Warm sunshine, a garden ceremony, and a vintage convertible–this intimate San Diego wedding is picture-perfect! The bride looked effortlessly chic in a strapless ballgown while her bridesmaids wore mix-and-match blush dresses that complemented the color palette beautifully. To cut the sweetness, all of the ladies rocked black leather jackets that paired nicely with the men's look–a classic black tux. While every detail was meticulously planned, this team went out of their way to make this garden wedding feel as welcoming and homey as possible, from the straw chargers to the mix-and-match tables and chairs. 

Nicole George Events designed this lovely wedding and worked closely with the couple to get their vision just right, despite several COVID-related obstacles thrown in their way. Estancia La Jolla offered the perfect amount of green space to host their event completely outdoors. The vision was a whimsical garden wedding that leaned more towards natural than stuffy and the team relied heavily on the talents of Bloom Babes to bring that vision to life in floral form. Dani Purington took these beautiful warm photos that are so perfect, it's hard to believe this is all from a real wedding! Keep reading to hear more from Nicole George about this special day and some advice from the happy couple. 

Megan and Ross' wedding at Estancia La Jolla was a long-awaited whimsical celebration full of modern details and garden aesthetics. After a postponement, venue change, drastic guest-count decrease, then re-planning during the pandemic, Megan and Ross were committed to creating a joyful and intimate celebration for their closest friends and family, packed full of personal and sentimental details. Our bride had two main sources of inspiration throughout the planning process–intimate familiarity and happiness.

Megan was inspired by movies and shows her family watched regularly growing up, such as BBC's Pride & Prejudice and the Canadian epic production of Anne of Green Gables. These classics inspired within her the importance of family, and of independence and creativity as a young woman. But they also showed her glimpses of beauty and whimsical elegance. Secret gardens, cluttered homes with a warm hearth, fancy dresses, going through the silly motions of society's expectations while still holding onto your convictions. Those spaces and settings were an inspiration for Megan when choosing vendors, and working with Nicole George Events on creating a design. When considering the day as a whole, Megan was inspired by the idea of happiness, and how that word, and the feeling of being happy, could be manifested into colors. After planning for so long and all of the changes they made, Megan wanted florals to be a focal point, and to appear to be overgrown, colorful, and whimsical as if they are thriving! This was successfully executed by floral designer Bloom Babes who created a stunning floral arch that acted as a backdrop to the ceremony.

After starting the day being pampered by Thorne Artistry, Megan slipped on her Monique Lhuillier gown in time for her first look with Ross (who wore a tux by The Black Tux). Then it was time for, what was their favorite part of the day, the ceremony officiated by the bride's aunt who has been a prominent support person in her life. As Megan describes it, "Walking down the aisle with both my parents by my side, sobbing while watching Ross himself crying and seeing the family and friends on either side of me with the sun at my back was one of the most special moments of my whole life." Along with incorporating Scottish, Irish, and Portuguese traditions to honor both their ancestries, Megan and Ross made an intentional effort to be open and vulnerable during their written vows in order to make their guests feel included in this important step in their relationship. They also selected songs for the ceremony exclusively from artists they have seen live together.

When it came to the reception, the level of detail and thought was no less than the ceremony. In an effort to make the garden space feel like an elevated version of a home, different tables and chairs were used throughout the reception space. Mismatched pieces by To Be Designed and Bright Event Rentals were selected to give off the feeling that it all "just happened" to go together poetically! After dramatically decreasing their guest count, Megan and Ross wanted their reception space to represent community and the intimacy of their individual relationships. They blended friends and family at long banquet tables to provide a more comfortable vibe for guests. They spent the evening under the stars sharing a four-course meal by MIHO and listening to live music by Still Listening Productions.

The menu was a food-lover’s dream. Course one started with a summer grilled peach salad with toasted hazelnut, goat cheese, arugula and a crème fraîche vinaigrette. After salad, MIHO served hand-made pasta, an English pea and mascarpone angolotti with shaved squash and preserved lemon salad with koji lime chimichurri and chile threads. For the third course, guests had their choice of filet mignon with a chive and mascarpone mashed potato, braised leeks with truffle butter and a wine reduction, the grilled achiote marinated swordfish with market corn, squash, fava bean and red pepper succotash, pea puree with kumquat chile chutney or the vegan option, a saffron couscous cake with heirloom tomatoes, roasted eggplants, summer squash and radish in a green garlic mojo with harissa labneh and hazelnut dukkah. To finish it off, guests were offered a dessert sampler with devil’s food cake truffles, cream puffs, passion fruit meringue tart, chocolate tart and a slice of brown butter wedding cake to go with their pour over coffee. A true foodie delight!

To top it all off, Megan and Ross stole a few secret minutes away from their guests to indulge in their love of cars and have photographer Dani Purington take photos of them with a classic white Porsche from San Diego Speedster Rental.

Words of Wisdom from the Happy Couple

1. No matter what anyone else tells you, this day is ultimately about your union. There is so much bravado and pressure to perform a certain way, invite someone, include a specific activity. But after all is said and done, your partnership is the most important thing. Hire a planner like Nicole! She always had Ross and me at the forefront of her mind. I trusted her with our ideas and knew she would always do what was best for us. 

2. If the pandemic has taught us anything, I hope it's gratitude for what we have and understanding for our loved ones. It was a privilege to be able to gather. Although your wedding is about you two, it doesn't mean that the event can't include the thoughts and voices of those close to you. 

3. If you find yourself in a dilemma, just remember to be patient as you work through the logistics. There may come a time where you feel you sacrificed in some places and overextended in others. That is all okay! It'll work itself out.

Experience Team

Catering & Cake: MIHO | Dress & Apparel: Monique Lhuillier Event Planning & Design: Nicole George Events | Flowers: Bloom Babes | Groom & His Men: The Black Tux | Hair, Makeup & Beauty: Thorne Artistry | Lighting, Entertainment & Photo Booth: Still Listening Productions | Paper Goods & Calligraphy: Four Things Paper | Rentals: Bright Event Rentals & To Be Designed | Travel & Transportation: San Diego Speedster Rental | Venue: Estancia La Jolla | Wedding Photographers: Dani Purington

Originally Featured on Wedding Chicks