By Tina Swithin

One of my favorite aspects of the Central Coast is the diversity.  I can dip my toes in the beautiful Pacific Ocean in the morning and then watch the sunset over a vineyard in the evening.  When it comes to planning a wedding in San Luis Obispo County, the options are vast and very impressive.  I am personally a huge fan of vineyard weddings because they tend to embody my favorite things about our region: gorgeous rolling hills, a laid back atmosphere and of course, great wine!

I recently spent the afternoon at Still Waters Vineyards in Paso Robles Wine Country and fell in love with this delightful boutique vineyard.  Still Waters Vineyards is nestled in the rolling hills of Paso Robles’ booming wine country.  It boasts expansive views and a rustic charm which is perfect for a dream, vineyard wedding on the Central Coast of California.  I recently spoke to Ashley Blake of A. Blake Photography about this magical place and asked her to give me a glimpse through her camera lens.  “Still Waters Vineyards is a photographers' dream with the olive tree orchard, rolling vineyards and the sunrise or sunset behind the old oak tree.  The options are endless and the views are always stunning", explained Ashley.

Details:  Still Waters Vineyards wedding event site can accommodate up to 150 people. Whether your guest list contains 25 people for an intimate ceremony or 150 people, the staff members at Still Waters will welcome you with open arms.

CCWP Photography Credit:

• A. Blake Photography

• Studio 101 West Photography

Floral Design Credit:

• Flowers by Denise

Still Waters Vineyards is located at 2750 Old Grove Lane, Paso Robles, CA 93446 and can be reached at (805) 237-9231.

Tina Swithin is the Social Media Queen and Blog Manager for Central Coast Wedding Professionals.  Follow the CCWP Blog, Facebook and Twitter  for the latest and greatest in Central Coast weddings. As a lifelong Central Coast resident, Tina looks forward to keeping you “in the know” when it comes to anything old, new, borrowed or blue.

In San Luis Obispo County, we aren't only known for our stunning central coast wedding venues, we are also known for our talented wedding professionals.  At Central Coast Wedding Professionals, we love when our members are recognized and properly spotlighted for the award winning work that they do on a daily basis.  While we already know that they are amazing, it’s nice to see them be recognized by their peers and by the wedding industry as a whole.

We would like to take a moment and shine the CCWP Spotlight on Martin Fitzpatrick of Fitzpatrick Studios for his recent recognition at WPPI.  Martin Fitzpatrick's work was honored at the recent Wedding and Portrait Photographers International 16X20 print competitions. Martin was recognized with an accolade of excellence award in the Wedding Photojournalism category. Martin 
competed 
against 
an 
international
 field
 of
 photographers 
to
 win
 such
 honors.

The
 Awards 
of 
Excellence 
16
x
20 
Print 
Competition
 awards
 are
 presented 
each 
year
 at 
the 
largest
 conference 
in
 the 
United 
States 
for
 professional 
photographers. 

The 
2012 
competition 
included 
1500 prints in 18 different categories submitted by photographers from all over 
the 
world.

On behalf of Central Coast Wedding Professionals, we congratulate Martin for this amazing award!
Fitzpatrick Studios
Email: melissa@fitzpatrickstudios.com
Phone: 805-783-0313

To find Fitzpatrick Studios and other fabulous CCWP Wedding Photographers, click here.

by Tina Swithin

Your wedding day is one of the most important days of your life and it’s only fitting that you have a Central Coast wedding venue that is equally as special.  Your wedding day will be etched in your memory forever and it should be a magical experience from start to finish.

If your fantasy wedding venue involves enchanted gardens and lush grounds, there is a Central Coast wedding venue that is a dream come true.  Cambria Pines Lodge is nestled on 25 scenic, wooded acres and sits just minutes from Hearst Castle.  At the Cambria Pines Lodge, there are indoor and outdoor options to suite your every whim.  This San Luis Obispo County wedding venue offers comfortable elegance at every turn and has a variety of options for your ceremony or reception.

