| 1. We are
planning our wedding, what information can you send me?
Everything you need is on our web site, you may print info from any page
for future references. If you need rate quotes and info about availability,
For catering options, total capacity you can call all vendors you are
interested in, or e-mail them and ask that they phone you. Find and hire
a wedding consultant, this is what they do for a living. They can do all
the legwork for you and all you will have to do is write the check! 2.
I would like information on the order of events for the ceremony and reception.
Ceremony: You will need at least 1 to 1.5 hours for
the ceremony. This includes guests arriving, getting greeted and seated,
the actual ceremony itself, the photographs, and then travel time to the
reception site. Allow for extra travel time to the reception site especially
if you think you will be in rush hour traffic, holiday traffic, county
fair traffic, or racetrack traffic. Also allow for extra time for a reception
site that is 30 minutes from the ceremony site or church. This is only
a general rule. You may have a longer ceremony because of your religious
or cultural traditions so try to keep that in mind. The best thing to
do before you set dates and times is to consult with your officiant and
find out what the time table will be on your ceremony.
Reception: 1st 30 minutes-receiving line (consisting
of the wedding party and parents of the bride and groom. Designed to greet
all who come to the reception and help everyone learn each others names
and break the ice for the friends and family who have not yet met the
bride or groom.) And photos of the couple and wedding party. 2nd 30 minutes-
Music is played now and drinks/hors’d'oeuvres are served and guests
mingle. After one hour-Dinner is announced, blessings by parents, guests
or clergy are spoken. And the best man toasts the bride and groom. After
1.5 hours-Music and dancing the bride and groom dance their first dance
as husband and wife. Then everyone sits for main course. After 2 hours-tables
are cleared. Musician signals for cake cutting, then caterer or banquet
manager cuts and serves cake. Dancing resumes. Last 30 minutes-Women cluster
for bouquet toss & groom removes garter to toss to bachelors. Say
good-bye to parents. Then bride and groom run out to car in shower of
rose petals, bubbles, birdseed etc. (if they will make exit from reception).
Musicians stop playing and bar closes. Parents say good-bye to guests.
3. Can you give any tips for a good speech
at the wedding?
7 tips for a good toast:
1. Prepare and rehearse.
2. Record words on index cards.
3. K.I.S.S. (keep it simple silly) 3 minutes or less and be sincere.
4. Stand to give a toast; sit to receive one.
5. Mention the names of the people that you are toasting and your relationship
to them,
give a wish or hope for the future and good fortune for the couple, bride,
groom, etc.
6. Recite a favorite poem, joke, or scripture.
7. If you hear glasses clinking it means the guests want
to see the bride and groom kiss.
4. Do you have any suggestions/tips/advice
for couples planning a wedding outside their home state?
Yes! The first thing you must do is calculate your budget and decide what
you prefer: indoor/outdoor, formal/semi-formal, large (150 or more guests),
or small (100 or fewer guests). Then you need to contact a wedding coordinator
who can help you plan your wedding in the city of your destination. If
you are planning a wedding/honeymoon in a location such as Jamaica or
Hawaii; there are plenty of all inclusive packages. Consult with one of
our knowledgeable travel agents.
5. I'm having a quick wedding and need to
find a wedding chapel.
For wedding chapels in San Diego County try contacting the Ace Wedding
Chapel (619)588-0802, Chapel del Sol (619)429-0937, Quail Botanical Gardens
(760)632-0917, and Casa de Estudillo at Old Town Historic Park (619)642-4224.
All of these locations require advance reservations up to 3 months. Also
try contacting one of our wedding coordinators they have the inside scoop
on who is available more often and how much notice they need.
6. How do I get a marriage license in San
Diego and how much time do I need to notify the justice of the peace for
a wedding?
To obtain a marriage license you need to contact the County Clerk's office
at (619)237-0502. They also will be able to answer any other legal questions
you may have, about getting married in San Diego, that we have not addressed
on our site.
7. My fiancé and I are getting married
in December. We are not really very religious people, so I'm not sure
what my options are. Will it be in-season to get married outside?
There are plenty of other options besides a church ceremony such as a
gallery, a park, a museum, a historic mansion, private estate or a hotel.
But there are many nondenominational chapels in and around San Diego that
would also be suitable for a traditional ceremony. Contact one of our
nondenominational ministers and let them advise you on some of those chapels.
