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| My Community Bio | ||
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| Knot Name: bryslove | ||
| Wedding Role: Bride | ||
| Wedding Date: September 25, 2004 | ||
| Location: Married in Laguna Beach, Living in San Diego | ||
| What I do when I'm not on The Knot (occupation): I'm ALWAYS on The Knot | ||
| About our wedding: Perform a  Search through Knotties' bios:
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Look! I made the cover of In Style! Presenting: Mr. & Mrs. Bryan and Tiffany! This is us in Bora Bora, our first vacation together as newlyweds! We have always loved traveling, especially together! We had always envisioned our wedding to take place overlooking the beautiful Pacific Ocean that we have called home for all of our lives. September 25, 2004 we got to do just that in Laguna Beach at Occasions at Laguna Village! Visit My Old Planning Bio! A few pro pics! Please give credit where credit is due. All pictures belong to James Leonardo. Thanks!!! If you'd like to see more, click here.        Thursday Friday Fun The Big Day Getting Ready Details Ceremony Reception Other Fun Stuff Honeymoon Vendor Report The RehearsalPracticing our first dance at the Rehearsal Thursday evening at Occasions. Posing at the beautiful Beach House dinner in Laguna, hosted by his parents. The meal was fabulous, and the view spectaular! With the boys! Friday's EventsThe Boys went to Speed World.... The Bridal Luncheon hosted by my two aunts at The Loft Restaurant at The Montage Resort & Spa....yummy!!! I gave the girls their presents here. (Jewelry and Hoodies) Me with all my girls, finally!!! You'll be able to see the jewelry better later I also treated them to pedicures after lunch. Top Nails in Dana Point had five massage chairs...one was broken, but we were all happy to be pampered. Ice Cream, of Course........ The Friday Night Family & Friends GTG at El Torito's Dana Point! A great success! They accommodated all 50 of us, with changing numbers at the last minute. We had a set menu that everyone paid for, and it just worked perfectly. A great way to see and spend some time with our OOT'ers. The Night before they became Mr. & Mrs. The Big DayGetting ReadyEveryone Getting Ready My fake hair! Obviously before any makeup. Michelle from Design Visage with me after she finished my hair. Complete with veil, tiara, and my soon to be get up! Detail of Hair, and partial pic of Sunny...our makeup artist from MAC La Jolla. BM's looking all perty! BM necklaces and partial pic of mine. Getting into dress and great detail of their hair, also done by Design Visage. Getting laced up! It's important to remember to eat and drink. All I had all day was a Bloddy Mary in the morning. My BMs fed me cut up power bars, and gave me water in a straw. WARNING: use the restroom BEFORE you get into your dress!  Seeing myself for the very first time! A good pic of my Bouquet in the limo on the way over to getting married! I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE this picture!! My mom, MOH, best friend and I... DetailsThe groom's tux jackets with their bouts. I think this is a great pic that my florist took! Rebecca of Natural Charms Florals. See Vendor Report below.  The race car cufflinks that I gave Bryan. I bought him the go kart that he won the Grand Nationals in many years ago. His co-worker had kept it in excellent condition all these years, and wanted to get it off his hands. Bryan had been lusting after it for the past two years, and I was able to buy it for him. It was the single most biggest purchase of my life! Can you tell I'm a little proud? The ceremony setup Button Arrangement and Altar Decoration. It turned out more perfect than I could have every imagined! The Guestbook Table...too small for all my goodies, but you get the idea. I was supposed to have a bigger table, but whatever...Can't sweat the small stuff. The Placecard Table, we used Luggage Tags since our theme was travel. See planning pics in old bio for more detail. The GORGEOUS head table! After seeing this, I kinda wished we had done em all like that, but prolly would've been overkill. It looked so amazing! The Guest Tables....wow, I'm still amazed! Each table was named after a different place we had been to together, with a picture of us from there. The votives on the table had labels that matched the tablecards. Aren't we freakin' special? :-)  Our Amazing cake table, before and after the cake topper arrived. ' The Important Stuff....The CeremonyBryan walking In.... I love this pic of Bryan watching me come down the stairs to At Last by Etta James.  The Girls praying during the ceremony. The dresses didn't turn out exactly like I wanted, but I was happy nonetheless.  Crying on my embroidered hanky (my something blue from mom) during Bryan's handwritten vows. My oldest bro is peeking around to see me, he was smiling at me throughout the ceremony. Great pic of the boys in their pink ties! Being Introduced as Husband and Wife!!!! YAYAYAYAY!!!! 
