Chris & Sharon's Romantic Balboa Park Wedding

After dancing around their feelings for a few years as work colleagues, Chris and Sharon finally caved and embraced their connection. Two years of courtship later—including countless bike rides on the Pacific Beach boardwalk, steak dinners, and nights out in the Gaslamp—he proposed before the USS Midway on the waterfront downtown. True to their romance, their big day was as San Diegan as they come, with a ceremony in USD’s Immaculata church and reception at The Prado restaurant in Balboa Park. “The time flew by with our first dance, dinner, and the traditional activities like throwing the bouquet and the garter toss,” Sharon says. To end the evening, guests piled into a charter bus for The US Grant hotel, where they had nightcaps under the first moonlight of happily ever after.

Hot Wheels

“Sharon’s parents love old cars, so we decided to surprise them with a ride to the church in a 1929 Franklin,” Chris says. “I will always remember the look on their faces when they saw our ride outside the hotel.”

Signature Cheers

The bar served up two signature cocktails picked by the bride and groom—an old-fashioned from him and a Blushing Bride from her, a concoction of vodka, peach schnapps, cran-lemonade, and Sprite.

“For the two months leading up to the wedding, we took lessons every Friday night to learn a routine for our first dance,” Sharon says. “We made it into a date night for the two of us, which added a fun element to the planning process.”