1. Real Weddings

An Elegant, Peacock-Inspired Wedding at the Lodge at Torrey Pines in San Diego, California

Peacock hues and patterns made up the style of this elegant wedding between Cassandra Rodriguez (30 and a registered nurse) and

Peacock hues and patterns made up the style of this elegant wedding between Cassandra Rodriguez (30 and a registered nurse) and Stephen Luna (31 and a solar installer) at the Lodge at Torrey Pines in San Diego, California. Cassandra had seen the peacock theme used many times, so she wanted to create a nontraditional spin by using crystal and sequin accents. She wore bling on her sleeves (quite literary) with an Alfred Angelo champagne-colored dress fully accented in beads, sparkling and shining wherever she walked. The ceremony took place outside in front of the Lodge, where guests grabbed white ceremony programs decorated with vibrant watercolors, which Red Trolley Studio captured on camera. Plum was the main color, accenting everything from the flower girl dresses (with bodices covered in fabric flowers) to the dining tables at the reception. Guests found their seats with gold and white table numbers, where gold vases filled with plum and red blooms served as centerpieces. The three-tier white cake accented with fresh flowers ended the meal on a sweet note—filled with vanilla cream, chocolate chip and red velvet flavors. We adored the peacock-inspired invitations, which really seemed to sum up the colors and theme of the day, with peacock designs and their feathers decorating its white stationery. See more of these peacock inspirations with a flashy twist at this wedding, below.

Going along with the theme, ivory invitations accented with peacock designs gave guests a glimpse into the wedding. Peacock graphics accented the pages, in addition to vibrant feather designs on the ceremony programs.
The bridal bouquet filled with garden roses, chrysanthemums and other blooms embodied romantic colors of purple, pink and red. Cassandra’s grandmother always loved a lot of bling and sparkles, so she glued one of her grandmother’s blue gems onto the purple wrap of her bouquet.
Cassandra incorporated some glitz and glam into her wardrobe with her floral hairpiece. The accessory went with the lace trimming outlined in beading on her veil, along with her beaded dress.
The ceremony took place outside in front of the Lodge at Torrey Pines in San Diego, California, known for its golf course and ocean views. Folding chairs faced the altar where Cassandra and Stephen made their marriage official.
The flower girls walked down the ceremonial aisle wearing plum-colored dresses, with bodices covered entirely in fabric flowers. They held round pomanders filled with a variety of white and purple blooms.
Guests received white programs accented with beautiful peacock feather watercolor designs. The plum-colored text reflected the main hue that accented the day.
As Cassandra and Stephen shared their first kiss at the ceremony, her fingertip-length veil draped all around her. The hairpiece had a lace trimming outlined in jewels, which matched her dress embellished in beads.
Outside at the Lodge at Torrey Pines in San Diego, California, Cassandra and Stephen stood with their wedding party dressed in plum and black accents. The bridesmaids wore plum floor-length dresses designed by Alfred Angelo, while the groomsmen sported a classic style and wore black tuxedos from Men's Wearhouse.
Cassandra and Stephen stood surrounded by the trees at the Lodge at Torrey Pines in San Diego, California, which is known as the site of the 2008 US Open golf championships. They fell in love with the beautiful landscaping, and the helpful staff won them over as well.
Cassandra wanted to have flowers other than white, so they filled gold vases with a combination of mostly red, purple and pink flowers—ranging from roses to hydrangeas and amaranthus that draped from the arrangement. The flowers decorated the middle of dining tables at the reception.
Guests found their teal, gray and white escort cards hanging from branches of a gold decorative tree, guiding them in the direction of their seats. This glamorous piece went along with the glamorous style that Cassandra combined with the peacock-inspired decor.
The three-tier white cake had a simple design, accented with pink and purple blooms on the sides and top. The layers had flavors of vanilla cream with fresh strawberries, chocolate chip with Bavarian cream and red velvet with cream cheese. "We decided to keep the decorations and design of the cake to a minimum, so we could also have a Star Wars-themed groom's cake," Cassandra says. "The money we saved also allowed us to have pecan bars, chocolate chip cookies and powered shortbread cookies."
Cassandra and Stephen slow-danced to their first song inside the reception hall inside the Lodge at Torrey Pines, where purple uplighting illuminated the space. They had characters standing by to join the dancing throughout the evening.