Set The Date Blog | San Diego Wedding Locations | San Diego Wedding Receptions

Shannon & Bill Get Married!

2011-10-17T12:12:00.000-07:00

After many years of dating long distance, Shannon and Bill finally decided to take the plunge. Bill proposed to Shannon and within weeks she moved from Chicago to San Diego to start their life together. Since Bill works a busy job requiring many hours, the responsibility was all on Shannon to get started on their wedding plans in addition to finding them a bigger space to live and finding herself a new job...and all in a new city. Needless to say, she was a little overwhelmed! When Bill was sharing all of this news to a friend as well as his concerns about them having little traction so far with finding a wedding venue, the friend suggested Set The Date. Bill immediately called Shannon who immediately called me and we were off running!

With most of their 200+ friends and family coming to their celebration from Chicago, it was important to Shannon and Bill that the home base for their guests be somewhere that would make for a great mini-vacation. They wanted it to either be at or near the beach or somewhere that really shows off what San Diego has to offer. And otherwise, it needed to be classic in style and have fantastic food.

To sum up our day together, Shannon got exactly the help she needed and I was in wedding venue tour heaven. Not only was she a blast to have in the passenger seat all day, but I was loving the opportunity to show her one gorgeous venue after another and watch her drool. Of course the last thing I want to do is confuse anyone by showing them too many great options, but typically by the end of the day, there is some clarity and front runners begin to emerge. Sure enough, Shannon had her "top four" and she went home to tell Bill all about them and set up appointments to view them and learn about all the details together.

In the end, they chose to have both their ceremony and reception at The Prado! It was the second venue of ten that I showed her that day, but as I got to know her and hear all about Bill as we drove up and down the coast, I could tell that it would their perfect match. It's the ultimate classic San Diego venue, their guests could enjoy staying and partying in the nearby Gaslamp, and hello fantastic food! I often daydream about the Prado's pressed arugula salad with strawberries and candied walnuts...YUM.

Congratulations you two! To see more images from their wedding, please visit the Image Mayhem blog.

Now Offering Virtual Tours!

2011-06-27T10:13:00.000-07:00

You ask, I listen.

Set The Date is now officially offering Virtual Tours, the easiest and fastest way to jump start your wedding planning with ease.

Maybe you are planning your San Diego wedding from afar and have no choice but to book your venue sight unseen. Maybe you have been researching and pulling your hair out and you just can't wait to find out which awesome locations you have missed. Or maybe spending several hours in a car with me sounds crazy. Whatever the reason, the Virtual Tour is in demand so I am delivering.

Included is "The List," a personalized spreadsheet of 7-10 San Diego venues that best match your criteria for a perfect location as well as pictures of the recommended event spaces.

For more information, please visit Set The Date's website or call 858-349-9951.

San Diego Wedding Location Tour - It's Time

2011-03-11T12:12:00.000-08:00

I've been patiently waiting for this day.

Despite constant encouragement to raise my prices from just about everyone in my life, I have held steady at my original Set The Date tour price. The service of giving customized tours of wedding locations is a new concept in the San Diego wedding industry and I wanted to eliminate any obstacles for that newly engaged, but increasingly frustrated bride, groom, or couple to try it out.

But I'm proud to say that the time has come. After much time in the car with some amazing people followed by wonderful testimonials and word of mouth, business is growing. It's time to raise prices.

In honor of such an occasion and the very popular online sales of the moment, I'm offering the original price, $250*, for any tours booked between now and next Wednesday, March 16th.

The tour does not need to take place by next Wednesday. In fact, it can be purchased for future use, even as a gift for yourself or someone who isn't even engaged yet! But this is the last opportunity to get a Set The Date tour at, quoting a recent bride, "a ridiculously low price for how helpful it is."

To book your tour, please call 858-349-9951 or email lauren at setthedatetours.com

*$300 for weekends or holidays
Expires 9/16/11

Nikki & Christian: Set The Date's Very First Couple Gets Married!

2010-12-15T15:26:00.000-08:00

Congratulations to Nikki and Christian and a huge thanks to them for having faith in me and being willing to be my guinea pigs just over a year ago. To have my first and very eager clients in flesh and blood was priceless and I could not have been more excited to help them. Set The Date was officially born!

Nikki and her mom had come into India Ink Papers browsing invitations and when they expressed how stressed and overwhelmed they were in trying to find the perfect wedding location, owner Kymberli was excited to be able to give them the inside scoop on a budding new business. Thanks, Kymberli! They had already spent a lot of time searching high and low for the right spot, and had found and really liked Levyland, but weren't confident that the search should stop there. They decided that it was worth hiring an expert to make sure they had exhausted all of their options.

