While some go straight for the dress, I’m a sucker for venues. That was the first priority on my wedding planning wishlist and for good reason. The setting for your celebration can inspire and set the tone for your day. And if all things garden wedding is on your agenda, you must meet Franciscan Gardens, my friends. It was the setting for these college sweetheart’s I dos and it’s perfect. With Klink Events on planning and Lucy Munoz with her lens in hand, there’s a whole lot more below that’ll convince you to tour this spot yourself.
We met in college at a fraternity/sorority philanthropic event. We started out as just friends working towards the same cause (City of Hope Cancer Research Center) then over the years, we got to know each other better and our love grew organically.
We were celebrating our 6-year anniversary and Christian surprised me with a stay at the Mission Inn Hotel in Riverside (the city where we met in college) and dinner at our favorite Italian restaurant in town. The next day, we drove to Laguna Beach where we hiked down to the base of a cliff to watch the sunset. Little did I know that Christian had pre-arranged a “picnic” style set up on the beach – complete with a blanket, beautiful bouquet of roses and a scrapbook he made with our memories. When he proposed, we both started tearing up. Luckily, Christian hired a photographer to capture it all and we did a mini photo session during golden hour. Then we went to dinner and as I walked into the restaurant, our families and my best friends were there to surprise me! It was a day that I’ll never forget.
I actually found “the dress” at the second bridal store I visited. I knew I wanted to be a simple and classic bride for my wedding day and my Lazaro dress fit the bill. I immediately fell in love!
We’ve always been a classic and simple couple and wanted our wedding style to reflect that so we kept the entire day both timeless and effortless, which allowed our true selves and our love for each other come through. An organic and romantic aesthetic felt natural to us – everything from the soft neutral florals with unstructured greenery, to the traditional and romantic design of our invitation suite.
We always knew we loved al fresco dining + dancing under the stars so as soon as we saw Franciscan Gardens in San Juan Capistrano, we fell in love with the intimate venue which was surrounded by lush greens and twinkling lights which would make the perfect setting for a memorable day.
Soft whites, light champagnes, unstructured greenery with an airy and organic feel, a romantic and natural floral aesthetic
Driving away from the church as husband and wife in my in-laws classic vintage Mercedes Benz convertible and BOMB sliders as a late night snack while our guests danced.
This may sound cliché but through all the planning madness, don’t forget that this day is about you and your significant other.
Walking down the aisle. We decided to have our first look at this moment instead of beforehand and I’ll never forget it as Christian teared up as I walked down the aisle.
We hopped around Italy and visited several cities that gave us a little taste of city life (Rome and Florence) and the coastline (Amalfi Coast). We loved Florence for its architecture and cuisine, Positano for its picturesque views, and Rome for its history and culture. Also lots and lots of pasta and wine!
Slow down time, I wish we had more time to spend with our family and friends instead of feeling rushed.
photographer: Lucy Munoz | Wedding Coordinator: Klink Events | Floral Design: Julep Bloom Design | Wedding Dress: Lazaro | Cake: M Cakes Sweets | Stationery: Plume Calligraphy | Ceremony Venue: Holy Trinity Church | Shoes: Stuart Weitzman | Catering: Giracci Vineyards Farms | Hair and Makeup: Sharon Y. Park | DJ: Vox DJs | Groom's Attire: Suit Supply | Franciscan Garden: Franciscan Gardens | Groom's shoes: Magnanni | Jewelry/Veil:: Veiled Beauty | photobooth: Pixster Photo Booths