Allison Brincat and Quinn Walker

One of my favorite weddings from last year, Allison and Quinn were married in Quinn's Historic Walker Family Home in Point Loma.
Thank you to Brant Bender Photography for these wonderful photos.

Solving the Most Common Bridal Gown Emergencies

My friends over at Margaret's Cleaners sent me these helpful tips on how to solve the most common Bridal Gown emergencies.

Broken Bustle

A quick fix is to loop-pin it with a safety pin. Pin
five or six safety pins to the underside of your gown
where they will not show & will be accessible. (It is
worth spending a little more to have a French/Under
bustle made, as these are stronger than the
Pickups/Over bustle. They do not break as easily.)
Torn Strap, Ripped Hem or Seam
Make sure you have a needle and thread of the same
color. Safety pins will work. Tape and staples can
damage the gown.

Missing Beads, Sequins or Pearls

Most likely no one will notice if it’s just a few missing
but you should carry some just in case. If there
are missing beads, tie a double knot next to the bead
and snip off the excess thread.

Snags

DO NOT CUT snags off. This can leave a hole in
the material. Simply pull the material back and forth
gently, moving and flattening the snag until it goes
back in place.

Dirt, Grease, Lipstick Marks, Wine Stains & more.

The type of material the gown is made of will determine
how to treat it. If the gown is made of artificial
fiber such as polyester, there is a much less chance of
damaging the material. If the gown is made of silk
or rayon, it can be water-sensitive and you can end
up with permanent water spots or shine removal.
Shiny dresses, especially silk can become “bruised” if
you rub the fabric. Rubbing can change the texture
of the shine and is usually irreversible.

Rain in Sunny San Diego for the Bride and Groom

Today is Dana Godfrey and Arash Amini's wedding day. They flew all the way from Kansas City to have their destination wedding in America's Finest City.
The ceremony and reception will be held at L'Auberge Del Mar beginning at 4:00pm.

San Diego News Room interviews ADW

I was recently interviewed by The San Diego News Room after winning 3 awards at the 2009 San Diego ABC Red Carpet Awards. (small misprint in Christina's story, she mentions 2008)

The San Diego News Room

1.2.3 times a winner!

Each year the San Diego Association of Bridal Consultants local Networking Group holds it annual Red Carpet Aisle Awards Banquet.

This year I was nominated for 4 awards, Miss Congeniality, Mentor of the Year, Good Will Ambassador and Consultant of the Year.

By an overwhelming gift of love and support I came home with 3 awards last night! It was a moment in time I will never forget, and I'm so honored to be a member of the San Diego ABC!

Mentor of the Year Award

The Mentor of the Year Award is given each year to the one member of the SDABC who best exemplifies the ideal image of a mentor. The award is given to an individual who has established a record of consistent advice and support towards individuals in the SDABC, including novices, wedding consultants and vendors, over a number of years.

Good Will Ambassador Award

This award is given to the SDABC member who strives to communicate with the Community what a wonderful Association the SDABC truly is.

Consultant of the Year Award

This award is given to the Consultant who exemplifies the standards of the Association of Bridal Consultants.
The consultant who closely follows the ABC’s code of ethics and is an active member in the SDABC for at least 2 years.

All nominees are voted by their peers of both Wedding Consultants and Vendor Members.

I'd like to thank everyone again who voted for me, for showing me such acceptance, love and support! I love the San Diego ABC and all it's members!

Prepare to be WOW'd

Sometime you see something and just go WOW. This link was sent to me by my Father in England but even though it's not wedding related I thought you might like to sit back and enjoy 3 minutes of feeling WOW'd yourselves,

This incredible machine was built as a collaborative effort between the Robert M. Trammell Music Conservatory and the Sharon Wick School of Engineering at the University of Iowa. Amazingly, 97% of the machine’s components came from John Deere Industries and Irrigation Equipment of Bancroft, Iowa...Yes, far m equipment.

It took the team a combined 13,029 hours of set-up, alignment, calibration, and tuning before filming this video. As you can see, it was WELL worth the effort.

It’s now on display in the Matthew Gerhard Alumni Hall at the University and it’s already slated to be donated to the Smithsonian.

Music Extraordinaire

A Special Thank You from Kate

I just want to thank you again for everything on my wedding day! As my mom said, “time has flown by” and looking back on my wedding day your hard work held everything together for my family. Unfortunately, as you knew, I had a horrible cold the day before my wedding and when I woke that day I panicked thinking, “How will I make it through this big day feeling like I can’t even move?” Well, your first phone call to check up on me put all my worries at ease.

You and Stephanie made sure I had all the medicine, cough drops and tea I needed to help get me through the day. I remember starting to feel better when my bridesmaids and I were getting ready and thinking it has to be the excitement. It sure was because after the ceremony and pictures all the cold symptoms set in again. Feeling worried again about how I would make it through the reception, you appeared to escort Scott and I to the cocktail hour. You asked how I was feeling and when I said not so hot, you took us to the sitting area outside of the ballroom to just relax before our reception introductions. You and Stephanie brought us h’orderves, wine for Scott and a little white teapot for me. I remember sitting there, relaxing and feeling so grateful to have you there. I think it’s just instinctive for you to know what your brides’ need.

Your professionalism, kindness and caring was apparent throughout our reception. I needed more Dayquil…you & Stephanie were there. I needed a refill for my teapot…you & Stephanie were there. My bustle broke when my husband stepped on it…you had the tools to fix it. Everything you said when we first met with you was true. You really did have a fix for everything and the best part is my wedding was absolutely perfect despite the horrible cold I had. When I look back on my wedding day, I don’t think about how sick I was…I think about what an amazing, fun day it was and without you there that would not have been possible.

So, to add to what my mom said…thank you Sharon for everything! You made my wedding flawless and I have wonderful memories to look back on always.

Sincerely,

Kate K. Doré-Sharrow