It turns out, Nikki and Christian were looking for the Holy Grail of San Diego wedding locations. They wanted something outdoors for at least 200 guests with a view that lets you bring in whatever kind of food and alcohol you'd like (they had some industry connections), that lets you party all night (industry friends with late night internal clocks), and appropriate for a fairly tight budget. And Nikki had a vision of using chandeliers in the decor and they were aiming for a Saturday in September. Oh boy. Let's just say that preparing for tour #1 was not easy.

But I'm happy to say that I provided Nikki and Christian with a list of eleven venues, the vast majority of which they had never heard. Some had restrictions that would force them to compromise a little, but others managed to work around that 10pm noise ordinance. After following up with one of the venues I showed them, they decided that Levyland was the place for them after all. It reinforced my philosophy, which is just like hunting for a new home, that you usually need to see a LOT of places in order to figure out and confirm what is right for you.

The amazing Clayton Austin took these photos (check out the chandelier!) and you can visit his blog post for more...and to read a crazy story from their wedding day!

5 Things I Learned When Choosing My Wedding Location

2010-07-02T07:42:00.000-07:00

The time has finally come for me to plan my own wedding. Holy moly. After absorbing all things wedding for several years now, I still can’t quite believe that it’s my turn in a white dress. But that’s another topic. Wedding location is the topic and we had to find one, but ever since I started working with weddings in San Diego, I knew that finding a location here that would feel special to me would be nearly impossible. I've been prepping my loved ones for a destination wedding ever since.

I am always scanning wedding blogs and staying up to date with bridal trends, so it didn't take me very long to zero in on our venue, the Cabo Surf Hotel in San Jose del Cabo. We just signed the contract and even for someone who specializes in helping couples find a wedding location, I have to say that the process of coming to that decision was eye opening. I learned a lot about myself, my future husband, and the many more things that one should consider when finding and coming to a decision about their wedding location. Here are a few:

I’m way too practical.

My practical side won. When putting together the guest list and thinking about each friend or family member taking a trip for us, it becomes very real. Will all these people really be up for the travel? Is it too much to ask? Some of the more tropical destinations I had in mind that are a few hours from the closest airport started to sound like a huge haul. Just because we’re ok with off the beaten path foreign destinations doesn’t mean our guests are. I just want everyone to have a good vacation and for it to be easy. We can save the exotic stuff for the honeymoon. Oh, and Cabo means I won't be covered in mosquito bites and we're pretty much guaranteed a sunny wedding day. I had never given a lot of thought to either of these and they soon became my main practical points.

It’s time to compromise.

I had to face the facts that a) I’m apparently the kind of person who wants things her way (who knew?) and b) this is not all about me. My fiancé really, really wanted the destination to have surf. In my experience, surf usually means the water is not as pretty as locations without surf. But lo and behold, we seemed to find a location that has both. In the end, the location has 95% of what I want but the fact that it has what he wants and makes him really happy makes up for the other 5%.

There are a lot of factors that go into choosing a location.

It’s a bit of a puzzle trying to find your perfect wedding location match. After now going through this myself, here’s my new checklist breaking down the basics of what to consider:

Does it meet your budget? Will you have enough money left over to do all that you want to do?

Does the location meet your needs? Weather, activities for guests, overall price, comfort level, etc?

Does the style of the venue match your personality and/or the type of event you plan to have? Does the event space work in conjunction with the decor you have in mind?

Do you click with the staff you have met? Will they be a pleasure to work with, both before and during the event?

Does the venue have experience with weddings? Can you reference past events to help you plan yours?

Do you like the food?

Does it have accommodations or are there accommodations nearby and does it meet the needs of your guests? Does it have the amenities that you seek? Spa, salon, gym, etc?

Will it be somewhat easy to pull off an event there? If not, are you willing to put in the extra effort and money to make it what you want?

Visualization is key.

This isn’t usually hard for me, but when it came time to do so, I found it pretty difficult to visualize this wedding. One reason is that I have never had and will never have again all of my people, relationships from all areas of my life, hanging out together and lounging by the same pool as my fiance’s people. That's a weird visual. But an awesome one. And it made it difficult for me because I thought about how different everyone is and then I started wondering how we’re going to please everyone. And I’ve since learned to not even go down that road.

