Tag: weddings’
San Antonio Weddings Debut Party
- by Stephanie
Last night I ventured out to the annual San Antonio Weddings Magazine debut party with a couple of my coordinators (Adriana & Kelley). We had such a blast checking out the amazing decor provided by Botanika (Melissa is seriously talented!) and tasting the yummy bites from the Holiday Inn (the crab cakes were perfect). I think my favorite part of the whole event had to be the juice bar by The Lemonade Co. Their peach-banana frozen concoction was heavenly.
Lighting and music by Alusstra Events was wonderful as usual and we loved seeing the familiar faces of Limelight photographing all the beautiful event people. The lil San Antonio Weddings cookies by Elaines Custom Cakes & Cookies were awesome! We absolutely love the lounge furniture by The Lounge Concept–btw, they are super affordable!
All in all it was a fab time. Mingling with some of San Antonio’s finest wedding professionals is always a ton of fun.
From left to right: Specialty linens by Yarlen; Shimaliers by Theme Travelers; Centerpieces by Botanika
Wedding Flowers for Each Season
- by Stephanie
If you can spring for fresh flowers for your upcoming reception, we highly recommend it! There is no better way to add that extra flair to your wedding than with fresh flowers. Plus your reception space will be filled with the fresh aroma of these gorgeous additions.
A way to keep down costs for your fresh flowers is to purchase ones that are in season. You can even combine in-season flowers with flowers that are available year-round to make it more cost-effective. Here is a list of flowers that you can get all year round and by the season. Happy searching!
Year-round florals: 
Aster (if from Africa)
Gerbera (Gerber Daisy)
Winter (December-January)
Aster (US grown)
Filler foliage: Ivy, Holly, Baby’s Breath, Wax Flower, Hypericum Berries
Spring: March – May
Filler foliage: Banana leafs, Heather, Wax Flower, Baby’s Breath
Filler Foliage: Mint, Baby’s Breath
Fall: September – November
Filler foliage: Ornamental Cabbage, Hypericum Berries, Euonymus, Heather, Baby’s Breath & Wax Flower
Vendor Spotlight: True Flavors Culinary Concepts
- by Stephanie
One of the first caterers to be on our approved vendors list was True Flavors Culinary Concepts. We knew from the start that San Antonio’s brides and corporate clients would love their food and services, so to have them on our list was a must!
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!
Vendor Spotlight: Cocktail’s Bar Service
- by Stephanie
Cocktail’s Bar Services (Cocktails) has been serving San Antonio’s event industry for almost seven years. The idea for such services stemmed from owner, Lisa Scherrer’s own experience in the bar and restaurant industry. After working for years for different companies, Lisa decided to venture out on her own and launched Cocktails in 2003. First starting with staffing for caterers, venues and events, then in 2007 they were granted licensure by TABC to provide full bar and catering services.
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