Burgundy Dahlias Filled This Elopement at Fairmount Grand Del Mar in San Diego, California

When the pandemic made it so that Jaide and Errin could no longer move ahead with their original plans for a 200-person wedding in Temecula, California, the couple pivoted to an intimate elopement at Fairmount Grand Del Mar in San Diego, California. Despite only being able to have their immediate families as witnesses to their nuptials, the couple's wedding day came together beautifully and the couple recalls how they were "just happy to finally be getting married!"

"We originally planned a 200+ guest wedding at a winery in Temecula," explains Jaide. "Most of our family would be flying in so it was going to be very much like a destination wedding. We booked a mansion for both sides of the family to stay together that weekend and were planning to have a welcome BBQ, wedding ceremony & reception, and a brunch to cap off the weekend in Wine Country. Unfortunately, restrictions in California in October still did not allow for large gatherings so 2 months before the date, we started from scratch! We found a resort in San Diego that would allow us to have 10 guests (just enough for both of our immediate families) and tried to maintain many of the same elements that we had planned for our original wedding. Our florist designed a beautiful color palette around our favorite color burgundy and added in accent colors of blush and creme. That served as the foundation for any decor we had. The smaller guest list and new venue allowed us to plan for a more formal, black-tie event which was perfect because it totally fit the vibe of my dress and glittery/embellished heels. We both wanted our wedding to be a time that both of our families could spend quality time together being that they're from opposite coasts. We always kept them top of mind for what would be the best viewing experience during the wedding and how we could make them most comfortable."

Jaide explains that "after the original wedding plans were ditched, everything became customized. There was no 'rule' that we did not break! Notably, we invested in videography. We had so many family and friends that unfortunately could not attend, so we decided to hire a great videography team. Jamie and his team from All Because He Asked put together the most amazing live-stream production that anyone could ever imagine. With multiple cameras's set up, he took a wide shot of each pair walking down the aisle and then tracked down the aisle with me and my dad to get a close up as we approached the gazebo. Then, he circled the gazebo so guests could have a 360 view! Following the ceremony, Errin and I walked over to the camera and addressed our viewers, thanking them for all of the love and support they've offered to us throughout the years, and expressing our gratitude for them joining us virtually on the biggest day of our lives. We invited them to join us in a toast to our marriage, our amazing family and friends, and eternal love." 

For both Jaide and Errin, they point to the wedding ceremony as their favorite moment from the wedding day. Jaide reminisces about how special it was when she got to "finally marry the love of my life. We dated for 5 years and were engaged for 2 years. It was a long time coming and we had to navigate the uncertainty of COVID and how it would impact our day. After agreeing to keep our original wedding date and adjust everything else as needed, I was just excited to finally be able to call each other husband and wife." 

Music was another area that the couple customized for their wedding. After the couple's harpist canceled last-minute on the morning of the wedding, Jaide and Errin had to jump into overdrive to secure ceremony music. "My sister helped me brainstorm ideas and what ultimately happened turned out to be way better than any harpist. At 8 am, I called my future brother-in-law (Errin's oldest brother) and asked if he'd be willing to play the guitar during the ceremony. Without hesitation, he happily agreed and in a matter of a few hours, he was show-ready using my uncle's guitar and put his own personal spin on a few of his favorite acoustic songs. It was beautiful and one of the most special moments of the day." 

Lastly, the couple's reception dinner, which turned out to be a huge surprise, was a major highlight from the day. "With the 10 person cap at the venue, we decided to hold a small dinner with extended family in my uncle's backyard in San Diego. We asked my mom to be in charge of planning the dinner but little did we know that she had all hands on deck to convert the backyard into what I can best describe as an open-air high-end dining extravaganza! My dad surprised us with a champagne-stocked limo that perused around San Diego before arriving to the front of my uncle's house. There was a custom heart lit up with Christmas lights at the start of a red carpet walkway leading to the backyard. Oversized 'E&J' and 'Mr. & Mrs. Baynes' letter cutouts were floating in the pool in front of us. Errin's parents had flown in with these huge pool floating letters all the way from North Carolina! Instead of the typical reception activities, we implemented social distancing by having the pair at each table dedicate a song to us while we watched a slideshow of various photos from our childhood and throughout the 7 years of our relationship." 

Looking back on the wedding day, Jaide encourages current to-be-weds in the throes of wedding planning to remember that "everything won't turn out exactly how you thought it would, but if you focus on the important details, everything will be perfect. Family and authenticity were most important to us, so that drove every decision we made. Even with all of the stress, anxiety, and adjustments due to COVID, we kept our focus on each other and the love we share. My grandmother officiated our wedding and was stunning! My college bestie, Akeallah, came through clutch as the day-of coordinator! And even the morning-of cancellation from our only musician couldn't derail the perfection of the day. It actually created an opportunity to have an even more memorable and special experience to have our brother play the music as we all walked down the aisle. As far as wedding planning, 100% you need a day-of coordinator at the least. I am very organized and put together a comprehensive plan/schedule that I shared with the family before the wedding. No worries if organization isn't your forte, but please hire someone to handle that part because there are a lot of details and several moving parts."