Weddings By Diana & Invitations, Etc.

Prince William and Kate Middleton: Royal Wedding Invitations | Royal Wedding | Brides.com Celebrity Wedding: Brides.com

2011-03-03T19:01:00.000-08:00

Prince William and Kate Middleton: Royal Wedding Invitations | Royal Wedding | Brides.com Celebrity Wedding: Brides.com

Weddings By Diana wins the Wedding Wire Bride's Choice Award

2011-01-26T18:34:00.000-08:00

Santa Barbara, California -January 25, 2011

- WeddingWire, the nation’s leading wedding technology company, is thrilled to announce
Weddings By Diana & Invitations, Etc.has been selected to receive the prestigious annual
WeddingWire Bride’s Choice Awards™ 2011 for wedding planners and stationers.

Recognition for the Bride’s Choice Awards™ 2011 is determined by recent reviews and extensive
surveys from over 750,000 WeddingWire newlyweds. Our past clients are among those that
shared their experiences on WeddingWire, the largest wedding review site in the nation.

Weddings By Diana & Invitations, Etc. stands among the top five percent of wedding professionals
in the WeddingWire community, representing quality and service excellence within the wedding
industry. Awards were given to the top wedding professionals across 20 service categories, from
wedding venues to wedding photographers, and were based on the overall professional achievements
throughout the past year.

“WeddingWire is honored to celebrate the success of the top-rated wedding professionals within the
WeddingWire community,” said Timothy Chi, WeddingWire’s Chief Executive Officer. “With the annual
Bride’s Choice Awards™ program, WeddingWire has the unique opportunity to recognize the best
wedding professionals across the US and Canada. We applaud Weddings By Diana & Invitations, Etc.
for their professionalism and dedication to enhancing the wedding planning experience last year.”

We are happy to announce that {Weddings By Diana & Invitations, Etc. is among the very best
wedding planners and stationers within the WeddingWire Network, which includes leading wedding
planning sites WeddingWire, Martha Stewart Weddings, Project Wedding and Weddingbee. We
would like to thank our past clients for nominating us to receive the Bride’s Choice Awards™ 2011.

Debunking the myth of a Day Of Wedding Planner

2011-01-18T08:16:00.000-08:00

http://www.wipausa.org/pdf/debunking_myth_of_same_day_planner.pdf

Martha Stewart Weddings -- Darcy's Weddings Idea of the Day

2011-01-02T10:52:00.000-08:00

Martha Stewart Weddings -- Darcy's Weddings Idea of the Day

Stationery Makes a Great Gift - 25 Free thru Dec. 14

2010-12-03T13:07:00.000-08:00

25 FREE stationery sets from Escargot*

thru December 14

Contact me for more information - 805-566-0558 or weddingsbydiana@earthlink.net

http://www.checkernet.com/product/Albums/Escargot/ESC-FXA-MENS/?Cobrand=CB&Site=Checkernet&vk=1777211146

Beautiful clifftop Beach Santa Barbara Wedding

2010-11-20T22:39:00.000-08:00

Sarah and Dogan
Photography by The Studio of Santa Barbara
Coordinator Weddings By Diana & Invitations, Etc.
Flowers by Nico Design

Time to start thinking about those Holiday cards and parties...

2010-11-19T17:52:00.000-08:00

With Thanksgiving being so late this year, it's not too early to start thinking about Holiday cards. In fact, the majority of my customers order photo cards and Thanksgiving time with families is a great time to catch that special photo for your holiday card! Shop 24 hours a day and get a 10% discount a
at
http://www.weddingsbydiana.ccholiday.com/

Weddings By Diana - You're The Star Digital Films

2010-11-11T17:25:00.000-08:00

Early bird discount on Holiday Cards

2010-11-10T20:17:00.000-08:00

Holiday Cards from Checkernet

I love being a Checkernet dealer- they have highly creative and unique holiday cards - I am offering 10% off on any order through me before November 30th!

