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San Diego luxury weddings might not be as common as those in LA or Orange County, but they do exist! To me, the word luxury doesn’t just mean “expensive.” It means an experience that truly emerses guests in your wedding with special touches of service in addition to intentional, high end decor.

1. Determine Your Budget and Choose a Venue
The idea of a luxury wedding isn’t necessarily synonymous with “unlimited budget.” You’ll still need to set an appropriate budget by prioritizing what wedding details are most important to least important. Be sure to factor in your guest count as well, before choosing a venue that wows guests and suits your personalities.
When finding a venue, look for a space that already has a luxury feel and offers multiple sites that guests can move throughout for each event. A barn venue an hour from the city? Probably not. The Fairmont Grand Del Mar? Definitely. Alternatively, with the right design team, you can convert most spaces into a luxury venue with draping, lighting, decor, etc.
2. Determine Your Style and Your Vendor Team
Think about general style types that might mesh well with who the two of you are. Do you feel more modern and chic or more boho or more traditional? It’s smarter to hire a planner who shows modern weddings on their site, rather than hire the boho planner when that’s not what you have in mind for your wedding.
For San Diego luxury weddings, it’s best worth a couple’s time to focus on vendors who already seem to work with luxury clientele. Take note of how abundant or extravagant the flower arrangements, wedding gowns, and venues on the vendors’ sites are. How personalized do they make each wedding? Are they showing the couple’s personalities in the wedding design or do all of their weddings look the same? Referrals are also excellent for finding luxury wedding vendors.
3. Set Expectations with a Cohesive Invitation Suite
A wedding invitation suite is the first piece of your wedding that guests see. Make it personalized and telling of what they can expect for your event. Thick papers, letterpress, foil stamping, and laser cutting can all add lavish detailing to your invitations. Be careful not to go overboard, as less is usually more. Be sure to specify the attire on the invite, such as “black tie” or “black tie optional.” Your bridal party should also be dressed accordingly.
4. Provide a Memorable Experience
Creating ambience for your guests is key for the luxury wedding experience. Stylish details, such as uplighting or an abundance of moody candles, add an instant intangible feeling typical of upscale events to your wedding. Other details, such as chargers, well-balanced glassware and flatware, and table decor also ensure a cohesiveness of opulence throughout the reception.
All that said, don’t sacrifice the art of showing your personalities in the details. Work with a design team that focuses on creating unique weddings for every client. The last thing you want is for your wedding to be a carbon copy of last week’s luxury affair.
5. Host like a Boss
No, I don’t mean like a dull office boss. Host the heck out of your wedding by ensuring a well-rounded guest enjoyment. Whether that means keeping them well-fed with tasty cuisines all night, entertainment that blends well with your style or theme (think a wine tasting station for your wine-centric wedding), or interactive lawn games, make your event the most exciting your guests have ever experienced.
6. Leave a Lasting Final Impression
Ending on a high note, exit your wedding with a memorable event. That could be a confetti popping, sparkler wielding, or an edible favor that won’t be left behind like most other favors. Whatever you choose, it should be something fun for you two and your guests!
[…] Our ceremony site had such a dreamy vibe for this tropical shoot. Couture Events will never cease to sway me with their designs. The work that the CE ladies create is incredibly cohesive and detail-oriented. That’s huge for planning luxury weddings. […]