Franciscan Gardens Wedding - San Juan Capistrano, Ca - Nicole + Justin
a garden wedding to adore
Nicole and Justin’s Franciscan Gardens wedding in San Juan Capistrano was classic, vibrant, jam-packed full of love between the couple, their family, and their friends.
This venue is located about an hour south of Los Angeles in Orange County, near San Clemente, Dana Point, and Laguna Niguel. Franciscan Gardens feels like a secluded escape, charming and private with old-world, rustic appeal typical of the San Juan Capistrano area. The city of San Juan Capistrano was founded as a Spanish Mission in 1776. Mission San Juan Capistrano is just down the street from Franciscan Gardens, so they share many similarities in terms of old-world charm. Franciscan Gardens is a wedding venue is owned and operated by 24 Carrots, one of the premier events and catering companies in Southern California. One of the things I loved most about this venue was that they had two private suites inside - the bridesmaids got ready together with Nicole in one, and the groomsmen played pool + got ready together in the other with Justin. The convenience of getting ready on-site is a huge bonus, because that means photography coverage doesn’t have to be broken up by drives between sites and everyone is more relaxed. The whole day felt very self-contained: everything from the getting-ready, to the ceremony, to cocktail hour, to the reception was all held within Franciscan Gardens--- but it never felt crowded. The flow of the space made total sense, and using the interior space for cocktail hour meant that the outdoor space could serve as both the ceremony space and the reception area.
heads up: to see all the incredible vendors from this wedding + more wedding planning resources, scroll to the bottom of this post!
Oh hey! Wanna see more garden wedding venues? I’ve rounded up a few of my favorites here.
The funniest part about photographing Nicole + Justin’s wedding at the Franciscan Gardens, was that just a few days before I had written it down on a list of places I wanted to shoot at. Manifestation? Maybe. It also helped that Nicole saw some of my work on Instagram at just the right time! Within days of writing down “Franciscan Gardens” on my SoCal Venue Buckelist, Nicole gave me a call and we very quickly were laughing and having the best time getting to know each other. About two weeks later, I photographed Nicole + Justin’s engagement shoot at Hermosa Beach - a spot not far from where they live in Long Beach. The three of us ran along a crowded beach at sunset, laughing and dancing. I knew that if their wedding was anything like hanging out with them at their engagement shoot, it was going to be a REALLY good time. (spoiler alert: it was even BETTER). After shooting their engagement, Nicole asked if I’d like to shoot her bridal shower at Long Beach Museum of Art and it was MAGICAL. I got to meet her mom, Annette, and her grandmother, Lola, and Nicole’s best friends from childhood, from college, from work, everything. She was truly surrounded by dozens of women that love her unconditionally, and it was so much fun to be part of! Here are a few of my favorite bridal shower shots:
On the day of the wedding, I arrived at Franciscan Gardens and scouted the venue for a few minutes. As I’m scouting, I’m looking for different vignettes to capture at different points throughout the day -- what kind of space will work best for family photos, what will work best for Romantics at golden hour, etc. I entered the room where Nicole + her best friends were getting ready and I was greeted with hugs and squeals and excitement as her bridesmaids greeted me like an old friend. They wrapped me up, asking how my dogs were and excitedly telling me how much they’d loved the photos from Nicole’s bridal shower! I love getting to know my couples’ friends because it is such an amazing reflection of the kind of people that surround them. After getting to know Nicole + Justin, it’s no surprise that they have so many friends that support them in such an incredible way! The girls got makeup and hair done + then we popped some champagne to celebrate!
After the bridesmaids got ready, we did a reveal of Nicole’s dress which was one of my favorite parts of the whole day. Her friends’ eyes overflowed with sheer joy + wonder, seeing her in her dress. It all became so surreal! Meanwhile, Justin + his friends (who all play hockey) got ready and took some shots that I know they’ll absolutely treasure forever. Incorporating elements - like hockey sticks - that are so uniquely YOU means that when you look back at your photos thirty years from now, you’re not only reminded of the friends that stood by your side on your wedding day, but alllllll the other times they stood there too.
Alternating with Nicole and Justin (keeping one of them in a suite while we took photos with the other), we carefully were able to do group shots of each side of the wedding party before the ceremony. Justin’s sole request for the wedding was that he did not want to see Nicole until the moment she was walking down the aisle. It took a little bit of teamwork + effort to make this possible, but it was so worth it! The wooden gates opened, and Nicole floated down the aisle on her father’s arm towards Justin. Nicole’s sister, Natalie, officiated one of the most heartfelt, thoughtful ceremonies I’ve ever witnessed. The couple exchanged handwritten vows, and I honestly was covered in chills. Nicole revealed in her vows that although Justin said “I love you,” first, that she’d come to the realization long before (but had just been waiting for him to say it first.) Her eyes teared up as she spoke of their aspirations together, and his voice trembled when he talked about the way she inspires him daily.j (I am legit getting goosebumps alllll over again as I write this just remembering it all.)
After the ceremony, cocktail hour began for the guests. During this time, we took some joint wedding party photos (since the ones we’d taken earlier in the day were just of each side of the wedding party), family photos, and then had about an hour for Romantics around the venue. Nicole + Justin were 100% down for anything - they truly gave me creative freedom and absolute trust that we’d create something incredible. This is huge! If I can give one piece of advice, I’d say to find a photographer you really vibe with so that you can let them do what they do best, so you can relax and enjoy your day.
The reception was absolutely killer. Everyone danced together - Nicole’s grandmother, Lola, really was the star of the dancefloor though! Hockey players wearing wigs spun on each other’s shoulders, Nicole’s bridesmaids danced with Justin to Shania Twain’s “Man, I Feel Like a Woman” and she danced with Justin’s groomsmen to “Macho Macho Man,” and then the whole crowd jumped and scream-sang Blink 182’s “All the Small Things” -- myself included. The couple shared one of their favorite desserts instead of cake - warm chocolate chip cookies and milk. It was the perfect personalized touch! Nicole changed into a white jumpsuit for the rest of the night which I absolutely loved! The end of the reception rolled around, seemingly out of nowhere - the energy level was still SO HIGH and the whole dancefloor was still occupied. Nicole + Justin’s family circled around as they shared one last dance together -- it was the sweetest, most magical way to end the sweetest, most magical day.
The dream team of vendors for this Franciscan Gardens Wedding:
Venue: Franciscan Gardens | @franciscangardens
Planner: Modern LA Weddings | @modernlaweddings
Photo: Kept Record | @kept_record
Video: Miranda Florer | @mirandaflorerphoto
Makeup: Jenny Bouton | @jennybouton
Hair: Anna Alexander Hair | @annaalexanderhair
Catering: 24 Carrots | @24carrotscatering
Dress: Miss Hayley Paige | @misshayleypaige
Bridesmaid Dresses: Jenny Yoo NYC | @jennyyoonyc
Groom + Groomsmen suits: Mens Warehouse | @menswarehouse
helpful wedding and engagement resources:
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More garden weddings?
You betcha! See this roundup of a few of my favorite garden wedding venues here.