Laguna Beach Wedding – Santina + Nik
This couple is the sweetest and we were so excited to be back in Laguna Beach for Santina and Nik’s wedding. They decided to get married at the beautiful ocean front wedding venue Occasion’s at Laguna Village. This venue sits right below The Cliff restaurant and overlooks the coastline. The ceremony was performed around sunset and the view was breathtaking! Congrats guys!
The Engagement
The first time we met Santina and Nik was at their engagement session in Corona Del Mar. We always love to hang out with the bride and groom before the wedding! The engagement session always helps us get to know the couple and gets them used to our style of photography. Be sure to check out their photos on the blog.
Getting Ready
The day started at The Pacific Edge Hotel. This hotel is conveniently located next door to the Laguna Beach wedding venue Occasion’s at Laguna Village. Emily with Beach Bridal Beauty was ahead of schedule and had hair and makeup done early! We collected all of her wedding details and went to work! Her gorgeous dress was designed by Kitty Chen Couture.
The First Look
We met the groom at Brown’s Park and got him in position for the first look. The first look is always our favorite moment of the day. At this location, timing is everything. Since, it’s such a busy part of Laguna Beach, we had to wait for the crowds to thin out before we could send the bride in for the first look. If you are considering a Laguna Beach Wedding, this location is a must!
The Ceremony
Occasion’s at Laguna Village has one of the most gorgeous backdrops in Orange County. The ceremony and reception areas sit right above the coastline and the sunset views are incredible! Beautiful floral arrangements were created by Fantasy Floral Design.
The Reception
Once the ceremony was over, the guests are moved over to the lawn area for cocktail hour. The ceremony area is then transformed into the reception area. Once everyone is in the cocktail area, the bride and groom are brought back for their grand entrance. Their guests went crazy as they made their way down the stairs. This is a very unique feature for a Laguna Beach wedding venue!
About the couple
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Like many people these days, we met on the world wide web through Match.com in July 2016. We both liked what we saw so we started chatting. The texting was nonstop for two weeks. With our busy schedules we had a tough time finding the time to meet up. We found an hour on a Friday when Nik was heading home from vacation and I was heading out on vacation! Finally got to meet up for an hour for a beer and the sparks flew! As soon as I was back, we went on our first real date where the food was pricey and tasteless but the conversation was great! Afterwards, we hung out for the next five days in a row and knew we had something special.
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On Wednesday August 30, 2017 Nik surprised me by taking me to a place on my bucket list called Nurtured by Nature. It’s an animal sanctuary where you can meet and pet exotic animals, but most importantly you can swim with otters! We spent the day there and I was on cloud 9 seeing all the amazing animals and hanging out in the pool for an hour with otters. When we got home that afternoon I opened up the front door and there were balloons and rose petals everywhere. The balloons spelled out WILL YOU MARRY ME… I turned around and Nik was down on one knee with the ring in hand (I said yes).
Vendor Love
Photo: Brian + Jennifer w/ Gilmore Studios
Wedding Venue: Occasion’s at Laguna Village
Hotel: Pacific Edge Hotel
Hair + Makeup: Emily w/ Beach Bridal Beauty
Florist: Amanda w/ Fantasy Floral Design
Video: Alvis Pham
Catering: The Cliff Restaurant
Wedding dress: Kitty Chen Couture
Bride’s shoes: Vans + Born Shoes
Groom’s attire: Express
Photobooth: Tempoe
DJ: Lucas Early
ABOUT THE PHOTOGRAPHERS
Brian and Jennifer Gilmore are husband and wife photographers that created a wedding photography team in Orange County, CA. They have been photographing weddings, families, and corporate events since 2003. Contact us for more info about booking your wedding in the Southern California area. The creative team at Gilmore Studios specialize in wedding photography in Costa Mesa, Newport Beach, Corona Del Mar, Laguna Beach, Huntington Beach, and surrounding areas in OC, Los Angeles, and San Diego, CA. In addition, you can call 949-698-3968 or email us for more info about booking your Laguna Beach Wedding.
