Christine and John’s gorgeous day was full of love and laughter at the Franciscan Gardens in San Juan Capistrano. Their rustic romance theme was beautifully styled with fresh florals, hanging lanterns and a hint of boho charm.
While you’re scrolling through the beautiful images from Danielle Bacon, the bride was kind enough to share some awesome advice on planning and budgeting! Read about it below and as always you can view the entire day in the full gallery here.
From the bride: The theme for our wedding was rustic romantic. We wanted our wedding to be simple, elegant, and beautiful. Our color scheme included pinks, peaches, white, and lots of greenery. Our flowers, decor, bridesmaids' dresses, and venue definitely mirrored this.
There's no such thing as planning too early or too carefully! John and I constantly received so many compliments about how calm and unstressed we were the week and day of our wedding. And that's because we had everything planned months ahead of time--and we did it together. This includes being in constant touch with your vendors, double confirming your plans with everyone involved, and divvying up responsibilities with your significant other. Make sure you both have an equal part in the planning process and get each other's input on everything. It will bring you closer and not only will your wedding be reflective of both your personalities and relationship-- you will have a ton of fun doing it all together!
1. Begin planning as early as possible. And that starts with talking through what your budget for your wedding will be. Once you have a ballpark idea, start looking at venues and ceremony locations that match your style and cost. This is probably the most challenging part of wedding planning, but once you book your ceremony and reception locations, the rest will fall in place. Then begin researching and booking other vendors as soon as you can so you're not scrambling last minute.
2. Work together every step of the way. It will bring you closer together and make the planning process more seamless and enjoyable. When you're both on the same page with decor, vendors, cost, itinerary, etc., the more confident you both will feel about everything going according to plan as your date approaches.
3. Lastly, remember that this is your wedding--do what makes you and your partner happy. Your wedding should reflect both of your unique personalities. Try not to let negative energy or others' opinions influence your plans. The happier you are with your wedding plans, the more beautiful the day will be, and the closer people will feel to your love story.
Franciscan Gardens matched our theme perfectly. I cannot say enough about this beautiful venue. The walls covered in greenery/vines, the stone laid groundwork, the beautiful flowers, water fountain, pergola, and string cafe lights and lanterns came together to be the rustic/romantic venue we were looking for. Not to mention their bridal and groom suites which really gave us a nice place to relax and rest during the events of the day. We also loved the fact that they partnered with 24 Carrots, which was a great catering company with amazing food and service.
1. Book your venue during wedding "off season" which is normally from October - April, or on a weekday or Sunday
2. Choose flowers that are abundant and in season. You can also opt for more green florals to help fill your arrangements and cut back costs.
3. Look for up and coming vendors. There are so many talented people in terms of photographers, videographers, DJs, Emcees, etc. who may not be well known in the industry yet and are therefore more affordable while offering great quality services.
4. Shop around. Contact your vendors and ask for price quotes and services that come with their packages. Then compare and pick the one that's best.
5. Ask questions! If you know anyone who go married in the same area you're planning, reach out to them and ask for recommendations. Also, Don't be afraid to ask the vendors as many questions as you need to make an informed decision.