Brandon & Melissa’s Darlington House Wedding

Bride holding flowers with yellow wall behind at Darlington House wedding photography

If you’ve been to this place, you’ll know how fabulous a Darlington House wedding can be. It remains, to this day, one of my favorite venues in the state. That's why I was excited to photograph Brandon and Melissa’s wedding.

The fact that I did their engagement session adds to the thrill. I can clearly remember our trip to some North Park breweries. We also caught an amazing sunset on Sunset Cliffs. The breathtaking shots we got that day makes me look forward to this event. It is, after all, what we’ve all been waiting for all this time.

I bounced around the rooms at the La Jolla Coves Suites to get shots of everyone as they got ready. Melissa had all 11 of her bridesmaids with her. The guys were just as excited! There were 13 groomsmen all in all. Yup, it was a huge bridal party.

We headed to Darlington House for the couple’s first look. You can see the wave of emotions on Brandon’s face when he saw Melissa. I knew this was going to be a special Darlington House wedding indeed.

We continued to walk around the gardens and inside the house for more shots. The enormous bridal party even joined in on the fun.

The ceremony itself was held in the gardens. It was so beautiful, everybody was touched by the moment.

The décor was just amazing, adding to the ambiance of the event. The mix of greeneries and succulents made the venue lovelier than usual. The details were also amazing – from the dainty centerpieces to the cute framed pictures of the couple. There were sitting cards with succulents that the guests took home with them. Even the dessert table was charming, with the small cake and cupcakes. The place cards were very creative, made with succulents and terrariums. And, it was made by the bride herself!

The reception was fun! You can tell how connected the couple was. Their emotional first dance showed everyone how meant to be they are.

I had to steal the couple from the party to take some shots at a nearby beach. It was a few minutes after sunset, but we still managed to get amazing shots.

Going back to the party, I knew that this Darlington House wedding is one for the books. It wasn’t just the dancing and partying. It was the warmth and love I witnessed throughout. And I cannot thank the couple enough for allowing me to be a part of this.