Visit Martha Stewart Weddings Real Weddings Wedding Styles Seasonal Weddings Winter Weddings A Christmas Wedding Sans the Clichés in San Diego, California By Blythe Copeland Blythe Copeland Blythe Copeland is a contributing writer with more than a decade of experience as a freelance lifestyle writer. Editorial Guidelines Published on December 21, 2020 Share Tweet Pin Email Trending Videos Cavin Elizabeth Almost seven years after Bonny and James met in medical school, he proposed during a chilly morning walk in the Boston Public Gardens. "I remember there were random things around that day like people passed out under the bridge, a guy practicing mime, squirrels fighting," says Bonny. "James kept making me wander around the gardens and I didn't realize why until he found the right spot to kneel and propose." As the couple began to envision their dream wedding, they landed on two key elements: a location near the water—they both grew up in California and love the beach—and an atmosphere that incorporated the feeling of the Christmas season without the clichés. "I love Christmas!" says Bonny. "It's the happiest holiday for me and I love all the joy, memories, and warmth surrounding it. So when we decided on a December wedding, I was playing with the idea of a holiday-inspired theme. I wanted the charm of the season, but I didn't want it to be kitschy or overplayed." With help from their planners at Amorology, Bonny and James saw their vision come to life at their 100-guest wedding on December 7, 2019, at L'Auberge Del Mar in San Diego, California. A frosty color palette of icy blue, snowy white, and blue-toned greens—accented by juniper berries and woodland deer figures—created a sophisticated winter wonderland ambience, while a "Past, Present, Future" theme incorporated iconic elements from A Christmas Carol. Victorian-costumed carolers, gingerbread house table numbers, and escort card tags attached to wrapped gifts allowed the season to inspire the event without overwhelming it. "I also wanted to emphasize the culmination of our journey as a couple over the last seven years," says Bonny, "as we went from students to doctors, from friends to lovers, to become life partners." 01 of 22 Extending an Olive Branch Cavin Elizabeth An invitation suite from Color and Creation mixed a casual script font with a more formal block text. "We had an olive leaf motif in our wax seals, just because we liked the symbolism," says Bonny. 02 of 22 All for One Cavin Elizabeth Bonny chose her Viero wedding dress with off-the-shoulder lace straps and an illusion back after several rounds of virtual shopping with the women in her family. "I wasn't able to take my mom and sister with me for dress shopping since we lived on opposite coasts at the time, so we would Facetime each other during my dress shopping and this was the dress that we could all agree on," she says. Though she planned to add a veil that she had borrowed from one of her bridesmaids, she ended up going without it: "With the last-minute rain and everything going on, we all completely forgot to put it on me during the actual ceremony!" she says. "While I wish I would have gotten the chance to wear it, I was very honored that she wanted to let me borrow her veil in the first place." Her loosely-gathered bouquet from Siren Floral Co. included white ranunculus, ivory majolica spray roses, white stock, Queen Anne's lace, white anemone, and white lisianthus, all set off by blue-green vines and leaves. 52 Gorgeous Winter Wedding Bouquets 03 of 22 'Maids in the Mist Cavin Elizabeth Her five bridesmaids wore icy blue gowns—a color called Morning Mist—by Jenny Yoo from BHLDN. "My sister fell in love with the dress and chose the style and color," says Bonny. 04 of 22 Perfectly On-Palette Cavin Elizabeth Lamb's ear in the bridesmaids' bouquets perfectly matched their frosty gowns. 24 Ways to Throw the Ultimate Winter Wedding 05 of 22 Black and Blue Cavin Elizabeth James chose a classic black Armani tuxedo, which he wore with a black bow tie and black shoes. His groomsmen also wore black, but added a festive touch with bright bow ties that coordinated with the day's color scheme. 06 of 22 Under the Christmas Tree Cavin Elizabeth The couple met for their first look outside the venue, where a massive Christmas tree decorated with red, blue, silver, and gold ornaments created an on-theme backdrop. "When I saw James, he looked at me with this happy smile and I felt grounded knowing that we'd been looking forward to this for so long and that day was actually here," says Bonny. 25 Festive Christmas Tree-Inspired Wedding Ideas 07 of 22 Weather (or Not) Cavin Elizabeth Bonny and James planned for an outdoor ceremony, but the weather forced them inside at the last minute—after their team had already set up the white cross-back chairs, towering aisle arrangements, and oversized circle arch outside. "We felt so lucky Amorology and Siren Floral Co. were able to get the ceremony all set up and ready for James and I to take photos in front of before having to move inside for the actual ceremony," says Bonny. 