 we did it!!!  I love this shot! Reception!Pic of Our First Dance to "Feels Like Home" by Chantal Krevuziak, a good pic of my bustle, and James snapping away! I'm a little obsessed! My most favorite pic so far....I'm sure James got a few beauties. A few onlookers.... The bouquet toss to Sexy Thing by Marvin Gaye. The one in the middle, my now SIL, caught the bouquet, and got engaged two weeks later!!! They're looking into May 21st!!! Congrats! Other Fun StuffAdvice from a Married Bride: 1. I think the most important part is to enjoy your engagement and celebrate everyday. You are about to embark on the greatest time of your life, your commitment to your husband. 2. Plan like your wedding is two weeks before your actual wedding. Get all the table cameras unwrapped and packed into boxes, get your programs printed and assembled early, etc. so that you don't get too frustrated with the last minute details prior to your big day. 3. Don't get too caught up in the details. It's fun to be excited about all the great wedding stuff out there, but do what is practical and within reach for you. Whatever happens will happen. Plan as much as you can beforehand, and just let nature take its course. 4. Make sure you make priorities in the beginning stages. To us, our number one priority was to get married by the ocean. We spent most of our budget on that and the rest just was additional for us. 5. Don't become bridezilla. It's not gonna impress anyone. 6. Greet your family first, friends last....we barely got to speak with our extended family because we started with at the friends table first and all the dances broke people up and weren't at their tables.. 7. Make a list of all the things you want to remember to say, do, or whatever and give it to someone you trust. I wanted so badly to kiss my mom on the cheek as I handed her my bouquet at the altar, but totally forgot (even that morning and day of), because I was so nervous! It's those simple things that mean a lot to you. 8. Go to the restroom BEFORE you put on your dress. Thankfully, I didn't need to use it at all during the wedding, but it's very humbling to have someone help you use the restroom. 9. Take time out with your husband to reflect and enjoy it. We took a moment out, listening to the waves crash, and our guests laugh, and realized how very lucky we both were. 10.Enjoy every lasting minute! 11.Never take your eyes off your FI...this was the most special moment of the whole day. We locked eyes and I never let go. Everyone could feel it, too. I was completely unaware of everyone else, except for him. Our Thank You cards that we ordered from Shutterfly! Perfect!! or here's the actual thank you picture HoneymoonBora Bora, Baby! At the airport, getting ready to take our boat to the hotel! Our car that we took around the island! Our jeef safari dude preparing a beautiful fresh fruit display Swimming with a sea turtle! DH finally relaxing! The only cloudy day in BB, but a pic of our bungalow, the very end, #231, the very best! Relaxing on our porch after a swim! We swam with sharks and sting rays!! Taha'a, Pearl Beach Resort Our spacious bungalow, me in the tub, finding all they goodies! The endless view, from our Sunset bungalow! On another jeep safari...as tan as I'll ever be! In a vanilla plantation, getting eaten alive by mosquitos. Our side by side massage in the lagoon A creative shot from DH! Vendor ReportSetting A+++++: The site is absolutely spectacular! It was everything we wanted and more! The parking lot was up the street and they had a limo bus to shuttle people down to the event, which worked out great! The cocktail hour went off without a hitch, and everything was so well coordinated. Event Coordinator: C: I don't know if that's actually her title, but I had many frustrations working with Ms. Kathy Gibson. She would not get back to me when she indicated, wouldn't send me a revised copy of our invoice (so that they could get paid!!!), and she was always on her stupid earpiece that would never work. It was just frustrating, but when Dayna (see below) stepped in, everything worked out. She sent me revised invoices daily (with all my many changes, can you blame a fellow bride). But, trust me, the site was worth those minor communication frustrations. Everything turned out perfectly!!! A+: I don't think they can cater outside their restaurant, but the food was out of this world great! I didn't have an appetite for the chicken that night, but at our tasting it was moist, delicious and flavorful. They customized a salad to my taste (mixed field greens, candied walnuts, bacon, gorgonzola, with ranch and raspberry vinegarette on the side). The guys that worked it were great, and so easy to work