Cakes, Cookies, and Bread…Sweet Cheeks Baking Company has it all! Not only do these ladies make some of the most beautiful cakes in San Diego, they are also former winners of Food Network’s Cupcake Wars. Their creativity and talent never disappoint and there ridiculously delicious cakes will bring your guests to their knees. Don’t feel too bad when you devour an entire box of their chewy chocolate cheeks because these guys are all about sustainability and locally sourced ingredients. Check out their website http://sweetcheeksbaking.com for more mouth watering info!

Modern+Serene+Private= Levyland Estates. This oceanfront property is nestled within the Buena Vista lagoon reserve in Carlsbad, Ca.  Levyland Estates believes in truly enjoying your stay and rents for 6 days and 6 nights only.  Between the main house and The Tree House, there is plenty of space to accommodate up to ten overnight guests.  The property is outfitted with breathtaking scenery and requires little decoration .  Although Levyland Estates can suggest a comprehensive list of preferred vendors, feel free to customize your big day exactly how you imagined it.  Levyland is one of San Diego’s premiere locations to host an exquisite wedding.  Sold?  Well, you’d better act quickly because they only have ONE remaining opening for 2012.  The last available 2012 date is from May 1st-7th, but they are also booking all throughout 2013.  For more information or to book now, contact Anne Facon at 760.213.2467 or by email at facon@att.net.

Myth #1: If it’s on the beach, it’s gotta’ be casual

Casual beach weddings are fun & easy. What groomsman would say no to khaki shorts?! But what about a more formal beach wedding? You may need to save the stilettos for the dance floor but let your wedding reflect YOU and your style. There are tactful ways to incorporate a more sophisticated look. Hiring local wedding professionals is a sure-fire way to make sure you get advice to help mesh your style and formality with the elements of the beach and other details of your wedding, such as time of day, and season.

Myth #2: The summer heat will be too much!

In general, the San Diego coast line has a nice breeze and doesn’t get as warm as inland San Diego. Here are some other ways to make sure you, your guests, and your wedding doesn’t “melt”:
Pick light weight fabrics for your bridal party’s attire, as well as your dress.
Put a few parasols tucked on the sides of the last few rows of seats for your guests, or larger umbrellas in the back rows.
For florals and decor, stick to blooms that your florist suggests, which will be more hardy and ‘weather-proof.’ Or consider using items besides flowers. For example, fabrics are a great way to bring in color.
For other ideas and tips, talk with your hired professionals. We are here to make your wedding a success!

Myth #3: Since the beach is public, that lady in her bikini is going to be in the background…

The majority of people are very respectful of your wedding ceremony. You can expect to have bystanders watching in the distance, and you must be willing to laugh at the occasional loud bird or airplane, but that is all a part of the beauty of the great outdoors. The biggest factor will be the exact location you choose. If you are concerned about being in a public spot, there are places in San Diego that have private beaches and wedding locations that are more secluded, allowing just you and your guests, so your don’t have any worries about the unwanted wedding crashers.

-The BB Weddings Team

On that very special wedding day, every bride wants to look like a million dollars! Whether you are applying your make up yourself or you have hired a professional for the day, wedding make up can be very daunting. You take so much time choosing your dress, jewelry, shoes and hairstyle, don’t let your face take a backseat! Are you wondering how you are going to keep your make up looking flawless in your photos all day? Easy! We HIGHLY recommend hiring a professional like Melissa Rae who uses airbrushing, an alternative to traditional foundation. It is water resistant, weightless and achieves an amazing naturally flawless looking complexion.

If you insist on applying the make up yourself, please keep these tips in mind. Firstly, don’t scrimp on the moisturizer. You will look chalky in pictures without it. Give it a few minutes to sink it before you apply your foundation. Also, highlight your eyes and temples. It will brighten your skin and keep you looking a lot more natural. Do NOT forget to wear Waterproof mascara! You will be crying tears of joy and the last thing you want is to look like someone threw a bottle of black paint on your face! Next, set your make up with a quick dusting of face bronzer or powder. This will give you a more lightweight finish. And lastly, a little trick of the trade: take a picture of yourself before you head out so you can see anything you may want to change. The camera picks up things that the human eye does not. This may be your last chance to fix it! Remember, you want to put your best face forward. These special moments only happen once in a lifetime.

