Franciscan Gardens in San Juan Capistrano Wedding


"We wanted our wedding to be an honest portrayal of who we are as a couple. We steered away from the flashy and grandiose, and instead kept our wedding more subdued and natural. Our color scheme was a rotation of ivories, dark greens, grays, and hints of gold. We relied on the venue's beauty to share our story and vision with our guests. In addition to this, San Juan Capistrano's small, coastal town was the ideal spot for our family and friends to gather together and celebrate with us.  

During the planning process, the most important part for us was that we kept the wedding intimate and that we followed our own path. Advice and suggestions from family and friends can definitely be helpful, but in the end, the day was about our love and what we wanted for it. One of our ideas that we splurged on was the vintage photo bus; it was a huge hit with our guests and we have great memories with it! The idea we skipped on was doing a grand exit. Our reception went straight into the after party, and we were totally okay with that!

One of our favorite parts of the day was the moment right before we exchanged our first look. We were both in our respective spots in the San Juan Capistrano Mission, and as I turned the corner to tap on Jack's shoulder, I felt an overwhelming amount of butterflies, anticipation, and giddiness to see him. I remember it as if it was in slow motion, and to this day, when I think of this moment, butterflies come rushing back. It's a memory I'll always cherish from our wedding day. 

Our venue was the first and only venue that we saw! We knew as soon as we walked in that we wanted to be married there. The exposed brick and the natural greenery that climbed its walls impressed us immediately. It was organic and vintage, which was the vision we wanted to achieve for our special day. It had a natural beauty all on its own, so our approach was to be tastefully minimal in our planning in order to allow the venue to shine through. It was perfect for who we are a couple."



Photography: Katherine Beth Photography | Ceremony Venue: Franciscan Gardens | Reception Venue: Franciscan Gardens | Event Planning: Fawn Events | Floral: Collected with Love | Calligraphy: L Shannon Designs | Wedding Cake: VG Donut & Bakery | Rentals: Sun Drop Vintage | Linens: Sun Drop Vintage | Hair: Jessica Steingard | Makeup: Jessica Steingard | DJ: Sage Productions | Videography: Triptych Weddings | Photo Booth: The Booth and Bus Co. | Guitarist: Mike Wilson | Desserts: Elise Cakes | Catering: 24 Carrots | Wedding Dress: BHLDN | Groom's Attire: Friar Tux | Bride's Shoes: Steve Madden | Bridesmaid Dresses: Show Me Your Mumu | Headpiece: Collected with Love | Submitted via: Matchology