with. A-: We met with Dayna a month before the event and she was very on top of things throughout the last few weeks. She brought everything together for us, and customized a timeline for us. I felt like I was in the movie The Wedding Planner, because they all had headsets on and granted every wish at my command (like bringing me more tortellini and salad from the buffet). However, I wanted a bigger table for the guestbook table than the standard 3' round. We agreed on this, and I even paid for the additional cost. We ended up with the round. It seems measly now to argue over the 30$ charge, but I think this prevented a lot of people from signing the wishbowl cards and taking pictures because it was so small. She works mostly with Occasions, so keep that in mind. A- :Since I am completely done with using Jinny's Bridal, I thought I'd give them a review. I bought both my dress and my veil from Jinny's. The only reason why I give them a minus is because their weekend service is chaotic, or at least the store is. If you go during the week, it's another story. However, Jinny and her staff are so accomodating, take the time to make sure you find the right dress. When I went to pick up my dress, I wanted to try it on! They totally let me, and Jinny fixed a few blemishes on the spot (just some of the beading looked a little loose). They always called when they said, they were never rude or impatient, just great! I ordered my veil over the phone and Jinny was more than easy to work with. I didn't pick it up when I said I was, but went on a random evening from San Diego. Traffic was horrible and unexpected so I missed their closing time. Jinny and John (???) we're having dinner in Costa Mesa, and DROVE MY VEIL to me! They've got a great selection and are super experienced in the industry. A+++, but I'm partial to them. I bought them at a small bridal/prom store in San Diego, and had been debating on a pair of Stuarts. When I saw the shoes at the store, I knew they were the ones! They fit with our infinity theme. A++++: All of our jewelry, from mine to the BM's to our flower attendants to my lovely aunts, were all custom designed and made by my co-worker. She's very skilled with all sorts of different beads, techniques, and styles. If you like what you see and want more info, please let me know! I'd be happy to pass along her info! A+: I heard many horror stories about area tux shops leading up to the tux hunt. We decided on going with Friar's but didn't realize how easy it would be!!! We picked out the style and then they shortly emailed us a web-access code that allowed me to keep track of any changes or spy on who actually got fitted or not. Everything worked out perfectly! Aside from the fact that Bryan grabbed the wrong pants the day of, and ended up wearing his nice slacks. HAHA. Groomsmen's Ties: City of London Fuschia ties from Robinson's May A++++: Rev. Newhall married my mom to her husband four years ago. I thought it'd be a special tribute to have him marry us! He worked out perfectly and even accomodated our special sand ceremony! Loved him! A++++ A+: Wonderful to work with. They created exactly what we wanted with no problems! A+: I brought in a picture that I had been carrying with me for years of the ring I wanted designed. We walked in and the guy who greeted us knew so much about designing and mocked up one right away. Bryan's band turned out great and it was a quick turnover. Awesome people there! A+++++: If you're ever in the San Diego area...and want to be treated like a queen...go here! When I first found the shop, I was disappointed by the exterior because it didn't look all fancy, but the service is beyond compare. Andrew is my best friend now!!! Just kidding, but they know exactly what they're doing! We ordered our BM dresses from him and I got my alterations done here as well. They are miracle workers! They raised the waist on my mom's dress, perfectly shortened my dress, and meanwhile making it so easy on you. LOve em!!! Haven't seen the video yet, but Joel was way super easy to work with. Rebecca is such a sweet, sweet person. I interviewed countless florists, since flowers were super important to us. Some were a little spacey, which I could not see trusting on for the big day. When my mom and I met with Rebecca, she just had so much enthusiasm and so many ideas to incorporate into the self proclaimed "Paris by the Sea" wedding. She was always in constant contact with me, one time spending an hour on the phone late at night to go over final details. Everything turned out more perfectly than I could have envisioned, especially with the altar and aisle. She was amazing!!! Everyone loved the colors and she just did such an awesome