Bride: Crystal
Occupation: Web Content Manager
Wedding City: San Juan Capistrano, CA
How many weeks/months until the big day? 9 months left!
Have you had any major hurdles planning the wedding, or has anything been easier than expected?
We booked our original wedding venue pretty early on in the process. However, it didn’t include ANYTHING. We realized that bringing in everything (catering, rentals, lighting etc.) was going to be expensive and would exceed our tight budget. So we decided to cancel it and had to start the venue hunt all over again. That was really discouraging for me. But luckily we found a nice space in San Juan Capistrano (El Adobe De Capistrano) near the mission and are back on track!
What’s one thing you’ve totally splurged on and why?
Our photographer. A family friend had offered to do our engagement + wedding photos for free. But we decided to go with another photographer we had our hearts set on from the beginning. Our engagement photos came out beautiful!
Need wedding planning help? Our wedding e-book will teach you everything you need to know!
What about saved on?
The venue. Since we changed venues to one that was more all-inclusive, this saved us money. And they threw in some extras for free, including the bridal suite.
What made you pick your wedding venue?
It checked all the boxes on our list: Spanish style, ceremony + reception at the same venue, included tables, chairs + lighting and a projector. Also it’s attached to a Mexican restaurant so they would cater the food too!
Have you taken on any DIY projects? If so, tell us about them!
My fiancé is a graphic designer so he designed our logo and is working on our invitations. We plan to DIY the tablescape and floral arrangements..
What are you most nervous about or looking forward to?
I’m nervous about the unexpected. Excited about finding my dress. <3
Did you create a wedding planning timeline for yourself or just tackle things as they came up?
We started a Google Calendar + Excel with dates and items to get done.
Crystal and Sergio's Wedding To-Do List
Done and Done:
- Booked venue
- Engagement party
- Wedding registry
- Hired photographer/Got engagement photos
In Progress:
- Hotel room block
- Save the dates
Not Yet Started:
- Formal invitations
- Tablscape
- Wedding favors
- Wedding dress
