I’ve got this gallery on repeat, but really can you blame me? Because not only is this La Jolla celebration the kind of place that you dream about going back to almost every day, it’s also serving up some serious style that’ll send any Bride-to-be into a pinfest. From the Bride’s Monique Lhullier gown to the gallery a la Ashlee Raubach Photography, we’ve got every divine moment waiting in THE VAULT!
From Ashlee Raubach Photography…This classic chic seaside wedding takes place at the lovely Scripps Seaside Forum in La Jolla, California. The Bride and Groom flew family and friends in from all over the country to celebrate this destination wedding which was in the making for ten years. The simplicity and classic look of the Brides dress and flowers as well as the Grooms navy suit and simple green, white and blush hues creates a timeless destination wedding.
From The Bride…Our wedding was 10 years in the making. We met as freshmen at Babson College in 2004. We lived in the same small dormitory on campus and there was an instant attraction. We started off as friends, but after our first official date sophomore year to dinner and a movie, we knew it was something more. We come from opposite ends of the globe but somehow have so much in common. Dominic is from Hawaii, and I’m from Boston. After graduation in 2008 we lived in Boston for a year, and then made our way to Los Angeles where we now reside – a middle ground for both of us. In 2012 we took our annual trip to Hawaii to visit Dominic’s family, but this time spent a few extra days on the island of Lanai, just the two of us. That is where Dominic proposed, on an intimate sunset horseback ride.
When we began wedding planning there were almost too many options with our families being so spread out. We knew we wanted to have a destination wedding somewhere beautiful and warm, but also accessible for our family and friends. We love living in California and the fact that’s there is so much diversity along its coast. That’s how we landed on La Jolla. About 2 hours south of Los Angeles, La Jolla feels like a little tropical getaway. We put our name on the waiting list for the gorgeous, and very popular, Scripps Seaside Forum. Call it a miracle but Saturday, March 28th opened up and we grabbed it! Dominic’s birthday is the 27th, so we knew this would make for an extra special weekend, and a date he’d never forget!
We did not have a planner and did most of the work ourselves filling this blank slate of a venue. Luckily the clean architecture of Scripps and the location right on the ocean made for a beautiful backdrop. We wanted our wedding to be elegant, welcoming and intimate. The most important thing to us was the music, flowers, and of course a great photographer to capture it all. We had Chris James play guitar during the ceremony and cocktail hour, and Wayne Foster Band kept us dancing all night long. Shannon from Cargo-Creative brought our floral vision to life with floor grazing garlands, unique wreath centerpieces, and soft organic looking bouquets. Ashlee Raubach has a photography style that is just as bright and beautiful as her personality, and made it so much fun to be in front of the camera.
The ceremony was the most amazing part of the day. The sun was shining and warm on our backs. My blush pink bridesmaids’ dresses sparkled against the ocean. Our officiant, Deborah Young, did an amazing job telling our story and evoking smiles and tears of joy. We wrote our own vows which was very important to us – after 10 years we had a lot we wanted to say. Our favorite detail of the day was our favors. A donation was made to Dana Farber Cancer Institute in honor of my Father who passed away from melanoma. Other details that we loved were the Hawaiian influences that reminded us of the island we love: mai tais, tropical pineapple coconut wedding cake, and the green maile lei that Dominic’s Father brought for him from Hawaii.
As the sun was setting over the water the Maid of Honor and Best Man knocked their speeches out of the park. We laughed, we cried, and then we took to the dance floor for our first dance with the band playing “Thinking Out Loud” by Ed Sheeran. Our guests then joined us as the band kicked off the party with “Uptown Funk” by Bruno Mars. Our wedding was everything we dreamed of, and definitely worth the wait!
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Photography: Ashlee Raubach Photography | Event Planning: Merren Events | Wedding Dress: Monique Lhuillier | Cake: Susie's Cakes & Confections | Catering: Culinary Concepts | Hair And Makeup: Ada Murua, Hyde Edwards Salon | Venue: Scripps Seaside Forum | Beverage Services: Giuseppe Fine Catering | Design + Floral Design: Cargo Creative | Music: Wayne Foster Music & Entertainment | Rentals: Farm Tables And More | Rentals: Classic Party Rentals - San Diego | Trees: San Diego Interior Foliage