1. Real Weddings

Beach Themed Wedding in Laguna Beach, California

Jessica had been living in Los Angeles for four years when she met Matthew through her best friend. She and Matthew became an item six months later. J

Jessica had been living in Los Angeles for four years when she met Matthew through her best friend. She and Matthew became an item six months later. Jessica always talked about a spot in Laguna Beach where she loved to watch the ocean, so one day Matthew asked her to show him around and popped the question there. They had been dating for just under a year. The Bride Jessica Nolen, 33, biotech sales The Groom Matthew Doran, 29, securities broker The Date May 3 At first the two were all about running off to a tropical island with only their families to witness their nuptials, but their friends protested; they wanted to celebrate too! The couple switched gears and spent their six-month engagement planning a Laguna Beach wedding with a laid-back but sophisticated style. It was still a destination wedding for their families, since Jessica and Matthew are originally from Chicago and New York.

The 4 p.m. ceremony took place on the grass with the ocean in the background. Parasols shielded guests from the sun -- and looked great in the pictures!
Keeping with the beach theme, the sand-dollar escort cards were inscribed by a calligrapher and displayed in sand boxes.
Jessica’s five bridesmaids wore mango-colored, A-line, knee-length dresses with their choice of neckline. The bright color and length suited the casual beach setting.
On some tables, wrought-iron candlesticks held pillar candles above dense arrangements of hydrangeas, orchids, and roses for a Mediterranean vibe. The look went with the wedding’s Tuscan-style villa location.
Jessica and Matthew switched up the table number displays from table to table. Floral picture frames called attention to the numbers and coordinated with the centerpieces.
So the escort card display wouldn’t be too casual, Jessica and Matthew hung crystals and votive candles from the branches of a dark wishing tree.
The bridesmaids carried bouquets made up of green cymbidium orchid petals. The light-green hue popped against their mango dresses and matched the green ties the groomsmen wore.
Even the hors d’oeuvres at the cocktail hour fit into the beach theme: Cucumber towers were filled with seared ahi tuna, for example.