For over 25 years, Julie has had a love for photography. Stemming from her childhood memories of her mother snapping photos of her family, she decided to pursue photography full-time in 2007. That very same year, she was recognized by International Society of Photography as an Outstanding Photographer. It’s a pretty awesome accomplishment to be awarded with something so prestigious in her first year as a professional! Julie has developed quite a magnificent reputation for photojournalistic shooting—we love her intimate shots of the brides and grooms. She photographs anywhere from 15-30 weddings a year plus numerous corporate events, senior portraits, family sessions, maternity shots and newborns. She has even shot the UTSA Cheerleaders official photos!

From watching her interact with her clients to working with her on a professional level, it really doesn’t get any better working than with Julie Hill. Her prompt return of phone calls/emails and really listening to her clients makes for a fantastic relationship. Plus, her pricing is a very affordable investment: $1100-$2550. We sat down and asked her a couple of quick questions that we thought we’d share:

{PL} What is your favorite part about shooting weddings?

{JH} Everything! They are so exciting and everyone is full of energy and happy. I have one of the most important jobs of the wedding and no money can ever buy the happiness and joy I feel when providing my clients with those pictures and telling their story.

{PL} Why is photography a good investment for couples?

{JH} I feel very passionate about this subject.  I didn’t hire a photographer. I didn’t feel it was important at the time. I have been happily married to my best friend for 23 years and I only have a few snapshots of one of my most important days of my life. Don’t cheat yourself—make the investment.

{PL} Why do you like shooting at Plaza Lecea?

{JH} What makes a person beautiful? It’s in the heart…and that’s how I feel about Plaza Lecea. You are not only getting a beautiful building with the most stunning views, but you are getting the heartbeat. That’s everyone working there is in complete harmony with each other to provide you with everything that you’ve always hoped and dreamed for on your wedding day.

{PL} Anything else you’d like to share?

{JH} Make sure you are comfortable with your photographer, that way you will be relaxed and not even know he or she is there. Also, if you hire a male photographer, remember he will be there with you as you are getting ready (ie changing).

We seriously think you should consider Captured Memories Photography for your special day. You will not be disappointed! Here is her contact info:

Julie Hill, owner

P: 210.681.7713

W: www.capturedmemoriesphotos.com

E: julie@capturedmemoriesphotos.com

While serving as the executive chef at the Dominion Country Club, Chef Mike began to take on side jobs for his clientele, providing them with delectable business lunches and scrumptious private dinners. Pretty soon he knew that working for himself and creating the food he loved to prepare was where he needed to be, and thus Spice of Life Catering was born.    

What we love about Spice of Life is their approach to ensuring that their clients get the best value and service for their money. They create distinctive menus for each of their clients to guarantee that their event will be completely unique. While they do offer set menus, they consult with their clients and connect with their hopes, dreams and history. What a great idea to create a menu that reflects the couple’s first date, or what they ate on their first vacation together. Investing a little bit of time into their couple’s history really makes all the difference.

Some of their most popular choices include ethnic foods, chef stations (where uniformed chefs prepare signature dishes to order in front of guests—it’s quite a show!) and family style service. With dinner service starting at $15 per person, they have something to suit the needs of all their customers. They also have the experience to back it up too, with hundreds of satisfied clients every year. Just call them up for a consultation and they will create an exceptional menu for you and your fiancé as well offer a complimentary tasting to try out their mouth-watering fare! Call Jessica Silvaggio, Spice of Life’s newly married catering manager (she can totally relate to you brides planning for your big day) for a tailored menu at 210.366.1220 or check them out on the web at www.spiceoflifesa.com.

Spice of Life Catering loves working with us too! We are one of their top venue choices because of our prime location and elegant décor. We have a great partnership with Spice of Life as they enter their 5^th year on our list of approved vendors. If you have a chance to venture out tonight, and you’re in the mood for first-rate food, check out their open house at 6:00 p.m. at their 11319 West Avenue location.

Until next time, happy planning!

True Flavors really had a truly unique start. Chef and owner Johnny Hernandez had a passion for cooking that eventually lead him to New York City at the mere age of 16 to study at the world-renowned Culinary Institute of America. After graduating, he spent time sharpening his skills as a chef in four-star hotels and resorts across the country.

