After Christina Gurga, 33, “winked” at Bryan Geidt, 31, on Match.com, the two met for their first date at Brian Malarkey’s now-closed Gabardine, where they instantly hit it off.

They dated for almost two years, dining out and attending comedy clubs and sporting events. Later, following a personal behind-the-scenes tour, Brian proposed at the flamingo exhibit at the San Diego Zoo. In the spring of 2015, the couple hosted a “gastropub glam” wedding for 150 guests. It was the first wedding at Malarkey’s new Green Acre Campus Pointe.

 

Trendsetters

Before Christina and Bryan, Green Acre had never hosted a wedding, and in fact, the couple came about it in a funny way. They had grown tired of looking at venues. While at a work happy hour at Green Acres, Bryan called Christina, telling her that she would love it because it reminded him of her favorite store, Anthropologie. He was right, and she thinks future brides will be lining up to book it. “The space is so large and unique–no two nights could ever be the same there. We had a wedding guest say, ‘If West Elm and Antropologie had a baby, it would be your wedding venue!’ How could you not love that?!”

 

Dining Happy

A benefit of tying the knot at a Top Chef alum’s restaurant is the emphasis on culinary experience. Guests enjoyed appetizers including duck carnitas tacos, eggplant caponata bruschetta, and Baja shrimp and crab cakes; dinner included steelhead salmon and “brick-pressed” chicken with lemon-herb pan jus.

 

Mix-and-Match

The venue tables were a unique mix of rectangular and round, large and small, tall and short, which made for an eclectic, vintage aesthetic. One table even featured a leather couch loveseat for a lucky couple to enjoy.

 

Creative Entrance

For their reception entrance, the couple order giant cutouts of their faces, which were a hit with the guests. “They were constantly on the dance floor and people uploaded a lot of photos of them,” Christina says.

Selfie Station

To save on a photobooth, the couple opted to use “selfie sticks” and a festive background for a photo station. Guests uploaded their photos using the #gettingGeidt hashtag.

 

THEIR TALENTED TEAM:

Coordination: Luxe Events
Photography: By Amy Lynn Photography
Ceremony, Reception, and Catering: Green Acre Campus Pointe
Florals: Tam Ashworth; Isari Flower Studio
DJ: Mikey Beats 
Gown: The White Flower
Hair and Makeup: The Hair & Makeup Box
Shoes: Ivanka Trump