08 of 22 Grounded Florals Cavin Elizabeth Grounded delphinium and hydrangea arrangements flanked the final row of chairs, a look that was recreated when the ceremony shifted inside. How to Prepare for Rain on Your Wedding Day 09 of 22 Ring Masters Cavin Elizabeth Bonny's father walked her to the altar, where the couple exchanged vows in front of a gold circle backdrop wrapped with green-and-white floral arrangements. "We didn't want it to be religious, but the officiant—picked out by my dad—went off on an unscripted, very religious, meandering tangent," says Bonny. "The lesson here is this: Make sure to vet your officiant personally. They are more important than you might think, even if you're writing your own vows." 10 of 22 In Their Own Words Cavin Elizabeth The couple wrote their own vows, but nearly missed their chance to read them after their officiant began improvising. "He had pretty much finished up the entire ceremony, declared us man and wife, and even made some family introductions before my mom gestured to us bewilderedly holding our notes to remind him we still had not read our vows," says Bonny. "[It was] horrific at the time, but now we can laugh about it. And I still get jokes about it from my friends and family, so it's definitely a memory we'll never forget." 22 Wedding Vow Books You'll Cherish Forever 11 of 22 A Novel Idea Cavin Elizabeth A copy of the novel that inspired the wedding's theme served as a guest book, while small woodland deer figures paired with evergreen boughs gave the reception décor a wintry feel. "We also had a small sign that invited guests to share a memory of the past, a love for the present or a wish for the future," says Bonny. 12 of 22 Present Company Cavin Elizabeth Back Up Backdrops built an escort wall that read, "No time like the present," adding colorful wrapped gifts around the text. Insanely Creative Escort Cards and Seating Displays 13 of 22 Find Your Gift Cavin Elizabeth Small boxes wrapped in brown or white paper were tagged with guest's names to serve as escort cards. "[They] held gingerbread cookies iced with their table number seating assignments," says Bonny. "It was a fun, unexpected way to have guests eat their way to their tables!" 14 of 22 Musical Notes Cavin Elizabeth An unexpected dash of holiday cheer came from a group of Victorian-costumed carolers, who performed at the end of the cocktail hour. "It was such a sweet moment and gave our guests a fun element of surprise!" says Bonny. 15 of 22 Blue Mood Cavin Elizabeth Textural blue cloths and chairs set the scene for a winter wonderland inside the reception room, where guests dined on a salad of field greens with cranberries and spiced pecans; blood orange sorbet; and Burgundy-marinated short ribs, fennel-glazed salmon, or butternut squash ravioli. Winter Wedding Centerpieces That Nod to the Season 16 of 22 Eat, Drink, and Be Merry Cavin Elizabeth White flowers, winter greenery, and juniper berries sat in low vessels along the pale blue cloths, with simple taupe plates, gold flatware, and fringed napkins at each place setting. "The menu said 'A Joyful Feast'—which was a nod to 'A Christmas Carol'—with a quote on the backside that read, 'A feast is a wonderful thing, but only if one has loved ones with whom to share,' from Charles Dickens." 17 of 22 Winter Woodland Cavin Elizabeth Tiny woodland creatures brought intrigue to each station. 18 of 22 Home Sweet Home Cavin Elizabeth Hey There, Cupcake iced scripted table numbers onto tiny gingerbread houses, surrounded by berries and branches. The Prettiest Wedding Table Number Ideas from Real Weddings 19 of 22 Blue and White Delight Cavin Elizabeth A three-tier almond raspberry cake from Hey There, Cupcake featured a blue-gray, velvet-textured finish on the bottom layer, and snowy white frosting accented by branches and florals on the top. 20 of 22 A Nod to Tradition Cavin Elizabeth Bonny and James incorporated a traditional paebaek ceremony into their reception in honor of their Korean culture. 21 of 22 Piggyback Ride Cavin Elizabeth "Our parents gave us advice for marriage and at the end, James had to piggyback carry me out of the room," says Bonny. "Our costumes were surprisingly weighty, each with multiple layers of fabric, and I'm no Tinkerbell, so I was concerned that he wouldn't be able to pull it off." After the ceremony, the couple's DJ from Valentine Entertainment took over, incorporating interactive games into the night. "We had bought a bunch of prizes ranging from gift cards to air fryers to Nespresso machines for the DJ/MC to pass out during his games," says Bonny. "It's a Korean thing, we need dinner and a show." But one of the couple's favorite memories of the reception was simply hitting the dance floor together. "Believe it or not we've never gone dancing together," says Bonny. "This was our first time just dancing with each other." 22 of 22 Sources Cavin Elizabeth Photography, Cavin ElizabethVenue and Catering, L'auberge Del MarWedding Planning and Event Design, AmorologyFlowers, Siren Floral Co.Stationery, Color & CreationCake, Hey There, CupcakeMusic, Valentine EntertainmentRentals, BBJ Linen; Borrowed Blu; Bright Event Rentals; Folkore; Hostess HavenBride's Gown, Viero BridalMakeup, Eva KimBridesmaids' Dresses, Jenny Yoo for BHLDNGroom's Tuxedo, ArmaniBackdrops, Back Up BackdropsPaper Goods, Four Things Paper Was this page helpful? Thanks for your feedback! Tell us why! Other Submit