Outdoor weddings are in season from May to mid-October in Southern California.
Outdoor weddings are in season from November to April in Phoenix &
Las Vegas. In San Diego a December wedding could be wonderful or horrible.
Because of the unpredictable weather at that time of year you could end
up with a heat wave which you might be overdressed for or you could end
up with an unseasonably early winter rain or snow depending which part
of the county you're in. In any case you could still have an outdoor wedding
ceremony with the option to be indoors. If you do decide to have an outdoor
wedding and reception during an unseasonable period of time make sure
to have some back up plan if things turn for the worse: Too hot or too
cold.
8. I am looking for an outside location
for my wedding ceremony and would like to take advantage of the sunset
on the coast. What do you recommend?
Some of the best outdoor wedding ceremony sites are the ones that you'll
find when you call the San Diego County Parks and Recreation. Or contact
the Parks and Recreation Headquarters for your coastal city. There are
county park sites throughout the city and are relatively inexpensive way
to have a ceremony outside of a church for the nondenominational as well
as casual ceremonies. They also will not require as much decor. However,
brides and grooms usually like to use a Chuppah or flower arch to get
married under, along with chairs and a runway for the bride. These can
easily be rented from a party rental company such as the ones listed on
our party rental page.
9. I am 36 years old and this will be my
third marriage. I don't want to overdue it but I do want it to be special.
What kind of dress/ceremony would be appropriate? I also have three small
children from my previous marriage and I want to include them in my ceremony.
You can include your children in the ceremony by giving them special roles
such as ring bearer and flower girl or you can have them walk down the
isle with you to signify that they are joining you in this new marriage.
Make sure to schedule an afternoon wedding so that they can be awake
to enjoy it. You could follow the ceremony with an outdoor picnic or BBQ
Hawaiian luau style complete with pig roast. As far as your dress goes
men should dress in formal clothes that are appropriate (tuxedos etc.)
Ladies should choose a gown of any style, length or color from a local
bridal shop and make sure it is appropriate for the type of ceremony you
choose to have. (Floor length for informal, longer with train for formal.)
Bridal white is now recognized as a symbol of celebration and joy not
just virginity. Remember, it's your day and how your and your fiancé
choose to celebrate the occasion is really up to you.
10. We have a good friend that we would
like to marry us but he is not a licensed minister. What would he need
to do to be able to marry us?
There is a very simple way that your friend can legally marry you both.
All your friend needs to do is call the County Clerks office (619) 237-0502,
and obtain a one-day pass. It costs about $50 and gives your friend the
ability to marry anyone for 24 hours.
11. I am looking for outdoor wedding/reception
areas where I can have my own caterer. Can you help me?
There are several options you can choose to find your site: Find a caterer
and ask for sites they use regularly and recommend, ask the caterer you
already have chosen, or hire a consultant to dig this information up for
you. If you choose to ask the caterer you will find that they have a wonderful
relationship with those sites that employ their services often and they
may be sites you never thought about using.
When you choose to hire a wedding coordinator you will find that you're
entire wedding is going to be a lot less stressful because they will do
the hunting and planning and they have access to places that most people
donut even know exist. These sites can include elegant private estates,
charming parks that are privately owned, and of course the usual 100’s
of beautiful sites there are to choose from. If neither of these options
will suffice then try the San Diego County Parks and Recreation. There
are many parks in and around San Diego that are available for weddings
and receptions as well.
12. We would like to get married in Rosarito,
Mexico. I will need all the information for wedding, reception, churches,
photographers, etc. How can I get all the information that I need?
Here you have a couple of options. If you do not speak Spanish it is advisable
that you use a wedding or event planner that speaks the language. Even
though there are many Baja professionals who speak English, your event
will be better if you can properly communicate your needs or discontent,
as well as your appreciation. You can get this information on our Baja
page.
13. I need to find a church and reception
site, and I have no idea on where to start looking. Any suggestions?
When the process of planning a party this size becomes overwhelming it
is advisable to hire a wedding coordinator to help you pull it off. If
you choose to hire a wedding coordinator you will find that you're entire
wedding is going to be a lot less stressful because they will do the hunting
and planning and they have access to places that most people donut even
know exist. These sites can include elegant private estates, charming
parks that are privately owned, and of course the usual 100’s of
beautiful sites there are to choose from. Hiring a consultant will give
you the chance to be the gracious bride and groom and actually enjoy your
party as a guest instead of doting on every minute detail.
