A Rustic, Vintage-Inspired Garden Wedding at Rancho Guajome Adobe in Vista, California

Ten months after being set up on a blind date, Mauricio Rivera (34 and a manager at Otay Printing) took Martha Paez (30 and a day care owner) to the Kissing Statue in Tuna Harbor Park overlooking San Diego Harbor—a spot they had visited on their first date—and popped the question. After two years of planning under their belts, the couple pulled off a rustic garden fiesta with a soft, romantic palette of champagne, dusty rose, burgundy and pink at Rancho Guajome Adobe in Vista, California. The festivities kicked off with an intimate ceremony at Iglesia La Vid in Chula Vista, California, Martha’s home church. The couple transformed the church into a whimsical, romantic scene, filling the expansive space with panels of airy, white organza, lace, strands of globe lights and floating candles that cast a warm, ambient glow. After saying their “I dos,” the newlyweds whisked their families and friends off to Rancho Guajome Adobe for an evening of celebrating. “We loved the ranch’s rustic appeal and garden setting,” Martha says. The pair planned an al fresco affair, wining and dining their guests in the 19th-century ranch’s perfectly manicured gardens, where vibrant, fragrant flowers were in full bloom. Whimsical wooden signs dotted the property, guiding guests to each portion of the evening’s festivities, and a showstopping paper flower and birch-wood arch set the tone of the decor. The reception tables were woven throughout the gardens, so guests were immersed in the property’s natural beauty. Dusty rose linens gave way to bountiful bundles of hydrangeas, dahlias, ranunculus, roses and eucalyptus in shades of white, pink, burgundy and sage green, and shimmery champagne charger plates that added a subtle note of glamour to the tablescapes. To bring a hint of rustic flair to the evening’s overall aesthetic, Martha and Mauricio incorporated vintage and hand-crafted wooden details throughout, including a series of petite chalkboard signs that illustrated everything from the bar’s offerings to the wine bottle guest book. The pair also had custom wineglasses made for the reception with a two-seat-bicycle motif, which guests took home as favors at the end of the night. A tip from Martha and Mauricio: “Stay young in your relationship! Surprise each other, spend time with each other, explore the world together, and try new things even after the children come along.” —Libby MacCarthy