San Diego, CA Wedding At Balboa Park

An intimate wedding is a perfect way for couples to celebrate their love in a meaningful location. San Diego offers many stunning venues ideal for such occasions, from beautiful photo spots at Balboa Park to various other charming settings.

Mary and Nick initially planned to elope in Palm Springs at their favorite getaway, Two Bunch Palms. It was where they spent their honeymoon, intending to share the moment with just a few loved ones. However, they decided to include the whole family, inviting about 40 guests and choosing to marry in San Diego, where they lived together.

They selected a church in San Diego that held special significance for them. Mary and Nick’s closest family members were in attendance, making the event intimate and personal. Nick’s mom, sister, and close friends traveled from the UK to join the celebration. For the first time, both families met, making their San Diego wedding even more memorable and meaningful.his was such a special meeting to witness and something both families will never forget.

After moving to Chicago for Nick’s new job, coming back to San Diego was like a warm hug.

Wedding Day in SD

From getting ready at an Airbnb in downtown San Diego to do couples portraits in Balboa Park on the busiest weekend in San Diego (Presidents Day Weekend), each photograph shows the anticipation and excitement that could be felt throughout the entire day.

Balboa Park is HUGE! As in it’s larger than NY’s Central Park! Because of that, we decided to change family photos to Golden Hill Park. This was logistically easier to park and find each other, and it wasn’t as crowded!

Photographing people in public places can be a bit tricky as you have to navigate around other people gathering. Good thing we met the day before to make sure we had the timing down perfectly. We didn’t want to feel rushed! All in all, we had 5 different locations. I always recommend one or two locations. Because the more driving you do, the more chance there is for traffic, accidents, being stressed, and possibly running behind! Thankfully, we were able to get to all locations in time to enjoy their entire wedding day!

Our last stop was minutes away in San Diego at Herb + Wood for their reception. This is where the two families gathered for the first time for a delicious dinner and enjoyed each others company to celebrate! They even had a seat at the table for me with their parents! We enjoyed elevated, seasonal, California rustic Mediterranean cuisine. Such a joy to be able to photograph this beautiful day!

Timeline for a San Diego Wedding At Balboa Park

1pm: Airbnb – getting ready + first look
2pm: Balboa Park – couple portraits
3pm: Golden Hill Park – family photos
4pm: Church – ceremony
5pm: Wedding reception at Herb + Wood

The Best Places to Have an Intimate Wedding Near San Diego

If you’re planning a wedding in San Diego, consider having an intimate wedding at one of these beautiful locations.

1. Balboa Park – With its lush gardens, historic architecture, and charming nooks, Balboa Park provides a stunning backdrop for an intimate wedding ceremony. Check out the Japanese Friendship Garden there too!
2. Sunset Cliffs – Known for its dramatic cliffs and stunning sunsets, this location provides a unique and beautiful setting for exchanging vows.
3. La Jolla Cove – This picturesque seaside location offers breathtaking ocean views, making it a romantic setting for a small wedding.
4. One of the wineries in Temecula – Ponte, Faulkner, Europa, Callaway, Wilson Creek – there are TONS of stunning venues to host a large or intimate wedding just north of San Diego
5. Julian – This charming mountain town offers a quaint and picturesque setting for an intimate wedding, with several wedding venues and stunning rural spots to say I do in the beautiful scenery!

PS: I always fly in two days before the wedding just in case there are travel delays, it’s extra insurance and you don’t want to miss a wedding. The next day, I location scout all the areas that are on the timeline to make sure we know where we are going and get a lay of the land with my couple.

The couple: Mary + Nick

These two love each other like nobody else I’ve ever seen before. With Mary grinning from ear to ear, I wasn’t surprised to see Nick blushing when he got his first look at her. Their first dance was to the Book of Love.

Read Mary’s Instagram post, it says it all:

“My beloved Nick,

You are my partner, my rock —the one with whom I’m learning true intimacy. Learning to see another person through the eyes of God. How to forgive and be forgiven. And learning that the separateness I once saw between myself and others was just an illusion.

I need you like a hummingbird needs the air. Like a grove of palms needs water. Like the earth needs the sun.

Our first dance was to “The Book of Love” by the Magnetic Fields.
The first line goes, “The book of love is long and boring — no one can lift the damn thing.”
He sings the line with so much emotion that a commentator wrote: “What he’s really saying is ‘I want to hear that book read from beginning to end.’

When I met you I felt as if I’d known you for a thousand years and we were finally finding each other again after a long, long time apart.

Now I’m by your side, listening to this story, from beginning to end…and into whatever mysteries lie beyond this life.
You are my whole heart.”

-Mary

Even their church ceremony had me in tears.

Honeymoon Photoshoot in Palm Springs

I always recommend doing a day after the honeymoon shoot which is why I always suggest where you plan on having your honeymoon.

The next day we met at their friend, Drew’s house in San Diego and they followed me for a 3 + hour drive, stopping along the way for day-after-adventure photos through Temecula Valley and onwards to their final destination, Two Bunch Palms resort for their honeymoon!

San Diego Elopement Photographer

Team CLT would love to hear from you to book your 2025 wedding. All of our couples receive a free zoom consultation, Wedding Guide and Vendor Recommendations as well as my Plastic-Free Guide to have a sustainable wedding, timeline creation and so much more. We care deeply about our couples and look forward to hearing from you! Fill out the contact form.

Make-up | Makeup By Monica⁠
Hair | Tresses by Taylor⁠
Men’s Groomer | Tucker Cuts⁠
Bridal Shop | Glamour Closet Bride⁠
Dress | Lovely Bride⁠
Brides Shoes | Sarah Flint
Suit | Nordstrom⁠
Suit Designer | Canali⁠
Floral Design | Native Poppy⁠
Reception Floral Design | Craftmossphere⁠
Reception | Herb and Wood⁠
Place Cards | Baumbirdy⁠
Photographer | Corey Lynn Tucker Photography

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