14. I need to find a place for the reception
in the northern San Diego area for approximately 500 people. I want a
place that allows you to bring your own food/drinks. Do you know of any
places like this?
There are several options you can choose to find your site: Find a caterer
and ask for sites they use regularly and recommend, ask the caterer you
already have chosen, or hire a consultant to dig this information up for
you. If you choose to ask the caterer you will find that they have a wonderful
relationship with those sites that employ their services often and they
may be sites you never thought about using.
15. Most of the reception
sites require that we have a licensed caterer. My problem is that my parents
and my fiancé's parents would like to cook the food themselves.
Are there are any other facilities that would accommodate us without a
caterer?
The best thing to do is to try to get in touch with some of the local
women's clubs and/or contact the Parks and Recreation in your area. There
are a variety of locations and you should be able to bring whatever you
want. Tip: check to be sure what the policy is for alcoholic beverages.
16. We originally were to be married in September
on a boat in the Newport Harbor. The lady who we booked with has moved
to Montana and does not return our phone calls. We would like to find
a reception site either in South Orange County or the Huntington Beach
area where we can bring in our own caterer and alcohol; maybe have our
wedding there as well. We both are fond of the ocean and golfing. The
boat has our deposit of $3,000. So we are a bit stressed out and need
some advise!
You should be able to get most of your money back if you give enough
advanced warning and the company is able to book someone else in your
place. Contact them first ASAP!! As far as finding another place ...this
is a very busy year for weddings. Be sure that you can find something
else first before canceling anything you have already booked. If you would
like to find something where you can bring your own caterer, try finding
the caterer first. Ask the caterer what sites they recommend for your
reception.
17. I will be wearing opera-length gloves
at my wedding. What is the appropriate "procedure" for the exchange
of rings? Will my wedding band be placed on my finger over the glove or
do I remove the glove to receive the ring?
For opera length gloves it is suggested that you unstitch the under seam
of the left glove's ring finger lengthwise so that you can slip your finger
out of the glove for the ring exchange (you can sew it back together later).
Make sure to remove your gloves for the receiving line and anytime that
you are eating, drinking or smoking that day.
18. I'd like information on the following wedding sites: The Palace, Historic
Robincroff Castle, and any historic homes/mansions in the Los Angeles
area that have wedding receptions.
You must contact those sites directly. We do not send out info for those
sites because rates and availability are always changing. To find more
private homes and or mansions contact a local wedding planner in your
area. They will be able to assist you further.
19. We are looking for wedding sites in the beach area. We'd prefer a
B&B or multi bedroom house for week-end/week rental. We would like
to have our ceremony & reception at this location. We are inviting
50-75 guests and would like to spend no more than $5000.
I would suggest hiring a wedding planner or contacting your local real
estate office for information regarding vacation home rentals. They are
the ones who have that type of info.
20. I am coordinating my mother's wedding. The bride and groom have agreed
that not everyone invited to the wedding will be invited to the reception
(for space and expense reasons). We are printing the invitations at home
on computer. How do we word the invitations?
Your guests will feel slighted if you invite them to the wedding but not
the reception. Only invite those guests to the ceremony who will be invited
to the reception also. It is in poor taste to do otherwise. If you cannot
afford a larger reception, then you should cut back on the ceremony guest
list. Obviously the most important people to invite are close friends
and family, cut out acquaintances and coworkers. Send wedding announcements
with a movie theme after the wedding to those who were not invited. Explain
that it was a very small wedding and invite them to an informal gathering
for the premier screening of your wedding video.
21. My fiancé and I are planning to
go to the courthouse next month to get married. We are planning a ceremony
for next year (renewing our vows). How are vow renewals different from
the wedding ceremony? For e.g.. “Will someone still walk me down
the aisle?” Can my parent's names be written in the invitations?
Vow renewal should take the same time and considerations as a wedding
with all the trimmings. If this is the wedding that you were unable to
have or afford it is best to perform it in the way that you would a wedding
and reception. If you have sent out announcements of your wedding this
year then leave your parents names off the invites and simply state that
you and your husband request your guests presence as you renew your vows
of love for one another. And have your names where your parents would
be. If you did not send out announcements then treat it just like a wedding
invitation.
If you did not find the answer to your questions here on this page feel
free to contact us and we will do the best we can to get the answer for
you!
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~ Think Eco-Friendly