Elegant Garden Wedding in San Diego at The Inn at Rancho Santa Fe

Melissa Baran
February 5, 2019
Categories: Real Weddings, Romantic, The Blog

I’m quite certain that any fete that starts off like this and ends like this is a wedding win. All the hands up emojis! Everything in between is pure inspiration gold my friends, thanks to Before I Do Events, Carmen Santorelli and the entire vendor team. Get your pinning on right this way babes!

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From the Bride… Richard and I met 8 years ago during college in San Diego. We were in a few of the same classes but were always too nervous to say hi. We finally met at a dance for my sorority and the rest was history. A little over a year ago while on vacation, Rich popped the question! Being someone who secretly loves to organize and plan, I was ready to dive into finally getting to plan OUR wedding!

We started our planning by finding the perfect location – that was easy. We chose San Diego because it’s where we met and fell in love. It’s a special place to both of us. I’m also lucky enough to have grown up in San Diego.

As we started looking at venues, we knew we wanted a place where we could be outdoors and also create a weekend getaway for our guests. We stumbled upon the Inn at Rancho Santa Fe. Since Rich and I were living in Los Angeles at the time, my mom stepped in and offered to visit the venue for us. As she was driving home she immediately called and said “We had to get down for a visit as soon as possible!” We did and from the moment we stepped onto the Inn’s property we were immediately overwhelmed by its beauty. From the sprawling green lawns, to the lush gardens and trees your breath is taken away. After one visit, we knew it was the perfect place.

After booking our venue, we had to put together an amazing team of vendors to help us pull off our dream wedding. In addition to finding vendors we absolutely loved, I felt it was important that they had previously worked together. There is so much planning and coordination that they each do, I felt having experience working together would make the day of that much easier.

We knew we wanted to focus on the design, florals, photography, and videography. We were recommended to Alicia at Before I Do Events. During our first call, we instantly connected and I felt that she truly understood the style and feeling we wanted to achieve – a garden party with a classic and timeless feel. Alicia was a huge help in providing us with amazing vendor recommendations, bouncing design ideas off of and guiding us throughout the entire planning process. She also made sure that our wedding day went off without a hitch.

For the ceremony and reception we wanted it to feel light, airy and effortless while highlighting the beauty of the venue. We decided on a neutral color palette, touches of antique brass and tons of candlelight on the tables to create a timeless and romantic feeling during the reception. Hannah from Modern Bouquet perfectly captured our vision. From our gorgeous bouquets to the lush and sprawling arrangements, Hannah truly outdid herself.

Rich and I knew that the day would pass in the blink of an eye. Knowing this, it was important for us to work with an amazing photographer and videographer. When we found Carmen Santorelli we were just in awe of her work. Looking through her photographs, she is able to capture so much emotion while emitting a soft, romantic and dreamy feeling. Her work perfectly aligned with the aesthetic we wanted.

Having a videographer was one of my must haves. I found Audrey Alba Films and loved what I saw. In every video I watched, they were able to capture so many of the special moments that happen throughout the day. Being able to watch and listen to our ceremony, my dad’s speech and see our first dance is something I’ll always treasure.

We really tried to make sure that everything was thought out and personal to us. One of the most memorable moments was asking my little brother Ryan be our officiant. It was important to us that we chose someone who knew us both as individuals and also as a couple – Ryan does. At first he was nervous but in the end he did such a great job! His ceremony speech was filled with heartfelt stories and memories that really highlighted our relationship and the love Rich and I have for each other.

You really can’t put into words how much excitement, love and happiness you’ll truly feel on your wedding day. All the time you’ve spent planning and thinking of every little detail is done. You’re able to relax and enjoy the day with your closest family and friends. Rich and I made it a point to stop and appreciate every moment throughout our experience. We couldn’t have asked for a more perfect day.