1. Real Weddings

An Elegant Garden Wedding at Santaluz Club in San Diego, California

In an elegant outdoor celebration at Santaluz Club in San Diego, California, Bree Marshall (25 and in marketing) married Greg Hueners (30 and in real

In an elegant outdoor celebration at Santaluz Club in San Diego, California, Bree Marshall (25 and in marketing) married Greg Hueners (30 and in real estate) before 120 family and friends. “Our vision for the wedding was a romantic garden style,” says Bree, who chose a neutral palette of cream, blush pink and gold accents. Bree incorporated the wedding rings of Greg's grandmother, who had passed away, by tying them to a ribbon around the stems of her bouquet. Bree and Greg opted for a first touch—instead of a first look—in which they exchanged letters while holding hands but remained obscured by a door. “With all the chaos and running around that morning, we finally took a moment to have it all sink in,” Bree says. “It was amazing, and I will never forget those feelings.” 

At the outdoor ceremony, Bree and Greg exchanged vows under a rose garland-topped arch on the country club’s lush green grounds. On their way to the tented reception, guests plucked their seating assignments from two ivy boards that were crisscrossed with ribbon. Inside the white tent, glimmering glass vases brimmed with roses and glowing mercury-glass candles adorned each table. “We had the tent open to a big grass area all night, so our guests could socialize under the summer stars,” Bree says. “Our wedding was our fairy-tale dream because of the ceremony and reception, and also because family members and friends came together. Everyone was together celebrating love.” —Carolyn Meers

The wedding's romantic garden theme was expressed through colorful floral illustrations on pale blue stationery and enhanced with shimmering gold accents.
Greg and his groomsmen wore traditional black suits with crisp white shirts and delicate white rosette boutonnieres.
Bree wore an embroidered ivory dressing robe as she and her bridesmaids were prepped with hair and makeup artists from Oceanside's Big Day Hair and Makeup. Her hair—a low, loose bun twisted together at the nape of her neck—reflected the day's polished, romantic feel.
Bree tied the wedding rings of Greg’s grandmother, who had passed away, to a ribbon around the stems of her bridal bouquet. "It helped us feel like she was there with us on our special day," she says.
Greg and his six groomsmen wore traditional black suits with polished black loafers and crisp white shirts. They also wore delicate white rosette boutonnieres.
Bree's five bridesmaids wore flowing, full-length strapless lavender gowns that matched the delicate palette of cream and blush pink.
Bree and her bridesmaids carried polished, tightly bundled rose bouquets tied with silk and tulle ribbon.
"Greg and I did not want to do a first look, but we did want a private and special moment together," says Bree, who opted for a first touch. "We held hands and exchanged love letters through a door. It was amazing and I will never forget those feelings.”
"We wanted lots of mirrors with calligraphy to decorate the ceremony, as well as the reception," says Bree. Several elegantly framed mirrors were decorated with blush roses and greenery.
"Our vision for the wedding was a romantic garden style. We wanted to create an atmosphere where our family and friends could feel special but also welcome and comfortable," Bree says. At their outdoor ceremony, Bree and Greg exchanged vows under a decadent, rose-garland-topped arch as their guests looked out onto the country club’s manicured grounds.
Two Grecian-style urns were placed at the ceremony's aisle entrance, both overflowing with ivory garden roses, white jasmine and blush pink peonies.
As 120 guests looked on, Bree and Greg shared their first kiss under a fabric-draped wedding arch topped with a rose garland on the grounds of Santaluz Club in San Diego, California. "I have always wanted a soft and romantic garden wedding," Bree says.
Several framed mirrors were placed around the ceremony entrance and the reception, each was decorated with calligraphed phrases such as "I promise to love you every day of forever."
"To channel the garden feel, we had two ivy boards with crossed ribbon to hold the [escort] cards," Bree says. Each card was decorated with a bright flower, like those used on the couple's invitations.
Each reception table was marked with a small mirror framed in gold and painted with calligraphy.
"Our centerpieces during the reception were a mix of tall vases of flowers and then shorter vases," Bree says. "The flowers in the vases"—a mix of garden roses, hydrangeas and peonies—"were full and gorgeous, and we had some green stems naturally fall to create a more dramatic effect."
Inside the white tent, gold accents, chandeliers and candlelight created a romantic glow. Keen on keeping the guests entertained, Bree and Greg had the tent open onto a grassy area "all night, so our guests could socialize under the summer stars."
At the tented reception, each table was topped with white tablecloths and tall or short glass vases bursting with peonies, roses and hydrangeas. "We had mercury-glass candles on every table," Bree says. "This also helped to create the romantic ambience."
Colorful floral menus sat atop blush pink napkins under the glow of gold and silver votives. "We had mercury-glass candles on every table, I love mercury glass and lots and lots of candles," Bree says. "This also helped to create the romantic ambience."
Bree and Greg's three-tier cake from Cake bakery in San Diego, California, boasted intricate, fabric-like details that spoke to the day's polished, intimate aesthetic.