Whether you have 50 people in your group or 250 people, the Gazebo Garden is truly delightful.  Follow the stepping stone aisle through the green grass to the charming white gazebo.  The grounds are surrounded by vibrant flowers and tables can be placed on the grounds for your guests to sit and socialize.  If you are planning an evening wedding, the Peacock Room is the perfect reception site and can accommodate up to 250 people.  Your guests can dance the night away in a room adorned with twinkle lights and beautiful silk fichus trees.

If you are seeking a more intimate, outdoor wedding, the White Garden boasts traditional Victorian flare with white flowers abound and makes for stunning photography.  I had the pleasure of speaking to Dennis Swanson of Studio 101 West and asked his thoughts on this Central Coast wedding venue, “I love shooting weddings at the Cambria Pines Lodge because of the lush gardens and picturesque views.  The staff runs like a well-oiled machine and things always seem to run smoothly.  For all-in-one garden weddings, Cambria Pines Lodge is hard to beat”.

At the Cambria Pines Lodge, there are a variety of options for your ceremony and reception sites:

Gazebo Gardens

The Green Garden

Peacock Room

Sycamore Room

Treetop Room

White Garden

The Cambria Pines Lodge is a fabulous destination wedding venue featuring everything from rustic cabins to elegant suites.  You will discover a full-service caterer, Cambria Pines Lodge Restaurant featuring a wide range of local wines, the Fireside Lounge with nightly entertainment and an unbeatable location.

Cambria Pines Lodge is located at 2905 Burton Drive in Cambria, California and can be reached at (805) 927-4200.

Photography Credits:

1. Nakamura's Photography

2. Studio 101 West

3. White Wolf Studio / Amy Levinsohn Photography

Tina Swithin is the Social Media Queen and Blog Manager for Central Coast Wedding Professionals.  Follow the CCWP Blog, Facebook and Twitter  for the latest and greatest in Central Coast weddings. As a lifelong Central Coast resident, Tina looks forward to keeping you “in the know” when it comes to anything old, new, borrowed or blue.

By Taffy Gonzalez

The Central Coast abounds with picturesque wineries and charming barns, perfect for your rustic chic wedding!  Some brides are a bit intimidated to choose a venue of this nature because they are not “inclusive”.  As the owner of All Traditions,  I have planned weddings at a multitude of unique Central Coast wedding venues…one such wedding was at a cattle range!  You can do it and a professional wedding coordinator can help!  An experienced wedding coordinator can easily arrange for everything from nice portable restrooms to chairs and even lounge furniture.  If your dream is to have a wedding with a more “green” or organic feel, let’s make your wedding dreams come true!

Everyone has their own unique story and your wedding can be equally unique.  How fun would it be to have a bon fire

that was complimented by a s‘mores station for your guests to enjoy?  If “having your cake and eating it too” doesn't quite appeal to you, why not make your cake out of cheese instead?  Dare to be non-traditional.  The advantage of using a non-inclusive venue means it's not already all done for you, so you can add your own special touches such as chandeliers, colorful linens, vintage china…let’s work together to make it you…and make it funky!

Enjoy these photos from some of my Central Coast weddings where we had a little rustic fun.

Photography credits:
Banquet table photos by Colleen Rosenthal Photography
Cheese cake photo by Allyson Magda Photography

Happy planning! -Taffy

All Traditions can be reached at (805) 781-8660

Taffy Holmes Gonzalez is the proud owner of All Traditions, a wedding planning and coordination company. Taffy named her company All Traditions because she enjoys learning about different ethnic and religious cultures. While she likes working with new traditions, she also loves working on "non-traditional" weddings as well.  She has helped plan many different types of weddings, from Goth to military, new aged to Eastern Orthodox. 

by Jane, Bella Castle Photography

One of Bella Castle Photography's favorite Central Coast wedding venues is the amazing Hummingbird House located in Templeton, California.

