Vanessa & Dorian

Vanessa Perez and Dorian Velinov

November 5, 2011

Ceremony and Reception: Villa del Sol d'Oro, Sierra Madre

When Dorian planned a romantic San Diego trip complete with a visit to the zoo, sunset kayaking, and seafood dinner (their favorite), Vanessa was immediately suspicious of a proposal. She searched their hotel room high and low for the ring, but had no luck. Dorian kept it safe and hidden in his secret pocket space, waiting for exactly the right moment. He popped the question at dinner, just when Vanessa had become convinced he was not going to propose. She was shocked, but of course said yes and the couple set out to plan the perfect wedding, something not too quirky or trendy, but far from stuffy.

They chose a vibrant purple and soft peach color palette to incorporate both of their personalities. Vanessa had always envisioned a soft, monochromatic wedding, but Dorian is very effervescent, and just like the couple the colors ended up being perfect complements. They originally planned a destination wedding, but when Vanessa’s grandparents could no longer travel they set out for something a bit closer to home. The Villa Del Sol d’Oro was an obvious choice for the couple, as it made them feel like they were at an Italian villa. They wanted their guests to feel the same, and their design details like Chiavari chairs and the romantic flower arrangements transported guests straight to Tuscany.