Another reason is that when we visited the hotel on a scouting trip, the whole place (minus our room and one other) was taken over by a huge group of people that…well, let’s just say they’re nothing like my people or his people. It was when I got up early and walked around the quiet hotel that I could view it as a clean slate and could start to feel the ambiance when filled with our people. My fiancé seemed to be fine the entire time just staring off at those waves and visualizing how fun it will be to have his little pack of surf buddies.

There are too many options.

Part of the process is researching until you’re blue in the face. Or I guess you hire someone like me who has done the research for you and can assure you that you’ve explored all of your options. But I digress. There really are so many options and it’s natural to wonder if there’s something else out there that might fit your wants and needs that much closer. But there comes a time when you realize that it’s just a wedding, if you put the decision off any longer you put off being married, and that’s just silly. Pick an awesome place and move on to the next task!

How to Find the Pretty (and Helpful) Pictures in Your Wedding Location Search

2010-05-06T17:37:00.000-07:00

In the middle of a tour last week, the bride expressed how difficult it would have been to visit these locations alone. Some of the locations I took them to required a bit more imagination to visualize how a beautiful wedding would come together in the space. At each venue I'm usually wandering around saying "and here's where they usually have the head table..." or "and I have also seen the band set up here..." or "the ceremony could face this way OR this way..." I do my best to paint the picture.

But it was when we arrived at the Darlington House, a location that I encouraged them to visit despite it lacking their main requirement, a view of the water, that I realized just how difficult finding a wedding location can be for a newly engaged couple. The bride had previously come across the Darlington House website and decided to keep looking. As she put it once she was standing in the middle of its Mediterranean style courtyard, "The website does not do this place justice."

There are a lot of pictures out there on the world wide web. A LOT. But it's all about knowing how to sift through all the material that exists to find what you need to make a decision and plan your big day.

Here are my tips for searching for images with ease:

Use Google Images as your main search tool. For one, you get a little peek into what kind of link it is before you click. Does it look like a quality image? Your eye will get used to scanning for the good stuff.

The good stuff is found on wedding photographer blogs. Find a photographer's blog that shows lots of images from a wedding and then stick around and hunt for weddings at other locations. Many blogs have a search function so find a San Diego wedding photographer that you like and check out where else they have photographed weddings. Hint for photographers: Post at least one picture that shows the overall set-up of the event. This is so helpful!!

Use Google Alerts if you want to see the most updated images. I found images of the first tented event at a venue I like and called the catering manager to ask some questions about it. She was shocked that I had seen these photos because the event was recent and she hadn't even seen these photos yet. But some photographers post some teaser images to their blog immediately after the event. Set up Google Alerts to send you the latest results for a certain search term and it can be emailed to you almost as soon as it's online.

Ask to see pictures. Every wedding venue should have plenty of pictures to show you each way a wedding could be set up. Some venues are better than others at getting their hands on these pictures and keeping their library (and website) up to date, but it's worth asking. I knew that the Darlington House had a fabulous wedding album I had actually delivered to them a few years ago so I found it to show this couple. And by the end of the tour this charming venue was one of their top contenders.

Photos of the Darlington House by Ventana Photography

Frequently Asked Questions

2010-01-22T16:52:00.000-08:00

Are you a wedding coordinator?
Nope. I simply help my clients with that initial aspect of planning: finding a wedding location. I’ve dabbled in the wedding coordination side of things, but it’s just not my cup of tea. However, I have plenty of referrals for wonderful local wedding coordinators (among plenty of other wedding vendors) and strongly recommend at the very least hiring a coordinator for the day of the wedding.

So what are you?
A wedding location consultant would probably be the best title. Similar to a realtor providing guidance in finding a house, I guide couples in finding a wedding location, saving them a lot of time and money in the process. First, I pull a variety of locations that match what you tell me you are seeking and requiring from your perfect wedding location. Next, we pick a time and place to get together where I give you a summary of each location, you let me know which you would like to go see, and then we go see them. Throughout the day, I can offer you plenty of valuable advice and ideas for each venue and for your event in general.

How do you know so much about San Diego?
I’m always exploring. And if I don’t have anyone to join me, I have no problem going alone. I always want to know about the new hot spots, but even better, the undiscovered gems. When I first moved to San Diego and knew very few people, I would spend my time exploring new beaches, hiking different trails, and even shopping at an out of the way Target if it meant that I got to experience a new San Diego neighborhood.

Do you help with finding ceremony sites, too? And rehearsal dinner locations?
Of course! I know plenty of churches and outdoor locations that make great ceremony sites and the many venues that work well for intimate weddings would also make great rehearsal dinner locations. My specialty is weddings, but I would be happy to help anyone that is looking for the perfect location for their special event.

