Rustic San Juan Capistrano Wedding at Serra Plaza
Photgraphers comments: “Annie & Devin’s wedding happened to be on the one day it rained this summer in Southern California, July 18th, 2015. Although the day felt chaotic at first (due to the unexpected weather), it ended up being absolutely spectacular and beautiful. As mist turned into raindrops pouring down in the famous San Juan Mission, it created a romantic and magical feel to all of the portraits.
“These two met when they were teenagers, and fell madly in love in their late twenties. Their love for each other shines through in the images and it was wonderful working with such fun, comedic and creative individuals.
“Serra Plaza was a classic and chic venue with a rustic feel to it. The chandeliers hanging from the oak tree’s cast a warm glow over the reception, and the ceremony. The clouds part just in time for Annie to walk down the aisle and have a rain-free ceremony. I was in shock!
“The old Southern California décor and feeling of this wedding was inspiring and aesthetically stunning. Paradise florist matched their style perfectly with natural flowers and eucalyptus branches on each serviette.
“At the end of a rocking dance party with a DJ from LUX events, the couple made a grand sparkler exit after the bride changed into a jersey cotton summer dress. They laughed and they kissed, and were genuinely connected to each other throughout the entire wedding. It was wonderful to witness.”
Wedding Day Vision
Bride’s Comments: “We wanted to have a first look so that we could finally spend time together – we had planned to spend Friday and Saturday morning with our respective bridal parties, and we knew we would want to see each other before the ceremony and the craziness of the reception.
“It was also important for us not to take too much time out of the wedding to take photos. We had big plans of drinking our signature cocktails and celebrating with the people we love!
“We planned a ceremony and reception that were both relatively fuss free, even if we did have a total of 16 people in our bridal party, not to mention two breathtakingly adorable flower girls. The ceremony lasted about 15 minutes, and though we did have speeches, the father daughter dance, the mother son dance, and our first dance, we cut out the rest of the wedding events. No cake cutting, flower bouquet, or garter belt.
“We wanted to spend the evening having fun (especially because it was a kid free wedding, which meant many of our friends who would normally cut out early to tend to their kids were able to stay and celebrate), and we didn’t want to feel rushed from one event to the next.
“We did plan a sparkler farewell. I changed into a more comfortable dress, we ran through a tunnel of fire, hopped in our getaway car, and headed to the dive bar across the street to keep the celebration going.”
Wedding Flowers
“For flowers, we both wanted succulents and lots of green, but white and blush flowers, including roses and dahlias (my favorite), added a more delicate touch.
“Although we love the old feel of the venue, we paid a little extra to hang 5 gorgeous chandeliers in the courtyard alongside the market lights, where we held both the ceremony and the dancing. The chandeliers, market lights, roses, and dahlias all added a touch of romantic elegance to a venue otherwise best described as charmingly old-fashioned.
“The ceremony was adorned by a beautifully decorated fountain, literally overflowing with flowers, as well as genuine church pews, which again helped to balance the old-fashioned elegance of the evening.”
Unexpected Rain in SoCal
“It should be noted that it rained –unexpected torrential downpour – the afternoon of our wedding. This was, of course, completely unexpected on a July day in Southern California. Especially in the middle of a world famous drought.
“This caused more than a little bit of stress. We couldn’t take the pictures before the wedding in the exact location we had hoped for, and dinner was moved indoors as opposed to outside under the market lights. And, as expected in Southern California, where rain causes everyone to drive like a 15 year-old behind the wheel for the first time, the traffic was terrible, causing everything to run behind schedule.
“Luckily, the rain stopped at about 4:20pm. Devin and I had just enough time to take pictures in front of the basilica at the mission, which is where we had hoped to take so many of our pictures. He carried me through the sopping wet dirt after my first step sunk my right foot deep into the mud. Katie took unbelievable pictures in front of the basilica– they are some of my favorite pictures.
“Because of the rain, I arrived at the venue about ten minutes before the ceremony, literally running up the stairs as guests filed in before and behind me. I had just enough time to catch my breath and freshen up before the ceremony began. But to the unassuming guest, you’d never know that a detail was out of place. Katie Rummel photographed the event beautifully, as if the rain weren’t soaking her shoes and changing our plans. And Linsey with LUX Events somehow managed to create an elegant wedding, even if she was drying off the soaking wets pews moments before guests arrived. The rain changed some plans, but it didn’t stop our team of experts, nor did it stop the love that we both felt on our wedding day.”
Overall Theme for the Wedding
“We wanted an old Southern California feel to our wedding. We took pictures before the ceremony at the mission in San Juan Capistrano, the oldest structure in California. The ceremony and reception were held down the street at Serra Plaza, and the courtyard and architecture of this venue share a similar aesthetic with the mission. We landed on navy blue and gray as our colors for the bridal party. Since the bridesmaids purchased their own dresses, we figured navy was a classic and easy color to find, plus it is always flattering and matched the colors we wanted for flowers. Plus, Devin and I both have blue eyes, so we (really I), thought a blue bow tie would be divine.”
Love the look above? Check out my DIY chalkboard article.
“The highlights of our evening included dancing our first dance to Van Morrison’s “Into the Mystic” (swoon!) and departing through a tunnel of sparklers, lighting up the faces of our near and dear. I must add that another of my favorite touches was Devin’s navy blue and white polka dotted tie. It set his tux apart from his groomsmen, and it incorporated his playful personality into his attire. Plus, it matched my navy shoes and the sapphire tennis bracelet my mom had surprised me with the morning of the wedding. These small details truly shine in our beautiful wedding photos.”
Meredith
Despite her dreamy wedding blogger lifestyle, Meredith's day job is running ClassicVeils.com and a full-time mom to an active toddler. If she could, Meredith would spend her days taking cruises, helping animals in need, and watching Big Brother!