Just five years later, in 1994, True Flavors began their catering services here in San Antonio.  They have notably grown to be one of San Antonio’s most regarded caterers in the past 16 years, collecting covenant awards along the way. When you hire True Flavors as your caterer, you will be choosing the 2006 Restaurateur of the Year and NACE’s (National Association of Catering Executives) Caterer of the Year (twice mind you!).  

What we love about True Flavors is their outside-the-box thinking when it comes to décor and their fabulously fresh food, not to mention impeccable service. They have the ability to serve intimate groups of 5 people to lavish parties of up to 5000 guests. Their experienced team is dedicated to making sure that all guests will have a great culinary experience. True Flavors is always committed to providing the highest quality of artistic and sustainable cuisine, excellent service, and stylish décor.

With all that said, on average, True Flavors executes approximately 1000 events every year, so you most likely have had their food at one of the many events they have done in San Antonio. In addition to all of those stellar events, True Flavors has found time to diversify their business to include a traditional Latin-inspired restaurant, La Gloria that will open next month on the banks of the San Antonio River Expansion at the Pearl Brewery.

Back to their catering side, True Flavors has a distinction of creating culturally inspired dishes. Chef Johnny has travelled the world to learn about different types of cuisines so that their food has the right preparation and ingredients to make authentic versions of the originals. Some of their more popular dishes include their fresh fish ceviche,  tequila shrimp shooter, mole verde and Mantachie grapes (we had to look it up–goat cheese coated with fresh herbs and pistachios, doesn’t that sound wonderful?). Breakfast pricing starts out at $7.95 per person, lunch from $11.95 per person and dinner at $14.95 per person. They customize their menus as well to suit your budget and taste.

Our partnership with True Flavors has really worked out for the betterment of our facility as well as for True Flavors. Knowing that a professional and helpful staff will be onsite for your next event is crucial for a good working relationship.            

Here are the essentials: Website: www.trueflavors.com; Phone: 210.226.3670; Email: areyes@trueflavors.com or dlopez@trueflavors.com. Call or email them today!

Cocktails offers clients the option of doing an open bar, cash bar or partial cash bar for their next event. For an open bar, the client would bring in the alcohol and Cocktails would serve it to their guests. Or, for a nominal fee per person, you can have Cocktails do all the work and provide all of the alcohol and mixers so that you don’t have to worry about a thing on your special day. For brides on a budget, a cash bar is a wonderful option. You simply pay for the set up and your guests pay for the drinks. If you would like to offer your guest some beverages, but do not want to break the bank, a partial cash bar would do the trick. You could do a cocktail hour, where you pick up the tab during a 1-2 hour timeframe and then a cash bar the rest of the evening. Another option is providing beer and wine free of charge for your guests, but if they would like hard liquor, they can pay for that themselves.

Making their mark in the event world of San Antonio, Cocktails works approximately 75-100 events per year and provides services for events exceeding 3000 guests. They are also very comfortable working at Plaza Lecea because they have the same priorities as we do: Keep the client happy (the night time view is a plus too)! They continuously work with their clients to provide the best service and customize packages to fit their budget. They also take that extra step to ensuring client satisfaction on the day of their event as well by assisting caterers when needed, arriving early for set up and staying late to help with the clean up, or providing a special drink recipe for an individual’s wedding party.

A bar service tends to be an after-thought, but in reality it is an integral part of a successful event! Don’t leave it to last minute to book or hand it off to your groom. Here is some insight from Lisa about the importance of a professional bar service,

“Brides should remember that as well as the venue, caterer and decorations, the bar service is a vital part of an enjoyable wedding. A professional, responsible and courteous service will always leave a lasting impression on your guests. We spend most of the event providing service to your party, (so) don’t let your bar service be an after-thought in your planning. Cocktails will help you decide on a service to fit your budget and can also provide you great contacts and suggestions, for all your needs on your special day.”

The Essentials: Website: www.cocktailservices.com Phone: 210.363.8025; Email: info@cocktailservices.com. Click here to see all of their happy client’s testimonials: www.cocktailservices.com/testimonials.htm

We have had Heavenly Gourmet out here for numerous luncheons, offering our clients a variety of menu options and also creating a completely custom menu to fit their needs. Box lunches start out at $7.50, which include a hot or cold sandwich kettle fried potato chips, your choice of pasta or fresh fruit and a homemade cookie.  Hot lunches are around $12 and include nine different options.

