An Al Fresco Destination Garden Soiree in the Temecula Valley

•

October 30, 2023

The Planning

Design / Vibe / Vision

From beginning to end of my time planning with Lisa and Gerardo, there was only one desire for their wedding, "We want an explosion of flowers and for it to feel like the epitome of Spring in a garden fairytale setting". And we ran with that design vision! Florals became the main design detail that we wove cohesively throughout the event to create their Al Fresco Garden Soiree in Temecula Valley. From the ceremony to the seating chart to the table numbers to the stationery to Lisa's gown + shoes to the reception setup to their guest's outfit stylings, we had an array of floral or garden motifs! The wedding aesthetic leaned old world, romantic, and timeless with a few touches of modern.

Proposal Story

Lisa and Gerardo's favorite pastime together is hiking all the national parks and enjoying outdoorsy adventures! When it came time to Gerardo wanting to pop the question, they planned a family trip to Yellowstone. It was raining and snowing the whole time and it felt like it was ruining Gerardo’s proposal plans. As it turned out, they had only one day of sun and beautiful weather throughout the trip so Gerardo decided to go for it and pop a knee and with the majestic mountains as their backdrop, Lisa said YES!!! And they were surrounded by their family of loved ones to celebrate!

Getting Ready

Bridal Portraits

Flat Lays

First Look

The Fashion

Wedding Gown

Lisa's stunning gown was by Netta Benshabu in the style Florence from the 'Belle comme L'amour' collection! There could not have been a more perfect gown for a Spring, Garden wedding! With a cat eye neckline, hundreds of 3D floral applique cascading into a tulle A-line skirt, this gown truly screamed garden romance! Lisa customized the gown to have detachable sleeves which used material from the actual gown. The sleeves were worn during portraits and the ceremony and removed for the reception! Styled by NBD paired Lisa's bridal look with blush heels from Bella Belle Shoes which featured a block heel and 3D flowers. To complete her bridal styling, understated earrings from Untamed Petals were added and a beautiful hair vine from Twigs & Honey was chosen. This allowed Lisa to look and feel beautiful on her wedding day yet her accessories complimented her stunning gown and allowed it to be the star of her look!

Bridesmaid Dresses

To stay cohesive with Lisa's love of all things pink, she chose a champagne pink dress for her gals from Shona Joy. With their outdoor wedding, the sunlight hit the gal's dresses so beautifully! And it complimented the flowers and the outdoor space so well.

Groomsman Attire

For Gerardo's guys and his baby sister as groomswoman, Styled by NBD chose a soft gray colored suit and blush pink ties from Friar Tux that paired perfectly with the bridesmaid's color palette.

Wedding Party

Ceremony

Cocktail Hour

The Details

Food & Drink

Lisa and Gerardo are total foodies so having exceptional food and drinks was really important to them! Guests were treated to an unforgettable food experience all night! After the ceremony, we began with signature cocktails, champagne and wine paired with tray-passed delights like ceviche, empanadas and bruschetta. Once they were welcomed into the garden reception space, a boba bar was available for their enjoyment all night long! Fun fact: Lisa is known amongst family and friends as the BOBA QUEEN so including a boba bar was definitely needed! Strawberry Fields Salad started the exciting delectable dinner feast. A plated dual entree came next for each guest, which included Herb Rubbed Marinated Santa Maria Tri Tip and Grilled Tiger Shrimp paired with garlic mashed potatoes and grilled vegetables. For dessert, their guests got to enjoy wedding cake and a beautiful dessert display with French Macarons, Fruit Tarts, Creme Brulee and Cream Pie. But wait, there's more!! For a late night snack, Lisa and Gerardo treated their guests to a Taco Station -- it was really important to them that each guest felt taken care of, and that no one left their event hungry!

Florals & Decor

To create the “explosion of Spring” that Lisa dreamed of, there were flowers and greenery in every area of their event. The floral design aesthetic by Lily Roden Floral Studio was garden romance, whimsy abounding, and ethereal. For the ceremony, Lily dressed up the venue’s garden arbor in an array of blooms in white and pinks which served as the classic wedding "arch". Ground arrangements were added down the aisle, alternating on each side. The reception was created to feel like a hidden garden space with an overhead of string lighting, greenery crawling up the structural columns, a beautiful arch behind the couple's sweetheart table and a garden hedge that welcomed each guest. The reception tables were a mixture of long tables connected throughout the garden lawn. Each table featured a garden-style centerpiece, ikebana baby arrangements, pillar candles and a sheer gauze runner while each place setting had a gold foil menu and paper key name card.. This created a spectacular guest experience as we wanted every guest to feel welcomed and wowed as they found their seat. The vibe for the reception was enchanting, romantic, and whimsical, the perfect setting for an al fresco garden soiree.

Wedding Cake

It wouldn't be an epic garden soiree without a beautiful, floral nest for their 2-tier cake! Their cake featured a smooth buttercream in a delicate, soft blush. The flavors they chose were Banana Saigon as Lisa and Gerardo LOVE banana flavored things and Almond Cake with Lavender Buttercream to align with the Spring Garden vision! Along with their Cake, Lisa and Gerardo had a beautiful dessert bar in a French Vintage hutch with Fruit Tarts, French Macarons, Creme Brulee and Banana Cream Pie.

Special Detail #1

Due to the Hidden Garden vibe of the reception setup and the garden theme, Lisa and Gerardo decided to include a photo scavenger hunt for their guests! It was such a fun and interactive idea for guests to enjoy. Each table had a QR code that guests would scan to find different prompts that they should take pictures of or with. Lisa and Gerardo wanted guests to get out of their seats and mingle with guests that they didn't know!

Special Detail #2

Their guests understood the assignment! When they heard that Lisa and Gerardo were having a spring, flower explosion of a wedding in a hidden garden, they came dressed to impress. We had ladies with garden hats and floral dresses and gents with fun patterns and bold colors! It's always so fun to see a clear theme represented in the outfit choices!

Special Detail #3

This wedding was also a beautiful celebration of the couple's two cultures and the significance of family. They chose to honor their family by including all of their siblings into the wedding party. A detail that we chose to include for both of their cultures, was the seating chart bud vase. A tradition with both of their cultures is that at the end of the wedding, guests will take home any flower arrangements, bud vases, centerpieces. So we chose to go with a bud vase seating chart/favor for each family unit as a way to continue to lean into the floral theme but also allow guests to take something beautiful home!

Couple Portraits