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Ricky & Monica // Romantic Wedding at Plaza De Magdalena

A bride and groom stand and hold each other on a patio at Plaza De Magdalena during their San Diego Wedding

Romantic Wedding at Plaza De Magdalena // ©Sun & Sparrow Plaza De Magdalena wedding photographers

Interview With The Bride


A bride stands under arches at Plaza de Magdalena on her wedding day

Describe your experience at your wedding

The night before the wedding, Southern California experienced one of the worst storms it’s ever seen. To our surprise (and relief), the skies were clear and beautiful by the time the wedding began. It was truly a sign of God’s grace and presence! We were both nervous but excited that morning.

Over a year of planning and preparation had finally led us to the big day. In our respective rooms at the church, before the wedding began, we started to get very emotional reflecting on the journey that we have been through; friends, long-distance, engaged, and soon-to-be husband and wife.

We can’t even begin to describe the feeling we had when we first saw each other in the aisle. In that moment, it truly felt as if time had stopped. That nothing and no one else in the world mattered except us. We had our family members play important roles in our ceremony, and we were overwhelmed with the love that surrounded us.

We exchanged vows and rings and were pronounced husband and wife. We did it!!! The day didn’t stop there…the heartwarming ceremony led to an even more breathtaking reception. From the food, to the music, to dancing, and celebrating with everyone, everything was perfect and we had an absolute blast. We are so thankful for our family, friends, each other, and God.

What was your favorite moment from your wedding day? Did you have any special moments/stories with friends or family that stand out to you?

Our favorite moment was seeing each other for the first time in the aisle. It was such an emotional moment of the wedding as it signified the beginning of our new life together. We will always cherish that memory. Between the two of us, we have a huge family. Seeing them at our wedding and spending time with them, everyone together, was so special and meaningful.

At the reception, our hearts lit up when we looked around and saw ALL of our family and friends on the dance floor with big smiles on their faces. Monica’s cousins even planned a surprise performance for us and sang Lucky by Jason Mraz and Colbie Caillat. We loved it! Ending the night in our traditional attire was perfect because it signified the marriage of not only two people but two cultures.

What inspired you while planning your wedding & decor? Was there any special element that made your decor come together for you?

Monica’s engagement ring (along with our wedding bands) is gold so we used that as a starting point for our decorations and color scheme. We used Instagram and Pinterest as sources of inspiration for our decor and built off that. We are also very detail-oriented so we were very hands-on in planning in our wedding – from the invitations to the centerpieces, we put it all together.

Do you have any advice for brides/grooms who are currently planning their weddings?

Remember to take time and enjoy the process! While it may seem stressful and tiring at times, you only get married once so embrace everything and cherish the memories. At the end of the day, it’s about you and your spouse – so do what makes you happy! Tip: don’t feel obligated to provide your guests with a plus one. It’s 100% your day so invite the people that you want to share in your special day with!


Details and Getting Ready

Wedding details featuring gold shoes from Badgley Mischka, a gold ring, white and pink flowers, and diamond earrings
Gold wedding bands
Bride and bridesmaids have a pillow fight before the wedding
A bride puts on her wedding dress before her romantic wedding at Plaza de magdalena
A bride in her hotel room wearing her wedding dress and holding a bouquet of pink and white flowers
Groom's details, including black shoes and an embroidered flask
A groom putting on his suit before his wedding at Plaza de magdalena
a groom and his groomsmen hold up groomsmen gifts of embroidered flasks

Wedding Ceremony at Saint Edwards Catholic Church in Dana Point

A wedding ceremony setup at St Edwards Catholic Church in Dana Point
A groom walks down the aisle
A groom watches his bride walk down the aisle at Saint Edwards Catholic Church in Dana Point
A wedding at Saint Edwards Catholic Church in Dana Point
The best man and the maid of honor hold prayer beads during a catholic wedding in Dana Point
Bride and Groom walk down the aisle out of their wedding at Saint Edwards Catholic Church in Dana Point

Wedding Party Portraits

Wedding party celebrates while bride and groom kiss outside Saint Edward's Catholic Church in Dana Point
Wedding party photos and a picture of the bride holding her bouquet at Saint Edwards Catholic Church in Dana Point
A bride and her bridesmaids in the courtyard of Saint Edward's Catholic Church in Dana Point
A groom and his groomsmen in front of glass windows in the courtyard of a church in Dana point. Reflections of trees lie in the windows

Romantic Portraits: Ricky & Monica

A bride and groom touch foreheads during romantic portraits at their Plaza De Magdalena Wedding
Bride and groom kiss under ivy covered arches at Plaza De Magdalena
A bride poses on a brick walkway under ivy covered arches at her Plaza De Magdalena Wedding
Bride and groom hold each other in the courtyard of Plaza De Magdalena, under ivy
The groom holds his bride as they walk through the courtyard at plaza De Magdalena in San Juan Capistrano

Wedding Reception at Plaza De Magdalena

Wedding seating chart at a plaza de magdalena wedding
Sweetheart table covered in a golden tablecloth and white and pink flowers at Plaza De Magdalena
Bride and groom walk into their wedding reception at the Plaza De magdalena while holding hands
a bride smiles lovingly into her new husband's eyes as they share their first dance at their romantic plaza de magdalena wedding
A bride and groom cut the cake at Plaza De Magdalena.
Wedding guests dance at a plaza de magdalena wedding

The Venue: Plaza De Magdalena


Plaza De Magdalena is a pretty and quaint venue with lots of little spaces for events. I loved that people could mingle outside in pretty places while different things were going on inside. There were also lots of places for beautiful couples portraits. The Ivy covered arches are especially beautiful and the venue features gorgeous stonework and architecture is all around.

Vendors

Venue: Plaza de Magdalena​ ​http://plazademagdalena.com/

Coordinator: Sheila Foster – Weddings by Sheila http://www.weddingplannersd.com/

Photographer: Sun & Sparrow  @sunandsparrow  www.sunandsparrow.com

Videographer: (if applicable) Dave Farese – Light Up Video http://lightupvideos.com/

Florals:

Invitations: Wedding Paper Divas https://www.weddingpaperdivas.com/

Caterer: Sundried Tomato http://sundriedtomatobistro.com/

Desserts: Wedding Cake – SusieCakes http://susiecakes.com/

Wedding Gown Maker: Maggie Sottero

Wedding Gown Boutique: Mariposa Bridal Boutique http://mariposabride.com/

Hair & Makeup: Sherri Quach Garza Instagram: @sherriquach

Bride Shoes: Badgley Mischka

Groom Suit: Joseph Abboud

Groom Details: Watch – Burberry

Groom shoes:  Joseph Abboud

Bridesmaids dresses: David’s Bridal

Groomsmen suits: Men’s Wearhouse

Musician: Jesse Macleod http://jessemacleod.com/

DJ: Soundwave Productions – Chris Berry​​ http://soundwaveprosdj.com/

Contact Us Today To Lock In Your Wedding Date


Sun and Sparrow would love be your Plaza De Magdalena wedding photographers. Inquire today to learn more!

Inquire with Sun and Sparrow

Romantic Portrait of a bride and groom in the Courtyard of mission San Juan Capistrano, featuring a fountain and bells

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