If you are looking for an evening event, they have you covered as well. Dinner options start at on $10 a person and are inclusive of a choice of salad, protein, starch, veggie and a dinner roll. Our personal favorite is their Penne a la Vodka w/Chicken and we think it’s actually heavenly (pictured above). Some of their other popular dishes include their Heavenly Chicken (signature dish: Breast of chicken, stuffed with goat cheese, cream cheese, and black forest ham, then breaded and sauteed and topped with a poblano cream sauce-a gourmet take of chicken cordon blue), Pecan Chicken with a Honey Chipotle sauce, and a Spinach and Ricotta Stuffed Chicken with Lemony White Wine sauce. Are you drooling yet? We are! Budget savvy brides also love Heavenly Gourmet because of the quality of their food is amazing, while being completely affordable.

Loretta says that what really started her uber successful company was a dollar and a dream. With fresh food, old fashion customer service, humble hearts and a lot of gratitude, they continue to succeed in a competitive market. They are strickly focused on catering services so that they can direct all their attention to providing brides, corporate clients and social clients with tasty food and unbeatable prices. Last year alone, they did over 320 events (17 of which were at our venue)! Can you say busy? They continue to work to surpass that this year and they would love to caterer your next event.

If you are looking for a caterer with reasonable pricing, impressive service and down-right good food, Heavenly Gourmet is perfect for your next event. Here are the essentials: Website: www.heavenlyg.com; Phone: 210.496.9090; Email: heavenly.gourmet@scbglobal.net. Call or email them today about doing a taster at their office.

1. Floral Elegance, Ltd (210.494.2024): Floral Elegance, Ltd is a small family owned business, complete with innovative design, over 15 years of accredited experience and award winning floral masterpieces. Owners, Adrianna and Mike Pedraza have worked with San Antonio’s Elite List of Wedding Vendors and Venues.  Floral Elegance, Ltd was the Official Florist for: Mrs. Texas International 1999, Miss San Antonio USA 1999-2009, Miss Teen San Antonio USA 1999-2009, Miss Fiesta San Antonio 1999-2009, Miss Texas USA 2007, and USA Local Pageant 2009. Floral Elegance Ltd’s wide range of services includes: daily personal orders, modern floral designs, full scale decorating, table lighting and up-lighting, drapery, and custom table linens.
2. Oak Hills Florist (210.349.6549): Located at 1729 Babcock Road, Oak Hills Florist has been serving San Antonio and the surrounding areas for over 30 years and boasts everything from fruit and gourmet baskets to tropical and European designs. A certified Texas Master Florist, Oak Hills Florist is able to provide the customer with an array of unique floral pieces for any event, including wedding ceremony and reception décor. Oak Hills Florist offers same day delivery to all of Metro San Antonio and twice daily to the Medical Center.
3. Blooming Creations Florist (210.520.1005): Located at 8035 Culebra Road, Suite 102, Blooming Creations is family owned and operated. They commit themselves to the finest floral arrangements backed by friendly and prompt service. Blooming Creations specializes in the following services: large inventory of fresh flowers, tropicals, plants, European/dish gardens, contemporary and traditional arrangements, high-style floral arrangements, silk arrangements, dried floral arrangements, weddings, gourmet and fruit baskets, and candles. With such a vast spread, you are bound to find a center piece that captures your heart!
4. Riverwalk Floral Designs (210.227.1775): Riverwalk Floral Design Studio is located in the heart of downtown San Antonio, on the ever-popular San Antonio Riverwalk. They specialize in high style, European, traditional and tropical designs, and South America roses. The owners, Tom Moore and Bob Fancher, are frequenters of the market and go almost daily to hand pick the flowers they sell in order to ensure quality, freshness and variety. Riverwalk Floral Designs is open from 8:00am to 6:00pm, Monday through Friday and from 9:00am to 2:00pm on Saturday.
5. Botanika (210.733.8120): Located at 2615 Broadway, owner Melissa White has to be one of San Antonio’s most talented floral designers. Consistently providing clients with modern, elegant and super chic floral arrangements, bouquets and more! We heart her artistic and creative elements that she brings to each arrangement. Melissa is available by appointment only.

These are only a few florist options that San Antonio has to offer. The best way to find the florist that’s right for you is to research! Ask local friends and family, your wedding planner can also be a big help when it comes to narrowing the search.