With these tips, you will be feeling like a Hollywood Bombshell in no time!

Here are some other alternatives to the traditional bridal bouquet. Crystal bouquets: Extremely fragile but have a beautiful, elegant regal look to them. They aren’t the most cost effective option and if you are a self confessed klutz..this would not be for you! If you have a sweet spot for your sweetie…why not walk down the isle to him, holding a candy bouquet? If you are a beach bride, a simple bouquet can be completely made out of seashells….perfect for a summer wedding! If you are the crafty type, a button, fabric or paper bouquet could fit your style! For a fancier look, stop by www.emplume.com to see their one-of-a-kind feather bouquets…absolutely stunning!

No matter what item you choose to carry with you, they will be a special symbol regardless. As long as it is meaningful to you.. you can carry whatever you would like! So go get creative!

… or rather, plant one. Toss aside those Hershey kisses in miniature chinese takeout boxes, an emerging trend in wedding favors are seedlings and actual trees wrapped up in pretty paper and bows. Light in calories, uber friendly to Mother Earth. We dig it. Recycled wedding dresses, reusing wedding decor from a wedding last week, and now this? Yes, ladies and gents, going green is EVERYWHERE on the wedding scene. Plant the memory of your special day with an oak seedling. Check out The Magnolia Company’s Seeds of Life, which sells oak seedlings wrapped in pretty boxes. They have a pretty extensive collection with favors hovering at about $4 a box, depending on how many you order (see photo above). If that’s not in your budget, a trip to Home Depot, Michael’s, a glue gun, some bows, and a little creativity could do the trick.

Oh, yes she can! Thanks to the lovely Pippa Middleton and that spectacular royal wedding just weeks ago, brides are starting to think: Oh yes she can. Wear white, that is. It used to be a huge no-no at a wedding. Only the bride could wear white, right? Well, we did our research and sure enough, it’s not immensely popular on this side of the pond but it has been done. (Over there, in good ol’ England, it’s pretty much a tradition dating back to the middle ages.) It’s a brave, brave thing for a bride to do. A poll of our gal pals say they never would. (Who wants drunk guests accidentally congratulating your college roommate?) But if you want to live on the edge and have an all-out white wedding give yourself a “rebel yell” and check out some of our tips:
(1) The white bridesmaid dress must be simple. Straight lines, a little flow-y perhaps, but no poof. You don’t want your wedding to look like a scene out of “Swan Lake.”
(2) If you have more than four bridesmaids we would urge you to opt for pale blue or pink instead of white. You big day could run the risk of resembling the waiting room at city hall.
(3) A little color can help give you the best of both worlds. Here we mean a little sash around the waist in one of your wedding colors might help distinguish the bride from her maidens.
(4) Think short. We loved Pippa’s look, but that was a royal wedding, with jeweled crowns and kings and queens. For your day, check out cocktail-length dresses to add a bit of informality to a trend borrowed from the palace.

(Photos above courtesy of JCREW. See www.jcrew.com for details.)

If you think that the lighting at your wedding is as simple as walking into the room and turning on a few lights here and there… you may want to consider taking a different approach. Lighting creates ambiance and mood, and it is this very lighting that can be the difference in whether your flowers (and even some of your guests!) look drab or fab. The truth is, the right lighting can completely transform a wedding. So many of us are guilty of planning the meticulous details of invitation fonts, music tracks and wedding cake flavors but when was the last time we gave a second thought to the appropriate lighting? Without the proper lighting, details like the intricacies of the dress may be missed, the right atmosphere may not be created and flower centerpieces may go unnoticed. If you plan on dimming the lights, also opt for inexpensive tricks like using small spotlights to highlight architectural features around the room or lighting candles for a soft glow. Paper lanterns and inexpensive Christmas twinkle lights can add the perfect romantic feel to your outdoor wedding, while also making sure your wedding pictures come to life!

Whether you decide to use soft lights, colorful strobes, big spotlights, or tea light candles… remember that each beam will add its own distinct radiance to your celebration. The only thing stopping you from creating a masterpiece of light.. is you!