How many hours do you spend on the day of the tour?
You have me for the day and I’ve chosen to not set a specific amount of time. Instead, my goal is to make sure you feel satisfied and ready to move forward with booking a location and setting that date. That might mean a brief two hours or a long, full day. I would really leave that up to you.

Do you offer your services for other destinations besides San Diego?
Considering that two of my favorite pastimes are researching destinations and traveling, absolutely! I take pride in my super-sleuth Internet skills and whenever traveling to a new destination, I always manage to discover the best, little-known spots. From Mexico to Bali to the Caribbean to Thailand and more, I’ve had my share of extensive travel to some locations that would make for an incredible destination wedding. If you’re simply interested in a consultation, please contact me!

Estancia La Jolla

2009-12-03T18:07:00.000-08:00

I attended a fun reception at Estancia for its debut to the wedding industry when they opened in 2004. The general sentiment among everyone in attendance seemed to be "Thank goodness!" Estancia is a wonderfully unique wedding location in La Jolla and it was warmly welcomed as the newest hotel on the list of options in San Diego. There's nothing better than a quality new venue to keep things interesting! Even though it's no longer the new kid on the block, Estancia still seems fresh to me. Thank you to Jennifer Dery for these photos!

My favorite thing about Estancia is its landscaping and ambiance as you wander around the property. If you swoon for succulents and spanish guitar, you'll love it here! It definitely does not have the typical La Jolla feel, but for most people who choose to have their wedding here, I can't imagine that they care!

There are plenty of options when it comes to the kind of celebration you can have here and I've seen a whole variety:

The Big Picture: unique ambiance, excellent service, beautiful backdrops for your photography, and can accommodate a variety of wedding sizes.

Visit the Estancia website for details. To schedule a visit along with plenty of other San Diego wedding locations catered to your wedding needs, please contact Set the Date!

Paradise Point Resort

2009-11-02T13:34:00.000-08:00

There are few San Diego wedding locations that satisfy the need for that tropical, vacation-y ambiance like Paradise Point does. It's got the water, the exotic foliage, and it's even on it's own island! Whether it's a destination wedding in San Diego or it's simply a destination for many friends and family to travel for a wedding, it's bound to please. Thank you to Ventana Photography for these images!

Any ceremony and cocktail reception here would involve plenty of beautiful views of Mission Bay as well as gorgeous sunsets. But what Paradise Point offers is a reception ballroom with some very large capacity options just steps inside and with these same views. A rare combination in San Diego!

A final gorgeous image by Jennifer Dery!

The Big Picture: tropical, on the water, both beachy and boaty, wide range of event size options, easy parking, resort offers a unique stay for traveling guests.

Visit the Paradise Point website for details. To schedule a visit along with plenty of other San Diego wedding locations catered to your wedding needs, please contact Set the Date!

Spanish Village in Balboa Park

2009-10-31T14:31:00.000-07:00

I'm always amazed at how few people, San Diego locals included, know about the Spanish Village in Balboa Park. This little gem is tucked away amongst the main attractions that draw the crowds of tourists, so unless you know it's there, it can easily be overlooked. Thank you to San Diego Wedding Candids for this image!

Filled with small artist boutiques that are open during the day, this colorful village can be rented for private events at night. Since I dream of having an ambiance-rich wedding reception under the stars one day, this San Diego wedding location definitely ranks near the top of my list.

The Big Picture: a private and outdoor location in Balboa Park, plenty of parking (if timed right), colorful, and charming!

Visit the Spanish Village website for details. To schedule a visit along with plenty of other San Diego wedding locations catered to your wedding needs, please contact Set the Date!

Scripps Seaside Forum

2009-10-29T14:34:00.000-07:00

I'm a huge fan of one of the newer wedding locations in La Jolla, Scripps Seaside Forum. It's one of the few San Diego wedding venues that is located on the coast AND provides an exclusive view with privacy. Thank you to Melissa Koehler Photography for these pictures!

My favorite feature is how it is elevated on a cliff just high enough to give you a clean oceanview....just the green grass of the lawn, the surf, and the vast ocean beyond. The beach below could be packed with sunbathers and it really doesn't matter! It's also set low enough that you definitely get that "at the beach" feel without your feet getting sandy.

The Big Picture: Beachy, an amazing view, ceremony and reception options, a mix of indoor/outdoor, clean slate decor, ample parking.

Visit the Scripps website for details. To schedule a visit along with plenty of other San Diego wedding locations catered to your wedding needs, please contact Set the Date!