Prior to opening their doors over 2 1/2 years ago, the CCT catered private events and gained a rather large following here in the Alamo City. Handling crowds of up to 1000 guests (w/events for up to 2000 guests in 2010)  is the same as catering a small dinner party for their team, as they strive to pay attention to the customers needs completely. CCT prides themselves on provided a dining experience that is at least equal to, if not better than that of the city’s best restaurants and we have to agree! Plaza Lecea has had CCT cater numerous in-house events and we have all experienced the first class service and savory dishes. They always have plenty of staff on-site for the events to ensure that every guest has a pleasurable experience.

Some of CCT’s most popular dishes include: Seared pepper crusted tuna on a chipolte cream cheese crisp with chili escabeche, smoked marinated pork loin with a peach jalapeno glaze, and bleu cheese stuffed bacon wrapped dates in a maple sabayon (is your mouth watering yet?!). Executive Chef, Jeff White, has a great ability to create tantilizing dishes for the masses, which is not an easy feat when you have cook the meals in their kitchen and then transport it to an event.

One of our favorite things about CCT is their affordability. Brides on a budget can still serve an amazing meal with quality service to their guests with CCT. Prices start out at $12.50 a person and go to around $50 for the works (majority of the dishes are under $25), but this pricing is also inclusive of porcelain plates and glassware. They also have a unique spin on service style. While most caterers only offer seated or buffet meals, CCT also has an option for family style service in addition to a seated or buffet meal. This is their most requested option, where they deliver large platters of food to each table–kind of like a buffet at your table. Your guests can choose the amount of food and the specific items that they want, fostering a family dinner-like atmosphere.

In addition to catering, CCT also provides bar services, linen, decor and event management services for your event. We are very proud to have such an innovative catering service on our list of approved vendors and we hope that you will check them out as well: www.thecct.net

With nine years of experience, ADC has hit the ground running in the San Antonio market. You will find them in a few dozen venues, working private parties and holding down the fort at their restaurant, Old San Fransisco Steakhouse, where their corporate offices and kitchen are located. ADC can serve up to 7000 people per event and do on average 800 events per year. They are known for their delectable food, but they also can provide rentals (linens, place settings, tents, stages, dance floors, etc), decor (including floral, arches, lighting, drapery, etc) and entertainment. They fequent our facilities as often as possible and we love it when they are out here!

Some of their more popular dishes include their international cuisine, like their Tour of Italy or their South of the Border menu. Our favorite here at Plaza Lecea is their ever so popular Chicken Picatta, garlic scalloped potatoes and vegetable medley. Menu pricing starts at $13 a person and is inclusive a salad (we recommend the spring salad with a raspberry vinaigrette), a protein, a starch, vegetable, roll and either tea or water. ADC is also our exclusive caterer for corporate meals here at Plaza Lecea. We have special pricing for their menus when renting our space. We can offer their breakfast, lunch, snacks for breaks, cocktail hour menus and bar services.

While their food is honestly amazing and completely lives up to their name, we really feel that their service sets them apart. Time and time again, our clients rave about how they felt like they were at a fine dining restaurant when being served by ADC because of their impecable attention to detail and above-and-beyond attitude. Each of their servers that pass through the doors of our facility treat guests as if they were serving them in their home and all reasonable requests are always prompty attended to.

You have many choices for catering here in San Antonio, but we highly recommend you checking out ADC for your next event! You wont be disappointed! Check out their menu here: http://www.absolutelydelicious.com/abdelmenus.pdf or call them at 210.342.2321 for more details.

The wedding dress is considered the prized and most valued commodity in any wedding… and although weddings are not only about the bride, many highly regard the bride to be the “centerpiece” of the wedding. As a result, brides often commence their wedding preparations by first selecting their wedding dress—which alone can be an extremely difficult task if you don’t know what you’re looking for.

There is such an abundance of dresses to choose from, and a bride can often become overwhelmed by the breadth of variety when shopping for this memorial occasion….so what better way to find the “perfect dress for your perfect day” than by experimenting a little!

Here’s where you can start! …

Linda Asaf Designs of Austin, TX carries one of a kind, unique designs known for their classic silhouettes with edgy details made from luxurious fabrics from around the globe. Brides and women alike are attracted to these works of craftsmanship because of their flirtatious yet powerful irony that sends a modern message of strength and glamour with no regrets. Her designs have been sold in world-class retailers such as Neiman Marcus, Nordstrom as well as upscale boutiques nationwide.

Linda is a proud business owner in the state’s capitol with an immense passion and satisfaction for working directly with her clients. You can view more of her collection at http://www.lin/daasaf.com/. In the meantime, check out these pics…