Over the past several years, many print magazines in the wedding industry have folded up and disappeared, unable to economically compete with the burgeoning bridal blogs. There have been many sad situations resulting from magazines that have been blogged out of existence, including one involving a client of ours.
Julie & Mike had a fabulous wedding that we were honored to receive a Gala Award for. Their wedding was scheduled to be published in a national bridal magazine, but the magazine kept postponing the publication date, then finally it ceased operation. It was a most unfortunate set of circumstances, both for the defunct publication, and for our darling client.
But while many wedding magazines have been on the decline, one publication has actually been on the rise. That publication is Ceremony Magazine. A lovely high-end bridal magazine that has flourished for many years in Southern California (with 3 separate publications for the Los Angeles, Orange County and San Diego markets), Ceremony Magazine has recently expanded to the San Francisco Bay Area, as well.
And now there is a happy ending to Julie & Mike’s sad story. I am thrilled to learn that their wedding is being featured in the current Bay Area issue of Ceremony Magazine. Not only does Ceremony Magazine have a luxurious printed version that you can buy in bookstores, but they also provide an online version that you can view by clicking here. (Julie & Mike’s wedding can be found on pages 244-247.)
I wanted to take this opportunity to show some of my favorite photos from Catherine Hall Studios that Ceremony Magazine was not able to include in its feature. But first I need to explain how we came up with the design concept for Julie & Mike’s wedding.
Inspired by the couple’s travels together, Events of Distinction developed an a-“door”-able theme for their celebration. During a trip to Europe, Julie and Mike discovered that they especially enjoyed photographing old-world doors, capturing beautiful entrances that were surrounded by vibrant life. For their wedding design, the door was more than just a symbol of their unique personalities; it also represented a passageway to their new life together as a married couple.
The woodlands of Nestldown in the Santa Cruz Mountains provided the perfect backdrop for Julie and Mike to find the key to nuptial bliss:
A nuptial highlight was the “Key Sharing Ceremony”. Their mothers first came forward to give Julie and Mike “the keys in life.” Each mom gave their own child a key. Julie and Mike then exchanged the keys with each other as the officiant declared, “Select a special location in your home for these keys, so that they can serve as a reminder that the door to your hearts shall always be open.”
I am most grateful to the wedding service providers who helped make Julie & Mike’s wedding an award-winning event, including Asiel Design, Beaux Gateaux, Blueprint Studios, Classic Party Rentals, La Tavola, Painted Tongue Press, Papineau Calligraphy, Parsley Sage Rosemary & Thyme and Thomas Hughes Films. And I am delighted that this delightful couple finally got their wedding published!