This private vineyard estate is nestled on the scenic hills between Templeton and Paso Robles, in the heart of Central Coast Wine Country. If you are seeking a uniquely beautiful and private setting for your wedding, the Hummingbird House is for you.

Here you will find expansive lawns and a beautifully landscaped pond, lined with willow, sycamore, and redwood trees which form a stunning backdrop for the wedding of your dreams.

The breathtaking waterfalls, fountains, and resident swans add elegance and grace to your special day. A boutique vineyard flows in well-tended rows along the driveway and provides a romantic background for wedding photographs.

The Mona Lisa Barn has spectacular ambient light and this property offers unique backdrops at every angle.

At Bella Castle Photography, we affectionately refer to the Hummingbird House as an 'Art Venue' owing to the fact of we having created many of our most striking signature photographs for our “Bella Couples” here.

Our minds automatically go into creative overdrive when we step foot onto this property filled with such beautiful imagery.  We absolutely love the Hummingbird House and feel confident that you will also.

Feel the Passion of Bella Castle Photography!  www.bellacastlephotography.com

Bella Castle Photography
560 Baywood Way
Los Osos, Ca 93402
805-528-0262

Bio: For over a decade, Al and Jane of Bella Castle Photography have been creating memories that last a lifetime.  Al brings forth an extensive photography background with a strong artistic style while Jane delivers the photojournalist and passionate approach to their team.  Together they capture images that allow their clients to reminisce on their special day and the emotions that were present.

Kali & John

July, 2011

Kali and John got married on a beautiful summer day on the Central Coast!  Their wedding looks like a rockin' good time full of bright colors and happy people!  Seriously, how gorgeous is that tent?! We're so glad they turned to the CCWP for their vendors! Enjoy!

Flowers to You By Jessica I cannot say enough about Jessica and her company.  She brings you into her home for the consult where she runs everything and not to mention a wedding venue of her own (which was SO breath taking) Jessica and her services made our dream wedding come true.  She is energetic, warm, creative and so talented.  I was a low key bride and she helped me make a lot of great decisions when I did not know where to start.  The flowers and the candy bar were all anyone could talk about after.  She is worth every penny and more.

The Cliffs Resort The Cliffs Resort was the perfect venue for my husband and me.  Anna and her department do a fantastic job making sure every detail is perfectly planned and executed.  The tent turned out perfectly and Anna went above and beyond to meet our every need.  I remember seeing her the day of the wedding in the morning and at the end of the night (1am) she was checking on us to make sure we had everything we needed.  Incredible!

Kramer Entertainment Kramer did a great job and kept our guests having a great time while planning out our timeline and making it all happen the way we pictured.  The lighting really made a difference in our tent I would recommend it.

Bridal Makeup and Hair All of my girls looked AMAZING.  The airbrush was flawless and did not wear off.  I also liked that she was able to give each girl long lasting lips so everything looked beautiful and fresh throughout the night.  It was great to have the convenience of having Rhonda and her associate come to us.

The Cakery The cake was beautiful and delicious.  They worked with Jessica and were able to add the flowers for a unique and bright touch.

A Blake PhotographyWhen I was choosing my photographer I let them know that the most important part of the wedding for me is being able to re live it through pictures.  Ashley and Kayla lived up to my every expectation.  My pictures are breath taking.  The girls were fun and made us feel comfortable being ourselves while capturing every important detail.  Also Incredible!

Happily Ever After!

Alexis & Wade were married in San Luis Obispo on June 11th at Holland Ranch. It was a beautiful, DIY craft-filled, country lovin good time!! Hear what Alexis had to say about her awesome CCWP vendors!

Something Blue: "Jennifer is such a sweet woman--and a lifesaver! My dress came in extremely late and she only had a couple of weeks to completely alter my all-lace dress. My dress was stunning. Jennifer did the most amazing job. She knows how to make any bride look her best in their gown. She was wonderful to work with. Her pricing is fair, it may seem steep but you get what you pay for! She does a fantastic job. My dress was outstanding, I will definitely l go back to Jennifer!"

