Today is a lesson in choosing the right venue… a place that fits your vision, a place that wil forever be in your hearts. But it’s also a lesson in choosing the right vendors. Talented wedding pros that speak to your style and your personality. Because when it all comes together, this is what you get. Brought to us by Modern Bouquet this Villa De Flores wedding is elegant, feminine, approachable and home to some of the most gorgeous florals I have ever laid my eyes on. Lucky for us, every exquisite bloom, every sweet detail, every tender moment is beautifully captured by Swoon by Katie. There’s a whole lot more where this came from, so make sure to join us in the gallery for all the rest.
From the Bride… I’ve always been captivated by the gardens and landscape of the English countryside, and wanted our ceremony and reception to emulate such a place, so we set out to plan our ideal rustic garden wedding. We had to do a bit of searching, both for something that fit our vision and our budget. But we soon stumbled across our beautiful venue in the pages of a wedding magazine, and the planning flowed from there.
My dress was a lovely, Augusta Jones organza-draped gown adorned with fabric flowers around the skirt. My bridesmaids wore varied lavender-gray styles of Donna Morgan knee-length dresses, perfect for summer, which complemented the charcoal gray suits of the groomsmen nicely.
The ceremony was perfect in every way. My dad and I walked down a long, twisting aisle to the tune of Pearl Jam’s “Just Breathe” played by a beautiful string quartet — who performed throughout the ceremony and cocktail hour — and that precious time walking with him gave me the chance to relax, share some laughs together, and take a few deep breaths before I exchanged vows with my new husband. As soon as I locked eyes with Andrew and saw his infectious smile, that was the most beautiful moment for me, and any day-of nerves or stress from planning simply faded away right then and there.
We wanted our guests to be immersed in a relaxed, fun-filled atmosphere surrounded by touches of vintage romantic elegance. With the help of Bre and Danae from Joyful Weddings & Events, we created the vision I had in mind. Everything came together so beautifully. Beautiful rustic decor and furniture from Forever Vintage Rentals, Modern Bouquet, and some decor of my own collection filled the reception. Handmade wooden tables and chairs with simple burlap runners were chosen for guests to dine on. Our centerpieces varied on each table, with different styles of birdcages filled with moss and flowers on some, and an eclectic mix of lanterns on others. Along with the cages and lanterns were vintage bottles and vases filled with peonies, old dutch roses, lavender, garden roses, succulents, and ranunculus and empty wine bottles served as candle holders with pre-dripped ivory candles flowing down the sides.
We loved the idea of guests mingling while being served dinner at different food stations around the grassy lawn of the reception area. We served bone-in short ribs, a delicious summer salad creatively served in mason jars, and we had a mashed potato martini bar with every topping you could think of.
Of course the day flew by in a flash, but we made sure we enjoyed every second of it. After the ceremony, the reception was a flurry of let-your-hair-down dancing, great speeches, delicious food, drinks, funny photo booth pictures, and just good old-fashion fun. It was exactly the celebration we wanted our guests to be a part of, to have them share an experience with us that we will always remember.
[dotted]
Wedding Photography: Swoon by Katie | Floral Design: Modern Bouquet | Ceremony + Reception Venue: Villa De Flores, Rancho Santa Fe, California | Cinematography: Fruitful Films | Event Planning: Joyful Weddings and Events | Catering: Continental Catering | Cupcakes: Frost Me Cupcakes | Wedding Dress: Tina by Augusta Jones via The White Flower | Makeup: Melissa Rae & Co. | Bridesmaids’ Dresses: Donna Morgan | Vintage Rentals: Forever Vintage Rentals | Photobooth: Starlight Photobooth | DJ: Bobby Duran of Bobbito the Chef | Dance Floor + Lighting: Abbey Rentals