Jared and Kelsey's Woodsy Vista Real Wedding

Though Jared Medeiros, 28, and Kelsey Johnson, 28, met in high school in their hometown of Cypress, California, it wasn’t until several years later that they first hung out one-on-one. On Valentine’s Day 2010, they made their relationship official, and five years later, on the day after Christmas, Jared proposed amid the Urban Light installation and a crowd of onlookers at the Los Angeles County Museum of Art.

The Huntington Beach couple chose The Wood Shed in Vista for their nuptials, where 115 guests ate burgers from The Habit’s food truck, enjoyed craft beers and wine, and got down on the dance floor to Justin Timberlake and Queen.

As a wedding photographer, Kelsey thought she’d know what to expect as a bride. But, she says, “it was amazing to experience that wedding day magic firsthand.”

Kelsey designed the invitations herself, incorporating a bit of the greenery she knew would be a main aesthetic element of the couple’s event.

“I knew I wanted a fall wedding for the weather and the colors, an unconventional venue, and plenty of greenery,” Kelsey says. “I used the terms ‘Woodsy Warehouse’ and ‘Iron and Wine’ to describe my theme.”

The bride’s Dreamers & Lovers dress had the “subtle bohemian flair I was searching for as well as some vintage charm,” she says.

“We really wanted a space where we could hold both the ceremony and reception,” Kelsey says of The Wood Shed. “I really wanted an outdoor ceremony area, natural light indoors, the warehouse look, as well as greenery…I couldn’t have asked for more!”