along with a bouquet of flowers. Soft music began to play and he asked his girlfriend if she would like to dance. She agreed. In the middle of the dance, he dropped down on his knee and proposed. She accepted and several months later they were held their wedding and reception in the very same spot.

Match your theme to your venue
Most brides have an idea of what they want. Selecting a venue that accommodates the size of your guest list and making sure it is consistent with your theme is vital to your day's success. Considering the many different venues that Southern California and Baja offer, almost any dream can be made real. Cynthia Autry, the Sales and Service Manager at Disneyland Fairytale Weddings told us of bride who had a truly unique theme and how she chose an ideal setting for her wedding. The theme was based on the Haunted Mansion, complete with skeletons, black linens, candelabras for centerpieces, cobwebs and tombstones with the bride and groom's names on them. The wedding cake was purple with Nightmare Before Christmas ornaments between each layer. The bride arrived in the Cinderella Coach, wearing a black wedding dress and veil, "a first for the Disney's Cinderella theme," said Autry. The couple knew what they wanted and chose the perfect place to make it happen.

WINE, WOMEN AND WEDDINGS

Wine is a mystery, although a good-tasting one, to many people. What kind of wine to serve with what? Is a $25 bottle of wine really better than a $12 bottle? How much wine should we order for a 150 person reception? Should we have an open bar in addition? The answer to all those questions is a single one: it depends.

WHAT GOES WITH WHAT...The general rule of thumb is that the heavier the entrée, the more full bodied the wine. For example, a roast beef can stand up to a cabernet or merlot, both big red wines. Fish usually gets a white wine, like a chardonnay or an Alsatian because a more delicate flavor like fish shouldn't be overwhelmed by the beverage. However, if you and your fiancé are both cabernet fanciers, you should serve whatever is going to make you happy. And remember, champagne goes with everything. So if you are in doubt, pour the champagne.

COST VS VALUE...Trader Joe's "Two Buck Chuck" is about the closest you're going to come to a drinkable wine at a very low price. If you have to select from the venue wine list for your reception, be sure to consult with the hotel or reception venue's wine expert. Tell them what your budget is and the number of guests and see what they suggest. Remember, there are great California wines as well as poor ones, poor French wines as well as great ones, good Australian vintages and excellent wines from Chile. You are more likely to find values among the Australian and Chilean wines because they are not as well known in the US.

Champagne is like any other wine: you can find a good California sparkling wine at a reasonable price or the genuine French article at a not quite-so-reasonable level. But in this case, reasonable starts at about $10-12 a bottle. As with anything else, ask to taste before you order. Several champagne houses have created beverages specifically for using with cakes, Veuve Cliquot and Mumm among them. Ask your wine expert.

HOW MUCH WINE TO ORDER...Are you having an open bar? Are you going to have champagne toasts and champagne served with the cake? If the answer to those questions is "yes," then pour sparingly at dinner. You want your guests to be able to hit the dance floor on their feet not their faces. A bottle of wine serves roughly five to six people so you can figure from that. Once again, consult with your reception venue wine expert.

OPEN BAR?...Many people regard that as a sign of wedding hospitality. But if your crowd is into heavy drinking or you can foresee other problems, perhaps you should stick with wine, beer and soft drinks beforehand. Take into account what you want to serve with the food and after and factor everything into the "total alcohol" equation.

Ordering wine is like anything else concerned with your wedding. Ask the experts but be guided by your own knowledge as well.