Down the Aisle: "Down the aIsle was convenient for me, I did not have the time to go out of the area to find a dress. I do wish they had a bigger vairety of dresses. The ladies were very kind and helpful. I heard about them from...well who in this area hasn't heard of them? lol. The purchasing process was extremely easy. I would say this is a great place to go if you can't travel outside the area and especially if you want a strapless dress!"

Festive Designs: "Melinda is amazing. Through the consultation and planning process she was so helpful but at the same time listened to my ideas and helped put together my vision. Melinda understood the look I was going for and helped me stay right at budget--which was fantastic. Melinda is extremely talented at making all your wishes come true, while staying in a price you can afford. The day of service was right on. She and her staff were on time, set-up went smoothly and the flowers looked incredible. We received so many compliments on the flowers! Overall, could not be happier with my experience with Festive Designs. LOVE Melinda and her team!"

Phase 1 Mobile DJ: DJ Bob is A-MA-ZING!  I chose DJ Bob because I had heard such amazing things about him...and he did not disappoint! We picked the music over coffee a few weeks before the wedding. He was super patient with me because we chose our first dance song about two days before the wedding. He really assisted in picking appropriate music for different aspects of the wedding. He also really understood what kind of music we were looking for and everything he played was perfect. The service on the day of was fantastic. We had some minor last minute changes and DJ Bob did not even flinch! He was so easygoing and did a beyond fantastic job. I will only have DJ Bob at my parties from now on!

Pacific Harvest Catering: "All I can say is YUM. We went with them because, again, word of mouth.  After I tasted their food and saw their presentation I knew they were it! Dawn and the PH team are great. They have the best food I have ever had at a wedding and are very affordable. I don't know how they can make a buffet meal as amazing as they do...they're incredible! The all around service is good. Dawn was always quick to respond and was very helpful in choosing a menu. Everything was great, I highly recommend Pacific Harvest Catering!"

We want to give a BIG thank you/high five/kudos to Christan from Christan P Photography for letting us use his beautiful work for this feature!!

Hey all! Next time you're out, be sure to pick up a copy of the recent edition of Signature Weddings Destination Issue! In the Real Weddings section, there is a beautiful wedding that features the talents of  All Traditions, Allyson Magda Photography, Camilla Svensson Burns Floral Design, Bridal Makeup & Hair.com, and Got You Cover'd Rentals! Love this awesome exposure for our CCWP members!

Julie & Scott tied the knot this summer among vineyards and loved ones! Also around them? A handful of CCWP's best and brightest wedding vendors! Jenn from Allure Event Designs helped the couple build a roster of professional all-stars for their wedding. Tasty grub was provided by the talented folks at Pacific Harvest Catering, which was served upon the beautiful rentalware from All About Tabletops! Jesse from Kramer Entertainment kept them on the dancefloor all night long, while Ashley from A.Blake Photography documented the whole day flawlessly....as usual!

Hear what Julie had to say about her awesome Central Coast Wedding Professionals.....

Allure Event Designs:
"Jenn is superb at what she does. She's a great listener, extremely attentive to detail, efficient, organized, and well-connected to local vendors. She takes every request seriously and makes it come to life. When she first asked me what I envisioned for my wedding, I didn't have much of an idea... I'm pretty sure I said something like "uhh.. a really nice wedding?" which she turned into a beautiful, memorable, and basically perfect day/evening for us.
The day of the wedding could not have gone any smoother and I had absolutely zero stress the whole day. (In fact, I had minimal stress throughout the entire planning process because of Jenn!) I'm sure there were a million behind-the-scenes details to worry about, and Jenn handled everything so beautifully. After chatting with her about our wedding for oh, the past 8-10 months, I had complete trust in her ability to help make our day magical. Which she did

