Strike Up The Band
April 30, 2009 
Finding our band (or DJ) was Mr Frenchie responsibility, so right after we decided to have the wedding at the Bernardo Winery, he went to task. The first email Mr Frenchie sent me was for an awesome “crooner”, David Patrone.
Mr Frenchie and I love Frank Sinatra, Michael Buble and Jamie Cullem (to name a few). (We always joke about whether we could afford to hire Michael Buble if we just got married in a tiny chapel in Vegas). Through David’s website and MySpace page we were able to give him a listen and agreed we HAD to have him! Go ahead and pop over to their website, I’ll wait…
Our problem, however, was we weren’t sure he’d fit in our budget.* I’m of the belief that it doesn’t hurt to ask (in most cases), but after our first conversation with David’s rep, Jeff, our answer was no. We had alotted about half of what they normally charge, a bummer, but we understood. David and his Quartet play all over San Diego and at swing competitions.
*Since my parents have generously offered to pay for our wedding I don’t think it is my place to discuss our budget because it involves my parent’s finances and not mine. I will say that I believe our budget is average but flexible, however I am trying my best stay within it as much as possible.
Are you getting any deals because it didn’t hurt to ask? Are you having a DJ or a band? or both?
Five for Friday
136 – The new Thai food Thursdays
137 – When I was accepted to blog for Weddingbee you were really excited for me
138 – You encourage my progress at the gym
139 – You think about how where we live will impact us being able to get a dog
140 – You “come with a spoiler warning”
The Frenchies Sniff Around for a Venue (Part 3)
Mr Frenchie grew up on San Diego and his father and Best Man (remember B), still live very close to his hometown. We go down to San Diego at least once a month to visit FFIL Frenchie, B or hang out in a number of our favorite places. One of those favorite places is The Bernardo Winery.
While dating we went here a couple times for wine tasting and to walk around the grounds.
I may have mentioned it to Mr Frenche as a wedding venue once before, but it didn’t sink in for Mr Frenchie until we visited the winery after B’s wedding this past October. There was another wedding that day and Mr Frenchie looked at me and said, “We should get married here!” Since we weren’t engaged yet I just smiled and agreed and we went on with our day.
Come November, when we were looking around, Mr Frenchie was pushing for this location hardcore. I had trouble reaching their coordinator, Annie, and when I finally heard back the only available dates in August were Fridays and Sundays. I really wanted a Saturday wedding so we kept looking. The weekend after Thanksgiving Mr Frenchie and I spent the whole weekend driving all over Orange County and San Diego being disapointed by venue after venue. We were pretty depressed with our options and were considering going outside our confort zone to Temecula, in order to find a venue.
Thank God, when I got home there was an email from Annie letting us know a Saturday in August had opened up and to get back to her ASAP if we wanted it. That Monday, my first phone call was to Annie to snatch up that day and that is how we decided on our venue.
Our guest will arrive down Zinfandel Walkway, to Rosario’s Pavilion (on the left).
Inside the Pavilion, our ceremony will take place at Rosario’s Gazebo.
Our Cocktail hour will take place under this covered area and the reception will be on the grass.
Did you get your venue because of a cancellation?
The Frenchies Sniff Around for a Venue (Part 2)
After deciding against the destination wedding we started looking at venues closer to home.
Option 1 – The Orange County Museum of Art
Honestly, I got this idea when a good friend of mine said she was considering the The San Diego Museum of Contemporary Art, so part of me wanted for forget this idea just in case she decided to have her wedding at the San Diego Museum. She won’t be getting married until 2010 (law school smarty, waiting til she graduates) and I don’t want to steal her wedding thunder.
Beautiful outdoor ceremony…
Modern/Contemporary Cocktail hour, inside…
Option 3 – Park Ave Restuarant – Stanton, CA
Mr Frenchie discovered this restaurant looking for 1950/60′s modern restuarants on the web. We thought it looked so cool, I took him there for his first birthday we celebrated together.
Like the Del Marcos in Palm Desert, this place has that mid-century modern style we love.
