A “Secret Garden Wedding” at Mission San Juan Capistrano, CA – Michelle & Tanner
Michelle and Tanner really intertwined the privacy and beauty of southern California with the old world charm of Spain for this secret garden wedding at Franciscan Gardens in San Juan Capistrano. Every square inch of this place felt like something out of a storybook, including the wild amount of LOVE pouring out of every single person on site!!! Here are a few things that made the day so special, and ones you’ll want to write down if you’re planning a secret garden wedding of your own.
Privacy
M&T chose the most stunning location for their wedding, precisely because of the privacy it provided. The Franciscan Gardens in San Juan Capistrano is a historic landmark and a wedding couple’s paradise. If you’re planning a secret garden wedding, towering hedges and being surrounded by plants and florals are a MUST, and they are plentiful at this venue. It gives you the feeling of being hidden away from reality in a quiet, intimate setting with your closest loved ones and an important detail that just can’t be overlooked.
Design
Every inch of the design for Michelle and Tanner’s day was carefully curated and perfectly executed. And if you’re going for a secret garden wedding, you’re going to want to make sure your details are on point! The flowers were kept in dusty pinks, creams, soft oranges and lavender colors to keep everything light and airy, with the tablescapes of white linen and crystal glasses to match. The tables were doused in candlelight with twinkling fairy lights and crystal chandeliers hanging in the sky above like stars. The seating areas of velvet chairs and couches with Turkish rugs below your feet were a perfect place to rest your feet from dancing and chit chat. And of course, no secret garden wedding is complete without a trickling fountain sprinkled with floating flowers. When I tell you every element was working together in harmony, I’m not kidding.
Personal Touches
The personal touches Michelle and Tanner put into this day were remarkable to say the least and I think it’s safe to say, we love a subtle theme. Their loose “travel” inspiration made so many of these personal touches a joy to engage with. They had this gorgeous, vintage-inspired map guiding you to your dinner table, showing each table as a “country” which made the whole party feel like you were walking into an enchanted storybook, unsure of where you would be transported to next. Now I couldn’t get enough of the dancing, so when I saw the giant disco ball over the dance floor I knew I was in for some fun…and even better photos. After you were done dancing, you could make your way over to the polaroid guest book, snap a few pictures and leave them a note to wish the happy couple well. And of course, I couldn’t help but notice the absolute drop dead gorgeous fashion choices of their guests. Everyone absolutely understood the assignment and came dressed to impress. Each one of these details made their secret garden wedding special to just them, and that’s always what I look for when I capture those moments in photos.
Final Thoughts
If you want to go a more traditional route, but also want to include personal touches and natural beauty, a secret garden wedding is the perfect route to take. It doesn’t feel over the top like a theme can sometimes do, but it will keep things looking cohesive and put together. It’s the perfect outdoor wedding vibe and Michelle and Tanner really knocked it out of the park.
If you want to see some other wedding themes and inspiration, check out my blog on Ashley and Tim’s Old Hollywood wedding in Palm Springs, or Lauren and Niles’ Coachella Inspired wedding. And as always, if you’re looking for someone to capture all the intricacies and intimate moments of your wedding day, I’m your gal 😉 Inquire here!