It was so convenient to have her as our florist as well, since she already knew us and had an idea of what we wanted. But, honestly, her work with flowers is beyond just convenient, because she is super talented in this area as well. When I first saw the bridal and bridesmaid bouquets I (along my BMs) was blown away by how gorgeous they were, and how she nailed my vision spot-on. I received lots of comments about how beautiful the centerpieces and bouquets were.
Jenn, thank you so much for everything! You and your crew did an amazing job and we couldn't be happier with how our wedding went. "

Pacific Harvest Catering:
"It was important for us to find caterers who prepared seasonal and local food at our wedding and we found it in Pacific Harvest. They were so accommodating to our food and drink requests and the dishes they prepared were ones you would expect at a fine dining restaurant. Our guests are *still* talking about the appetizers at cocktail hour, especially the korean tacos we had asked them to make! Everything during dinner was equally delicious as well, and there were many compliments about the dessert bar. Their waitstaff was extremely attentive and professional as well.

One thing that stood out was that Paul personally brought out a beautiful wooden platter of appetizers for my husband and me after the ceremony. They wanted to make sure we got to enjoy them, since we were taking pictures during cocktail hour. How awesome is that? And trust me, all of the appetizers were beyond delicious.

Dawn was absolutely wonderful to work with, and I can't emphasize how flexible and accommodating she was when helping to plan our menu, while keeping in mind what would be freshest during the season.

I'm sure this gets said a lot, but I have to say that Pacific Harvest did an AMAZING job and we would highly recommend them for any event! "

Kramer Entertainment:
"We are so happy with Kramer Entertainment! Jesse was our DJ and accommodated every request we had, especially to incorporate ska, reggae, and bossa nova into our wedding. Our meeting with him was great - he's super nice and knowledgeable about all types of music. We got comments all night from our guests who loved the music that was played during cocktail hour and dinner - probably because it wasn't traditional wedding-y music! During the reception, he played just the right tunes to get the crowd dancing.

We also had Kramer string up lights in the barrel room which I absolutely loved. I even think the lighting specialist put up something to subtly illuminate the high ceilings, even though I didn't pay for that! Melissa at Kramer was also a dream to work with - so friendly, professional and fast to respond.

All in all, I don't know why anybody wouldn't go with Kramer. Everything at our wedding (and apparently at least 50+, just look at all these reviews!) went off without a hitch, and they did an amazing job."

All About Tabletops:
"All About Tabletops was wonderful to work with - they had a great selection of rentals (our favorite being the mason jars!) and their prices are totally reasonable. They were recommended by our wedding planner and caterer and we can definitely see why! Thanks Kathy!"

A.Blake Photography:
"Ashley is awesome! I'm actually really surprised there aren't more reviews here, because you pretty much love her when you first meet her. She's warm, funny, easy-going, has a bubbly personality, and most of all makes you feel comfortable right away - which I feel is the most important thing when looking for a photographer to document such an intimate and special day. After Jenn (of Allure Event Designs) introduced her to us, my now-husband and I pretty much looked at each other after the interview and said "yup, she's the one!"

When we did our engagement shoot, we were a bit reluctant since we're kind of camera-shy. She made it easy for us to laugh and (almost) pretend someone wasn't taking pictures of us the whole time. At the wedding, she captured absolutely gorgeous shots as well as some hilarious candids. We (and our guests) were blown away by how beautiful some of the images came out. She has such a great eye for romantic and vivid images, and really knows how to play with different lighting. The sunset pictures she took of us are stunning!

In addition, she is also very efficient and professional. Whenever I contacted her she usually responded within 24 hours. She had proofs ready for us about 2 weeks after our wedding, when I was expecting 4-6 weeks. She is great for impatient brides and grooms

We are sooo impressed by Ashley's work. So impressed that we are considering flying her to our state, or flying over to her, when we have our firstborn... just to have her take more pictures of us!