Thanksgiving and fall invitations...

2010-11-07T18:41:00.000-08:00

Getting married...check out the newest in Bridal dresses

2010-10-17T12:32:00.000-07:00

Marina Brides
Demetrios Collections
The Kleinfield Collection
All the newest lines on The Knot

Beautiful Estate Location

2010-07-22T15:53:00.000-07:00

Nestled in the foothills between Summerland and Carpinteria is a beautiful garden estate for your wedding or event. Hidden Valley Ranch is a gorgeous private foothill estate just south of Montecito and Summerland, only a few minutes from the ocean and about ten minutes from downtown Santa Barbara.

The tiered garden style property features palm trees, multiple rose gardens, large flat grass tier levels, natural rocks, a large meadow and a swimming pool.
Rental of the property includes the use of all the outside property including the very expansive back and side yard, swimming pool, the pasture, porch and garage.
It is perfect for weddings, charity events, corporate events, rehearsal dinners and parties from small groups to large events.

Ceremonies and receptions are easily both held on this large, beautiful estate property. There are multiple sites available for wedding ceremonies including under an oak tree in the pasture, in front of the arbor, under palm trees, by the rose garden or several other areas. To view property and for all information go to:http://home.earthlink.net/~weddingsbydiana/index.html

Contact site manager, Weddings By Diana for more information.

Beach themed Invitations

2010-07-11T17:42:00.000-07:00

Here are many different beach themed Santa Barbara style invitations from many of my different companies. You can change the invitation set-up of the samples you see-change the type font and change the color ink but not the actual paper color.

View all

Get your own

Invitations

2010-05-06T13:40:00.000-07:00

INVITATIONS should perfectly set the tone for your wedding...

At Weddings By Diana & Invitations, Etc., you'll find invitations ranging from traditional and formal to more contemporary and trendy, to ensure that you’ll find the right design that offers your guests an irresistible opportunity to share in your romance.
Call 805-566-0558 or email weddingsbydiana@earthlink.net today for fast, personal service for all your stationery needs.

Santa Barbara Outdoor weddings

2010-04-28T13:13:00.000-07:00

According to rental companies nationwide, there is over a 10% increase in the demand for outdoor weddings this year. Clients seem to be looking for beautiful, organic, natural, fun and affordable whether tented or non-tented.
Santa Barbara is a popular destination location for weddings due to it's natural beauty, the beach and climate. Normally, one can count on nice weather from May through early October. Over the years I have done 100's of weddings for couples who grew up here and came back to be married- or they went to college here - or it is simply their favorite place to visit. Many of them are looking for lovely outdoor locations which are abundant here in Santa Barbara.
Unless budget is not an issue, I always recommend starting with the possibility a family or friend's lovely property. Then there are many lovely estates and other locations available to rent.
Factors to always consider are the size of the wedding,as well as the time, day and date. Locations typically have a time limit due to the music and the neighbor factor. The cost of rentals must be considered s well as lighting, restrooms, valet parking, insurance, sometimes extra power and of course catering. Also important is accessibility as it is always wonderful to be able to do the set-up the day before and final break down the day after. Another nice touch is a room for the bride to dress and get ready.
At the end of the day, guests are always in awe and will never forget their experience attending a beautiful outdoor Santa Barbara wedding!

Yellow is back!!!!

2010-03-24T13:33:00.000-07:00

I don't know about other event planners, but I am thrilled to see that yellow is back after a long, long hiatus at weddings and events. From gorgeous invitations, place cards and accessories, to bright yellow linens, lemons, yellow calla lilies, daisies, freesia, orchids, mums, tulips, roses and an abundance of other yellow flowers, yellow squash, peppers,maybe a yellow candy table ...not to mention my favorite drink...lemon drops!
Yellow can easily combine with white, ivory, chocolate brown as well as many other beautiful color shades. Yellow and celadon is also hot new color combination.
So go ahead and go YELLOW!