The Frenchies Sniff Around for a Venue
Before Mr Frenchie and I were engaged we used to throw around ideas on where to get married. Very early on in our relationship we talked about The Labrador’s city of Savannah, GA. Like I said, I’m a Southern girl at heart, I was born in Atlanta, GA and used to visit my family just outside Baltimore, MD once a year. We dreamt of a wedding with “Southern Romantic Charm”, in a beautiful location such as this.
But, alas, when it came down to it planning a wedding across the country, in a city neither of us had ever been to, while we both work full-time and I’m in school, just wasn’t realistic. This was about the time we realized we probably shouldn’t plan a destination wedding, even if it was still in CA. That crossed Napa, Los Olivos, and Camarillo off the list.
And a venue of a completely different nature, The Del Marcos Hotel, Palm Springs, CA. Along with loving all things Southern Charm, the Frenchies love Mid Century Modern. Mr Frenchie discovered this hotel while looking for places to take his best friend (and now Best Man) for his Rat Pack themed Bachlor party, when he was getting married. Mr Frenchie and his Best Man, B, are all about modernism, Mr Frenchie and my first date was the weekend after he and B had gone to Modernism Week.
Bonjour Hive!
Bonjour Hive!
I am so shocked, excited, elated and more adjectives ending in ‘ed’ to become a “Bee”. I started reading Weddingbee months before Mr Frenchie and I became engaged and now with only 4 months left til The Big Day (OMG I only have 4 months), I can’t believe that cute little doggie is up there representing ME!
Why Miss Frenchie? Not only is this little doggie freakin’ adorable, but after Mr. Frenchie and I are married we’re considering adding a French Bulldog to our little family. We don’t currently live together, so we don’t have any pets, yet. My parents (whose house I current reside in) have two Westies, Barney and Benny. B&B are so cute, they convinced my not-a-pet-person Mr to actually want a dog after we’re married. I can’t wait to get our puppy after we’re all settled in.
I don’t want to give out all my secrets on the first post, but to let you know a little about me, I type like I talk. I often have to go back and read and re-read what I’ve written to make sure it make sense to someone other than me. I love exclamation points, capitalizing words in the middle of my sentences and starting those sentences with And. I live in Orange County, CA, Laguna Niguel to be more exact, but most people have no idea where that is. When Mr Frenchie and I met he lived 45 mins up the freeway from me and now he lives 10-15 min down a parkway.
And (see, did it already) now because I always love a face to go with a name, here is a picture of Mr Frenchie and Me.
Weddingbee
Yesterday I received the most exciting email I’ve received since I started this wedding blog! My application for blog for Weddingbee was accepted and I.AM.A.BEE!! <– that deserved 2
I started reading Weddingbee a few weeks before I started this blog. The ladies (and men) on Weddingbee have giving me so much inspiration for our wedding, only hope that something I blog about can inspire another bride. After many emails with FH and the girls I decided to blog as Miss French Bulldog or Frenchie.
I’ll continue to blog here as well, but please come visit me over at “the hive”.
Hello Luvah…
This aways happens to me, I say something like, “All white “wedding” shoes so ugly!” and then I find some I really like and I’m proven wrong.
Exhibit A: Badgley Mischka “Caroline”
Exhibit B: Badgley Mischka “Carlo”
Five for Friday
131 – You make fresh mayo and aioli
132 – You like the fake vulchars at Tall Mouse – “Great Birds”
133 – You keep trying to tell me about the Heroes episodes I haven’t seen yet
134 – You’re always finding new and fun restaurants and bars for us to try
135 – You take care of me when I’m sick
Guess who flew in yesterday?
If you guested our cake topper by Etsy seller SueBeeHB, you’re right! I know already! I received an email from Sue on Tuesday letting me know she had mailed the birds and THE NEXT DAY they arrived at home! Granted I only live about 25 miles from Sue, but I was still excited. They came in a cute box that reminded me of a Twitter question Sara with Stinkerpants Designs asked a few weeks ago regarding the packing she mailed her cards with and I stand corrected it is more exciting when something comes in a fun package.
I would still have been really excited to receive them in the just the priority mail box, but the special packaging made them seem more homemade and from the heart.
Inside the birds were nestled in safely…
You can see FH’s birdie there on top.
and here we they are…
See FH’s yellow bout! I can’t get over how cute they are!
Okay, last one, here they are on their base…
What is your favorite wedding purchase so far?
