Mimi + Michael are Married! | San Diego Botanic Garden Wedding

The day could have gone so very wrong. The rain came down on a hot and humid August day, and the ceremony and reception was outdoors at San Diego Botanic Garden in Encinitas, California.  The rain was unexpected, and could have easily ruined the gorgeous summer wedding that Mimi and Michael planned. The upbeat, and fun-loving couple didn’t let rain on their wedding day dampen their spirits though!

The day started at the lovely home of  the bride’s parents for a traditional Vietnamese tea ceremony. Mimi and Michael served their family tea and received gifts. Later, everyone enjoyed a delicious lunch.

The wedding ceremony and reception was held at San Diego Botanic Garden. It’s a gorgeous venue for a wedding, with lush gardens, and hundreds of different plants. I loved the location as well as the whimsical and charming details of their wedding.

Mimi wore these adorable white and yellow checkered shoes that peeked out from under her wedding dress. Her yellow wedding shoes matched the handkerchiefs and yellow bowties that the groom and groomsmen sported. Mimi’s yellow wedding shoes was definitely one of my favorite bridal details, along with the succulent boutonnieres that the groom and groomsmen wore. The succulent boutonnieres matched the succulent landscaping throughout San Diego Botanic Garden. I also loved that  Mimi’s bridesmaids all wore light yellow chiffon dresses in a different style. The flower arrangements were absolutely stunning, especially the arch at the end of the aisle. Since the sun stayed hidden during most of the rainy wedding day, the cheerful and elegant yellow flowers and details everywhere were beautiful pops of color. Although the sun was a no-show on their outdoor wedding day in San Diego, the pops of yellow from their wedding decor and details, as well as their upbeat attitude more than made up for the lack of sunshine.

Mimi and her bridesmaids were so fun to photograph as they helped Mimi get ready. Everyone stayed positive despite the rain. We were able to do a first look outside near the bamboo trees at San Diego Botanic Garden when the rain slowed to a drizzle. Although inconvenient, the rain actually made the whole day more romantic, I think.

After heartfelt, and good-humored vows, cocktail hour with delicious appetizers and drinks were enjoyed by the bride and groom’s wedding guests. A fantastic plated dinner and amazing desserts soon followed under a white tent. Guests danced well into the night under the big, white, tent. The clouds finally cleared, and the silver, twinkling stars dotted the sky for the newlyweds.

Kudos to the entire wedding team that the bride and groom hired, especially the wedding coordinators for keeping everyone dry during the reception and getting a tent up so quickly. Special thanks to Alan Silva for introducing me to the lovely bride and groom, and having me photograph the day with him. It’s a challenge to photograph an outdoor wedding when it’s raining, but everything went well and the entire professional wedding team made sure that everything went smoothly despite the weather. A rainy wedding day is supposed to bring good luck to the newlyweds, right?

Below are a few of my favorite photos that I took  during Mimi and Michael’s wedding at San Diego Botanic Garden.

xoxo,

Credits:

Wedding Venue: San Diego Botanic Garden | Address: 230 Quail Gardens Drive, Encinitas, CA 92024

Wedding Photography: Kristine Marie Photography and Alan Silva

Wedding Coordinators: Thomas Bui Lifestyle, LLC

Florist: Splendid Sentiments Floral Design 

Kristine Marie Photography is an engagement and wedding photographer in San Diego, CA. She loves documenting weddings for couples in love at beautiful San Diego wedding venues, including San Diego Botanic Garden in Encinitas. Kristine Marie Photography is one of the best wedding and engagement photographers in San Diego and is now booking for the upcoming year. Are you engaged or know someone who is? Feel free to CONTACT Kristine to learn more about wedding and photography packages.