I am a huge fan of doing things the way you want to do things and not just doing something because it’s the way everyone else does things. That is why I was so looking forward to photographing Mandy and Will’s San Dieguito Park Wedding. They are two people that have a love of life, don’t conform to what’s expected and embrace who they are. They showed it by planning their offbeat wedding with tons of personal details.

Morgan Run Resort Wedding Prep

They chose the Morgan Run Resort in Del Mar for their wedding preparation venue. This resort was a great choice since it was just minutes away from the park. They were able to get a bunch of rooms in the same building so that morning when everyone was getting ready there was a lot of energy buzzing through the hotel. Having multiple rooms also helped with the getting ready portraits since we were able just to go to an empty room instead of having to clear out one that everyone had been hanging around in getting their makeup done.

Mandy had some color added to her hair and had her nails painted in a tie-dye pattern. She told me that they glow in black light, but unfortunately they did not have it with them. That would have been very cool to try to photograph, I don’t think I’ve ever tried to photograph something in the black light.

They wanted to do a first look, and it worked out great since there was a lawn nearby that was quiet and perfect for setting it up. It was also great that all of the family was nearby so that we got to do some of the immediate family photos before even heading out to the park.

San Dieguito Park Wedding Venue

Their wedding venue was the perfect choice for their wedding. The first thing that was perfect about San Dieguito Park wedding venue is that there was a personal connection to it with the couple. Mandy and her brothers would go to it as kids and play in that park, so they have lots of family memories there. It was also the place that Will proposed. With their wish to put together an outdoors family celebration with games and even a bounce house, it seemed like the perfect venue for them.

I think the idea for their wedding decor was keep adding color. There was color everywhere from the multicolored flowers, to the lanterns, linens and candy bar. Even what people wore added to the atmosphere with parents wearing purple and guests even wearing tie-dye.

What I loved most about their wedding day was just how relaxed everything was. Everything felt comfortable, and everyone was having a great time. It had a similar feel to a family reunion. There were so many activities to have fun with from giant Jenga to giant bubbles and, of course, the bounce house. Of course, we had to get Mandy and Will in the bounce house for some jumping around with the kids. It was quite funny stepping into the bounce house with them and jumping up and down with my camera to take photos and trying to not hit myself in the face.

I think that weddings often are a reflection of the people getting married in the way that the day often feels like they feel. If they feel stressed, the day feels stressed. If they feel relaxed, the day feels relaxed. Days like Mandy and Will’s wedding day are great for me. While I can handle, those stressed filled weddings, sometimes it’s nice just to hang out in a park with some nice people and share a piece of pie after jumping around in a bounce house. Getting to spend time with such awesome people makes me happy.

Vendors that made their wedding day a success include:
Wedding Planning: First Comes Love – Lindsay Preston
Florist: Flora Glamor
Catering: Continental Catering
Pies: Betty’s Pie Whole
Hair and Makeup: Glam Dolls
Rentals: Platinum Event Rentals
Transportation: Extreme Limo
Wedding Prep Venue: Morgan Run Resort
Wedding Ceremony and Reception Venue: San Dieguito Park
DJ: JMC Events
Officiant: Friend
Bounce House: Jump N Ride
Candy Buffet: San Diego Candy Buffets
Decor: Promotion Entertainment