Kristen and Patrick's Garden Rancho Bernardo Wedding

Although they’d sat in the same elementary and high school classes, Kristen and Patrick’s friendship didn’t snowball into a relationship until they had taken a few snowboarding trips with mutual friends. Years later, Patrick surprised her by popping the question on the slopes of Telluride, Colorado. Their elegant Rancho Bernardo Inn wedding ditched “cheeseball” traditions—no garter or bouquet tosses or the obligatory YMCA and chicken dances—to instead make room for totally personal touches. During the ceremony, their elementary school principal made a cameo to tell stories from their past. The couple also wrote their own vows, curated the set list for the entire night, and designed the menus and signage themselves to ensure the evening was elevated to a class of its own.

In Tune

“We very carefully selected each song to play,” Kristen says, name-dropping Angus & Julia Stone and Mandolin Orange as some of their favorite artists. “We wanted the music to be a memorable element for us.”

The table setting reflected the big day itself—classy as can be.

Picture Perfect

Low-hanging trees and romantic twinkle lights in Rancho Bernardo Inn’s Santiago Courtyard set the mood for Kristen and Patrick’s first dance as a married couple.