This blog is long over do, but better late than never. Gavin and McKenna celebrated their wedding at the historic Mission San Juan Capistrano in Orange County and had a very simple wedding as McKenna describes it. “ We wanted a very simple wedding, so that’s exactly what we did. We got married at our home church which was so special so us. We wanted God to be felt in every aspect of our wedding and getting married at the church was a huge part of that.” There were no getting ready shots, no extra detail photos and it felt amazing… just the couple and their love for each other and the excitement of the day unfolding. Here’s a look at the full day.

The First Look

Bridal Party

Ceremony

Reception

What a night! A few words from the Bride and Groom

Tell us about your wedding! What was the inspiration behind your day? Did you have a specific theme, style or color palette? Did you incorporate any cultural or religious traditions in any part of your day? 

A: Our theme was neutral colors! Give me all the neutral tones! We also wanted a very simple wedding, so that’s exactly what we did. We got married at our home church which was so special so us. We wanted God to be felt in every aspect of our wedding and getting married at the church was a huge part of that. 

Let's talk wedding decor. How did you decorate your space for the ceremony and the reception? Was any part of the decor DIY? 

A: We did very minimal decor! Pampas grass was my go to! 

What were the florals like in your wedding? Did you use flowers in any of your design elements like the bridal bouquets, centerpieces or ceremony backdrop? Did they play an important part in the overall style of your wedding? 

A: I wanted a very boho look when it came to florals. My bridesmaids had dried out palm looking leaves, and I had a rustic bouquet! 

Did you personalize the day in any way (food trucks, guest entertainment etc.)? What were some of your favorite parts of your wedding? 

A: We had a photo booth which was such a hit! We did not do a sit down dinner, we chose to do high top style, very laid back, and that was my favorite part. I didn’t want it to be uptight! I wanted people to feel like it was a Saturday night out, not some formal wedding. 

Let's talk fashion. How did you both choose your wedding day look? Describe the looks in detail. 

A: The groom and his groomsmen all wore navy blue slim fitted suits. They each got to customize the inside lining of their jackets! My husband imprinted a photo of our two French bulldogs on there which was so special! My dress was very boho, off the shoulders, and flowy! 

How did you meet? Tell us about the proposal. 

A: We met through one of our groomsmen’s Jack four years ago. It took Gavin a while to get the guts to ask me on a date but when he did we were inseparable since. He proposed to me on January 14th 2019 in Big Bear California. He told me we were going up there to snowboard, and I wanted to take photos before hand so we got ready and drove up at 5:30 in the morning. He then took me to the cutest little house and I wanted to take photos in front of and as we were taking photos, he got down on one knee and asked me to be his wife. Our dogs then proceeded to almost get hit by a car so it’s slightly ruined my moment for just a second. I was truly on cloud nine the entire day… It was the greatest day of my life. 

What was the most anticipated or special moment of your wedding day? 

A: Reading our vows! We were both extremely nervous! We hate public speaking but other than that we were so excited to get married and start our new journey as husband and wife! 

Do you have any wedding planning or marriage advice that you'd like to share with other couples planning their day? 

A: I was a very laid-back bride... my advice would be not to stress and try to enjoy every moment of wedding planning with your husband. It is a very important day, but it is also a day that people don’t remember every single little detail so stressing about everything only takes the fun out of it for you! My only marriage advice for people would be to go through premarital counseling, and to have God always be the center of your relationship! Everything else will work it’s self out.

We are California wedding photographers residing here in sunny San Diego. If you are traveling from out of state and looking to plan your wedding in California we’d love to chat details and see how we can help capture your day! From the rolling hills in San Francisco to the coast in Orange County we are there to capture every detail of your wedding day. Thanks for stopping by to check out our work, hope to connect soon!