Destination Garden Wedding with a Summery Alfresco Reception

Cassie and Ryan's Wedding Day was truly so intimate, personal and breathtaking! Upon entering this beautiful garden space, you are truly left speechless and in awe as it feels as if you are swept away to another world, where no one and nothing else matters. Just you and your love, commitment and devotion to each other. Southern California wedding planner BOWTIES & BOUQUETS tells us, "Cassie and Ryan were an utter joy to create with and we are so honoured to have been a part of this beautiful day for the sweetest couple on earth!"

Captured by KATIE SHULER it was the beautiful greenery and florals at FRANCISCAN GARDENS that inspired the style of the day. "We wanted a garden vibe with romantic lighting and soft colours. The old-world charm of the venue along with the charming downtown and incredible Mission at San Juan Capistrano really set the tone for a gorgeous, So-Cal atmosphere.

WHY DID YOU CHOOSE THIS LOCATION? We started searching for our venue shortly after everything shut down at the start of the pandemic. I spent so much time looking at locations online and when I found FRANCISCAN GARDENS, I knew instantly that I would love it! When we were finally able to tour in person, I told Ryan it was the spot the second we walked into the courtyard. Between the towering shrubs, the dreamy fountain and pergola, and the beautifully restored, vintage appeal of the indoor amenities, I couldn’t imagine our wedding anywhere else. They did a perfect job of creating an intimate setting right in the middle of the sweetest little town. For the size of our wedding and the atmosphere we were wanting, it was absolutely perfect! Having the Mission so close for pictures was a huge factor, too! The Mission ruins and incredible gardens were the perfect spot for photos.

TELL US ABOUT YOUR PROPOSAL: While we were dating, weekend trips to Disneyland became a really special tradition and some of our favourite memories were made at the Happiest Place on Earth. Ryan proposed at the end of January 2020 during a trip to Disney. My parents were visiting and I was so excited to take my mom back to Disneyland for the first time in 40 years. I thought the trip was centered around her having an amazing experience, but Ryan had other plans. We took the customary photos at the entrance near the flowers and Ryan dropped to his knee. I am so grateful that we got so many amazing pictures of the proposal and the rest of the day was absolutely magical.

MOST MEMORABLE MOMENT? My family has a tradition of going for a run together the morning of a wedding. It seems like an added stress to an already busy day, but always turns out to be a special experience. Ryan and I joined my brother and brother-in-law for a stress-crushing run and enjoyed coffee and good company before everything got busy. I love these family traditions and the memories that accompany them. It really set the mood for the day and Ryan and I appreciated the private moment together before everything got busy!

TELL US A LITTLE ABOUT YOUR HONEYMOON: Because of my school schedule, we weren’t able to take a honeymoon right away. The day after the wedding we had a beautiful brunch with wedding guests before they headed home and got a chance to spend more time with family and friends. We headed to Disneyland to relax at the hotel and enjoy some leftover cake for the evening and spent a magical day at Disney before hurrying home for my final exams. We plan to take some time after graduation to explore Europe!

IS THERE ANYTHING YOU WOULD CHANGE OR DO DIFFERENTLY? If it were possible to not get married in the midst of a global pandemic, that would certainly have been our choice! So many aspects of the wedding experience are different for those getting married during this time. It was easy in the beginning to feel sorry for myself about all the experiences I was missing: trying on dresses with my crew in person, having all our guests present (we had half of our guests cancel before the wedding), having a wedding shower that didn’t include a Zoom link. Ultimately, my experience, like so many others, was simply different. I got to wear a beautiful dress, eat amazing cake, dance until my feet hurt, and marry my husband in the company of our loved ones. I wouldn’t change a thing! Scratch that…I would have abandoned heels and selected sensible shoes!

WHAT ADVICE WOULD YOU GIVE OUT TO A COUPLE PLANNING THEIR WEDDING? Get rid of any expectations you have based on TV, Instagram, or what other people expect of your special day. Make every detail an extension of you and your partner. Ultimately, the only people who need to really love the details of the day are the two of you. As long as you keep that in mind when planning, you’ll have an unforgettable experience. Worrying about pleasing everyone else will only add stress and take away from your day.

I think it's also important to know that things will go wrong, but in the end, you’ll still get to marry the love of y
our life. We had people calling to cancel the week of the wedding because of Covid concerns. My flower girl and a bridesmaid showed up late to do hair and makeup because they had to find rapid testing that morning. The talented hair and makeup artist I had done my trials with got sick the night before the wedding. It was honestly one thing after another…but looking back, everything was perfect and I still got to marry my man!

A huge thank you to Southern California wedding planner BOWTIES & BOUQUETS for sharing this beautiful wedding with us. Owner Naomi is a Wedding Planner and stylist for the wildly in love, fairytale-inspired, fine-art couples. "I believe that your fairytale begins as soon as you say “yes” and I want to create a wedding day experience that gives everyone their own unique and magical fairytale. I am a visual storyteller, a romantic dreamer and a firm believer of creating beautiful and magical keepsake memories that will stay with you for a lifetime! My dream for my clients is for each wedding to be significant through personal touches. Every single one of my clients is so unique and each one has a very special story to share. My greatest joy is getting to tell that story through the planning and design." Head over to her portfolio to see more.v