Wedding Planning Five

2010-03-24T12:59:00.000-07:00

The next step is to find a caterer that meets your style, your taste in foods, the type of service you envision and your budget. Like your coordinator, it must be someone you are very comfortable with. Your coordinator can recommend caterers that meet your needs. Most caterers have many wonderful menus on their web sites. Look through them. Find a menu or put together some ideas you love- get some estimates and then do some tastings. Ask each caterer to draw up a rough outline including the cost per person; menu options; exactly what the fee includes (alcohol, rentals, tips, etc.); service and presentation style; and less-expensive alternatives.
You will know when you have found the right caterer for your special day!

New President of the Santa Barbara Event Professionals

2010-03-19T16:27:00.000-07:00

Proud to announce that I am the new President of the Santa Barbara Event Professionals, cooperative guild that takes pride in connecting future brides and grooms with local Santa Barbara wedding services and information. We have just celebrated our ten year anniversary.
http://www.sbep.com

The Santa Barbara Events Professionals is member-driven, networking organization of local specialists in the Santa Barbara event services industry and we are committed to excellence.

The Santa Barbara Events Professionals' membership represents a high level of workmanship, talent, capabilities and a commitment to excellence. SBEP organizational activities give members the opportunity to enhance their business skills and to build an awareness of other talented event professionals in the Santa Barbara area.

SBEP membership includes a broad range of businesses, from familiar professionals like florists, event coordinators, caterers and photographers, to other overlooked services, such as invitations, wedding dress design, and entertainment at an event. This diversity of skills and talents is what makes the difference between a nice function and an extraordinary and memorable event.

Weddings By Diana & Invitations, Etc.: Wedding Planning Four

2010-03-19T16:20:00.000-07:00

Weddings By Diana & Invitations, Etc.: Wedding Planning Four

Wedding Planning Four

2010-01-26T11:00:00.000-08:00

The next step is to decide the type of reception music you would like. A live band - large or small can usually only do one "gig" a day so it's important to book early. If you want a particular DJ you may also want to book early although most DJ companies have several DJ's working for them. I often recommend booking a small part of the group for the cocktail hour, adding a player or 2 for the dinner/lunch hour and then the full group for dancing.
A good wedding band should be able to perform all types of music so you can please all the age groups and music tastes at your reception. Listen to demos, see them in person if possible and check out a song list before booking. Not sure of your timing yet? Book the lesser number of hours with an option to go longer.

Wedding Planning Three

2010-01-12T12:03:00.000-08:00

You have your date, your budget, your location and the save the date cards are in the mail.
Now is the time to book your wedding photographer. Booking a photographer early is important because they are usually just one person(with an assistant) and can only photograph one major event per day. The best photographers book up quickly. When I am working with clients, I tend to refer them to the web site of our wonderful organization, the Santa Barbara Event Professionals (I am currently VP) http://www.sbep.com
From there one can view many different excellent photography web sites and determine a style they like and then determine if their pricing will fit their budget.
Here is a nice article written by a former SBEP member Marcia...
http://marciaphoto.com/2009/11/how-to-hire-your-wedding-photographer

Wedding Planning Two

2010-01-08T14:55:00.000-08:00

So now that you have a budget, date and location, it's time to get out those save -the-date cards. There are many choices of style & papers. Photos, magnets, postcards, cards that match your invitation or theme...hundreds of choices to fit every budget & style. I have an entire album of just save-the-date's or you can click on the save the date link at http://www.weddingsbydiana.cceasy.com
When you are putting your addresses together, put them into an Excel spreadsheet that you can use again & again; for the invitations, for thank you notes & later for holiday cards, etc.