job. Tell her Tiffany says hi if you get a chance to meet with her. C: Dave came with the site. I wasn't too caught up in the DJ, so it didn't matter to me who it was. But, I wouldn't necessarily recommend him to anyone, either. He didn't do anything wrong. In fact, he was a great MC, but didn't have a lot of selection of music, and it wasn't digital...which kinda freaked me out (but, again...I didn't care too much about this). Even my mom's DJ was digital! So, yah...that's that. B+++++: I wouldn't say that the cake tasted out of this world. It was cake. But, they did exactly what we wanted them to do, and it turned out perfect! The decoration was perfect! A++++: If you can use someone from MAC and you use it often, totally go this route. I was familiar with Sunny's style, had gone to her for several consultations prior to booking her and it was just so easy. She totally worked around our schedule to do all my girls, and even brought along an assistant to help. It was way cheaper than any of the bridal places out there, and you can't beat the trial price of a 40$ towards product price! B+++++: Michelle came through in the end. I wasn't impressed with her attitude when we first met, but at the second trial (which DV charged 50 bucks for!!) I was a lot happier with her and her hair style that she chose for me. I felt rushed the first time. But, the day of, everything worked out perfectly and I was so happy with my hair. My suggestion: take several pictures in, but don't overdo it. Ask the professional what THEY think would look best for YOU. Printing: Streeter Printing in San Diego. A+: Everyone there was super helpful, even though I wasn't their typical high priced client. They treated me like all the rest and weren't put off by my melodramtic bridezilla moments. A-: Tony was amazing to work with, but the hotel itself isn't that glorious. Our "bridal suite" had a broken A/C, so they let us use a meeting room that was more than accomodating. So, it all worked out, and YOU SO CAN'T BEAT THE PRICES, especially being so close to the water!!! C: The limo and the drive on the way there was awesome! I wish I could remember the guy's name, but he was more than courteous. We got a stretch Navigator for all of us to cram into on the way back. We had to book it for three hours, but the driver (who was different from before) complained about not driving us right back to the hotel. He wouldn't help load anything into the limo or unload when we got to the hotel. Instead, he asked me if I smoked. When I said no he proceeded to tell me not to be a smoking bride, since he thought that it was most unattractive to see a perty bride smoking on her wedding day. WTF? Then he had the nerve to not so subtly ask us for a tip. Just request to not have the overweight creepazoid and you should be fine! Fantastic! A++: she mostly worked with MIL on this, but everything turned out perfectly. They even printed personalized menus for us! Oh, it was just so perfect! A+++: The view was spectacular as we ate on the terrace! It was such a great place to have a lunch at! It was hosted by my two amazing aunts. A+++: Another great success! The management at El Torrito were a bit hesitant, but hired more wait staff to accommodate our ever growing number of attendees to this little soiree. Their menu was perfect and their waitors superb! It was a great way to see family and friends. A+:A great hotel! It was absolutely beautiful! We spent five glorious nights there and it just could not have been any more perfect! Our hotel had a private turtle lagoon! The food was overpriced, but when in Bora Bora.... and Taha'a Pearl Beach Resort B+:We weren't AS impressed with Tahaa. But, we overheard a lot of people saying how they liked it more than BB. so, who knows. The rooms were bigger, but the property wasn't as spectacular or inviting as the Meredien in my mind. The Spa though was out of this world!!! We had a private massage on the beach, in the water, watching fish go by!!! Booked through Costco Travel! A++++: So easy to do! No problems and got all our tickets and information on time and correct! Perfect! 
Fun Quizzes!My momma would be so proud!  Awww! You are an innocent bride! What Kind of Bride Will You Be? brought to you by Quizilla  cuddle and a kiss on the forehead - you like to be close to your special someone and feel warm, comfortable, and needed What Sign of Affection Are You? brought to you by Quizilla Thanks for looking!!!Introducing Magny!!! Our beautiful new French Bulldog-Pug pup!!! He was born October 1st, 2003 and fun/difficult to keep up with! SOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO cute! | ||
| Our Wedding Web Page: http://www.frenchproposal.com | ||