San Ysidro Ranch Wedding by Jessica Claire, III

Jessica, Jessica let me count the ways. You are my wedding hero for sending us the pure eye candy that we are devouring today. And I am so thrilled that the gorgeous bride behind the day has been sweet enough to share her own story and the perfect details that went into such a beautiful wedding.



Jay and I met on eHarmony! After several dates with men, who looked nothing like their pictures, I figured Jay must be the real deal since he had about 15 vain pictures posted of himself, but in stark contrast to most of the singles from that scene, he actually looked like them. Then, after our first phone conversation, and his Australian accent, I knew we had to meet. In fact the whole eharmony phase of our existence lasted a few seconds, they presented, I nudged, nudged again because he was asleep or something, then he calls me straight up and miraculously had some bar to go to with a friend who miraculously lived a few miles from me on the night that miraculously me and a friend were going to be in, well you get the picture.

Six months later we were celebrating his birthday in San Francisco at the Top of the Mark, during dessert, Jay got down on one knee (I think he is fiddling with his shoe), I cram the yummy chocolate dessert in mouth, he starts talking, the woman at the table behind us gasps, “They’re getting engaged!” I turn around to look at who she is talking about, not realizing it is us. Jay says, “He loves me and wants to be a part of something bigger”. I felt like I was the star of some mini-vacation Truman-Show because the manager at the Top was in on it, Jay had some double dealings with the maitre-d, and our waiter and Jay had some elaborate dance to slip him the ring – it involved some round the back shuffle move and some shoulder taps.

So while I’m realizing that yes, this is all an elaborate proposal trip and I’m the star he says the words that stick in my mind, “it makes me happy to see you happy, I want to be able to make you happy every day of your life from now on.” I was speechless, and somewhere there I got a yes out.

We needed an official venue, and that meant we needed style, class, grace and a coordinator that was not afraid to take names and you do know, do some kicking. good friend recommended San Ysidro to us, and as soon as we got there we knew it was our place. It is so beautiful, and calm. The colors reached out and embraced us, the saturday heat abated as soon as we drove onto the grounds. We wanted to retire in Montecito as soon as we drove up the lane.