“My vision was elegant and timeless. I wanted to create a day that felt like it stood still in time. I didn’t want us to look back on our photos, years from now, and say “that was the style back then.” I wanted something that looked and felt amazing now, and would always feel that way. Since we eloped, we didn’t have a specific theme or color palette, but we did use hues of blue in my bouquet and Jonathan’s suit & tie.”
Jayden & Jonathan decided to have a destination elopement at the beautiful Balboa Park in San Diego, CA. The day was so beautiful and filled with emotions. They are from Texas, and being able to have a day for the two of them to explore and take beautiful wedding photos in San Diego, was priceless.
So, if you’re thinking to elope or have a wedding day at Balboa Park, here’s what our gorgeous bride has to tell you:
Q: Let’s talk wedding decor. How did you decorate your space for the ceremony and the reception? Was any part of the decor DIY?
J: Since we eloped, we didn’t need any decor. We were able to use Balboa Park as our ceremony space, and the architectural wonders that park provides encompasses all that I ever imagined my wedding day would look like.
Q: What were the florals like in your wedding? Did you use flowers in any of your design elements like the bridal bouquets, centerpieces or ceremony backdrop? Did they play an important part in the overall style of your wedding?
J: My husband actually made my bouquet, and that was the only flowers that we used since we didn’t have a traditional wedding. He bought all the stems, and arranged the most beautiful bouquet for me. My only request was that blue hydrangeas were used. Blue hydrangeas were the centerpiece, and he tied the bouquet in soft, baby blue ribbon. Him doing this for me was one of my favorite parts of the day. He has bought & arranged a bouquet for me every week since we began dating, and I couldn’t imagine him not creating my bridal bouquet.
Q: Did you personalize the day in any way (food trucks, guest entertainment etc.)? What were some of your favorite parts of your wedding?
J: We were actually approached by a man who worked as an employee at Balboa Park, and he asked if we would like to shoot some photos at a secret location. We of course said yes, and he took us up to a place that housed tons of old bells and overlooked Balboa Park. He said that he took his bride here on their wedding day, and that she rung one of the bells. So, he allowed me to ring one of the bells as well, and this personal touch was so exciting and a wonderful surprise for Jonathan & I.
Q: Let’s talk fashion. How did you both choose your wedding day look? Describe the looks in detail.
J: I bought my dress from a bridal boutique in Florence, Alabama. I tried on several dresses, but saved my favorite to try on last- and that dress was the one. It has delicate, beaded spaghetti straps that lead to a fully detailed, mermaid gown. My gown had a full glitter fabric on top, with beads and lace sewn on top. It glistened from top to bottom, and has a beautiful horsehair trim. The back of my dress was open, with a trail of buttons from the bottom of my back all the way down to the end of my train. I chose classic pearl earrings and had pearl pins in my hair to match. Jonathan found his blue suit from H&M, and paired a light blue tie to match.
Q: How did you meet? Tell us about the proposal.
J: We met through a sorority mixer in college. I actually took a photo of his date and him because I knew the girl he was with! A few months later, we connected again and the rest was history. We have been together 3 years this April. We drove across the county to move from Alabama to California in December of 2022, and eloping here is just the start to all the adventures we are sure to have. Jonathan proposed in February of 2021, while we were on a weekend getaway in Chattanooga, TN. We were at a place called “Rock City,” which is a must-see place in Chattanooga. We were on an overlook when he got down on one knee. It was just us two, and it couldn’t have been more perfect.
Q: What was the most anticipated or special moment of your wedding day?
J: I would say that watching Jonathan make my bouquet was one of my most anticipated moments, as well as hearing his vows. Watching Jonathan cry not once, but twice, while I read him my vows (we had to do them twice due to video difficulties the first time). Bruna, our photographer, said this was the first time she had ever seen a groom cry twice on a wedding day. I had actually never seen Jonathan get emotional like that, so it was very special to me to see how much he felt in those moments. We were on cloud nine the entire day, and I don’t think we’ve come down since.
Q: Do you have any wedding planning or marriage advice that you’d like to share with other couples planning their day?
J: I would say to do what YOU want to do. This is your day, and it doesn’t matter what anyone else wants. Prioritize yourself and your spouse, and make your wedding day nothing but what you two have envisioned.
We went from their Balboa Park Elopement to taking their wedding portraits at La Jolla Beach and the results are one of the most beautiful wedding photos in San Diego we could have asked for!
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