Wedding Planning for 2010

2010-01-05T13:15:00.000-08:00

Congratulations to all the happy couples who became engaged over the holidays!
So you are getting married and now what do you do? The minute you become engaged, all your friends and even complete strangers take pleasure in providing you with endless amounts of advice and information based on their own wedding experiences. (The same thing unfortunately happens when you become pregnant!) You listen patiently to all they have to say and yes, there may be some great advice that you can use. They all mean well but don't let people pressure you into feeling like planning a wedding has to be stressful and you have to hurry, hurry hurry. It can be overwhelming, and, as a wedding planner with over 30 years experience, my advice is WIN...do what's important now. Take it one or two steps at a time...keep it fun...enjoy the process!!!
So you may ask, what IS important now?
The first thing is to inform your families and maybe discuss budget. The second thing should hopefully be to hire a professional wedding planner (would LOVE for it to be ME!) and thirdly, two things that go together...the date and the location.
Tune in soon for more...

More Claudia and Ryan...

2009-11-06T14:32:00.000-08:00

Can't wait to get the "real" photos...

Claudia and Ryan

2009-11-06T14:14:00.000-08:00

Sunday, October 25th
On the rooftop of the Canary Hotel..coordinated a gorgeous small wedding for the loveliest, most gracious couple from Alabama...on the rooftop of the Canary Hotel...all yellows and creams roses, freesia, ranunculas...gorgeous flowers and decor from Nico Designs...exquisite music from Aurora Ensemble...exquisite cake of the ...bride's own design from Christine Dahl, elegant charge plates from the Tent Merchant...wonderful food and service from the Canary Hotel...love working with brides who put their guests experience first! Can't wait to see photos from Av Photography but here are some from my camera phone.

Lots of stationery orders today..hooray!!!

2009-11-03T14:54:00.000-08:00

Beautiful custom note cards for several people at Cate School, personalized note cards for a good friend, personalized post it notes for a customer, beautiful 50th wedding anniversary invites with wedding photo and photo of couple today, and business cards for a photographer!

yet another Carpinteria Valley wedding...

2009-10-06T14:41:00.000-07:00

Took me a while to get these photos but finally received them from the bride. The bride herself is a photographer and spent allot of time searching for the right photographer for her style. It was a fall wedding - last October - a beautiful hilltop backyard wedding at her parent's ranch. Hearts Bloom did a gorgeous job on the flowers which included lots of pumpkins - Michael's Catering prepared an exquisite meal with the sit down dinner of seabass and roast tenderloin, Christine Dahl made the beautiful cake, Classic party Rentals did the equipment rentals while Bella Vista did the lantern lighting. The bride and groom built their own platform to be married on and the groom designed and made the bride's wedding gown as well as his own suit.
Instead of a regular band they opted for the Wine and Roses Quintet (2 violins, mandolin, string bass, and guitar) and English country dancing with a caller/teacher there to keep things moving. They all had a wonderful time!

Carpinteria family weddings!!!

2009-08-27T11:36:00.000-07:00

After 31 years in business, one is bound to get some repeat family customers. Last month I helped coordinate a wedding for a family who I have been close to for many, many years and have coordinated at least five weddings in their family! It is such a wonderful experience as I know all the family members and close friends and it's such a joy working together.
This Saturday, it's the 4th or 5th wedding for another Carpinteria family and am so looking forward to it. They have a lovely Tudor home on the top of Shepard's Mesa road with sweeping views. Long-time friend and photographer will take the photos and Peter Sonderegger of Fire & Ice Catering will provide his outstanding food! David Bassinett will provide the music and it looks to be a wonderful day!

Beautiful garden estate location

2009-07-03T11:48:00.001-07:00

Maybe you're searching for that estate event location with beautiful green lawns and rose gardens amid a natural setting? Come see Hidden Valley Ranch.
Another exclusive site managed by Weddings By Diana.
http://picasaweb.google.com/dianaandonian/HiddenValleyRanchBetterPics?feat=directlink

or access the full website from my home page
http://www.weddingsbydiana.com