Thanks Ashley! You are seriously talented and an amazing photographer! "

Zabrina and Mike met in class in San Luis Obispo in 2003. After a few years of dating, Mike decided to pop the question in September 2006! Zabrina explains, "Michael surprised me after we hiked up Bishop's Peak and he proposed to me at the top! We were overlooking the city of SLO at sunset, with the fog rolling in from the west. I truly felt on top of the world. We were the only two up on that rock that day!" When asked why they chose the Central Coast for their wedding destination, Zabrina said, "I couldn't imagine getting married anywhere else. This is where we met and built our lives. We don't ever plan on leaving this beautiful, "happy" place!" The two were married in Paso Robles at Eagle Castle Winery.  "Michael and I are huge local supporters.  Fifty to 75 percent of our guests were out of town and it was important for us to share our life (where we live, what we ate) with our family.  We choose a lot of local vendors for that reason."

For their special day, Zabrina and Mike were going for a romantic, vintage, fairytale ambiance. They chose browns, reds, and golds for their color theme as an homage to the holiday season and the San Francisco 49ers.

Their two biggest priorities for the wedding were having a very special ceremony and getting the perfect coordinator! They completed their wish list when they hired Kristin Odenwald of Jour Parfait Wedding Coordination. Zabrina called hiring Kristin a blessing! "We both work, so we really needed to start planning early and to have someone help us plan." The bride was not shy about gushing on her coordinator at all- and I don't blame her! "She is fun and creative. Most of all the wedding concepts were my ideas- and she knew the right people to see our dreams come true. She was so supportive! Basically, she anticipated our needs! I was thinking it and it was already done. She really got to know us, and she took charge when she needed to."

Kristin helped Zabrina & Mike hire a fabulous collection of CCWP Members including Panacea Event Floral Design, The Cakery, Elegant Image Limousine, Something Blue Alterations, and Down the Aisle.

Zabrina knew that the CCWP was a reliable resource for wedding professionals after she was roommates with a former member and attended a bridal faire at Embassy Suites. "I am all about supporting local business, so this is where we started looking. After meeting Kristin, I think her experience with vendors and my ideas for the wedding were matched perfectly. We always met with the vendors first and I really enjoyed them all from the very first visit.  They all fit within our budget so there wasn't a reason to look anywhere else!"

Down the Aisle- "Love them!  When I first tried on dresses I like a Casa Blanca dress. I was told that I was able to order a dress online and have it shipped to store. I instantly fell in love with 1927 Casa Blanca dress!  It was love at first sight!  I also bought my slip, cups, headpiece, earrings as well. Down the Aisle were also the ones who recommended Jen from Something Blue."

Something Blue Alterations-  "Jen was amazing! I would totally tell anyone to go there. She loves what she does and you can tell in her work.  I needed dressed shorter, cups sewn in , slip shortened, bust brought in.  I had about 4 fittings and she said she just loved seeing me in my dress. She was so much fun!"

Panacea Event Floral Design- "The flowers were the biggest surprise because we had not seen a real-life version.  Corrine worked with us on pricing and was so flexible over the holidays as our guest count rose.  She is a wonderful vendor that I would highly recommend. I hear only positive comments from the guests about our centerpiece.  I think they were fancy, and chic. Perfect!!!"

The Cakery- "Cakery again was recommended by Kristin and we had seen them at the same bridal faire.  Actually, we used them before for my nursing graduation cake and everyone, I mean everyone loved the chocolate gnache!!!!  So after the first consultation we had no idea of what we wanted, but she had a marvelous idea to create the cake to match my dress.  Two toned!"

Elegant Image Limousine- "They were also a great recommendation from Kristin!  We needed a means of transportation for our bridal party and they were very affordable. They let us split time since we didn't have to go far, so that was great! No problems whatsoever."

I want to give a big THANK YOU to Daniel from Ballesteros Photography for letting us use his images for this post!

Congratulations you two....on behalf of the Central Coast Wedding Professionals, we wish you a happily ever after!!!