A Modern-Tropical, Coastal California Wedding for a Globe Trotting Couple in Dana Point

After reading Quinn and Nate’s inquiry email, I was instantly smitten with their story and
engagement photos. There was no question I wanted to take this journey with them. Their
enthusiasm for creating a celebration where their guests could experience the ocean life,
cuisine, and beauty of coastal California mixed with their desire to soak up every moment
with their loved ones sealed the deal.

As a California native, Quinn knew firsthand how picturesque the ocean views and sunshine
would be during their wedding weekend. The Ocean Institute in Dana Point was the perfect
backdrop for their wedding celebration. The easy beach access, aquatic life activities, and
indoor-outdoor feel made the decision to host there a clear choice.

Working with a variety of full-service destination clients, to plan their perfect day
long distance, provides its own unique set of obstacles. Maximizing their limited time,
as busy professionals, while also keeping them on budget was a top priority.

One of the ways we were able to achieve that was by pairing them with the best local
vendors suited to create their dream wedding. Recommending wedding pros that aligned
with Quinn and Nate’s creative vision, and spending preferences, allowed them to focus
on forming genuine connections with each vendor.

Quinn said, “When we first started planning our wedding, we questioned whether we
needed to invest in a planner. Working with Helayne, over the past year, put all of those
doubts to rest. We truly could not have pulled off such a complicated event without
her expert guidance and calming presence throughout the journey.”

Minimizing potentially stressful situations or overwhelming feelings during the planning
process is essential. When working with full-service clients, tackling our detailed and
extensive checklist can be intense.

Rather than leaving them to navigate our checklist on their own, we worked together to
keep them focused by condensing it into a manageable list of scheduled priorities. During
our bi-monthly visits, we discussed their progress and created actionable goals to keep
them on the right path to creating their dream wedding.

“The wedding itself was flawlessly executed; everything from the florals and table design to
the catering and officiant perfectly aligned with our vision. We could not have asked for a
more successful outcome, and it was in no small part thanks to Helayne.”

After hearing so much about the special connections they have with their friends and family
it was such a gift witnessing Nate and Quinn really soak in the magic of their wedding day at
the Ocean Institute in Dana Point.

“When it came time for the wedding, we went in feeling fully prepared and knew that Helayne’s
team was ready to handle any surprises that might pop up – leaving us to celebrate with family/
friends and simply take everything in.”

Special thanks to Los Angeles Wedding Photographer | Jenna Bechtholt Photography
for capturing these images.