French Garden Wedding At The Resort at Pelican Hill

Lovers of ultra elegant romance, this one’s for you. Chard Photo captured Gabrielle and Shelby’s incredible wedding day at The Resort at Pelican Hill, a long-time favorite venue for those with a penchant for the ultimate garden glam setting. Throw in a custom Monique Lhuillier gown, carefully chosen mismatched chairs with the vision by Intertwined Events, one heck of a dance party and you’ve got this memorable celebration!

Gabrielle and Shelby made their marriage official by tying the knot on October 19th at Pelican Hill Resort in Newport Beach, California. For their wedding day, Gabrielle and Shelby wanted something romantic, eclectic and true to their personality. There were so many details that went into creating a wedding so unique and special to the bride and groom! A French garden inspired ceremony, custom bridal fashion and a reception filled with endless dancing made this wedding one for the books!

Gabrielle looked absolutely gorgeous in her bridal fashion! The details on her ceremony dress were INSANE! Her custom-made Monique Lhuillier gown consisted of 32 bustles – it was dramatic, feminine and oh-so fabulous! After saying ‘I Do’ in this long-sleeve number, Gabrielle changed into a Monique party dress for the reception. Her partner-in-crime, Shelby, looked suave in a black suit and bright smile. These two are absolutely head over heels in love! The bridesmaids looked like utter perfection in mis-matched gowns, while the gentlemen looked so dapper in their suites and ties.

Upon arrival, guests were greeted with beverages and the most incredible coastal views that Southern California has to offer! Pelican Hill Resort is a venue unlike any other. This beautiful ceremony was a French garden dream! The rotunda was beautifully adorned with white florals and endless greenery. The mis-matched ceremony chairs were the highlight of this ceremony design! So perfectly unique and quite like nothing we’ve ever seen before! The ceremony was full of love, fun and laughter. It was one of the most intimate and personalized ceremonies we’ve ever witnessed.

Cocktail hour took place on the Mar Vista patio during golden hour. The couple whose guests flew in from all over the country wanted them to be able to take in the views. There were custom food stations to entertain for hours – seafood station, risotto wheels, and more. It’s safe to say no guest went hungry during the evening!

The reception design was so soft and airy, creating the most magical atmosphere for friends and family to celebrate the newlyweds. The Pelican Hill chandelier was decorated with the perfect amount of lush greenery. Blush Botanicals created more floral magic on the couple’s hanging wedding cake. Yes, you read that right! Gabrielle and Shelby’s floating wedding cake was the statement piece of the evening! And that cake has a story! Gabrielle saw a wedding cake over 10 years ago in a wedding while visiting another country. She took a picture of it, showed her mom and said one day, this will be my cake! The real-life version was even better than the story!

Guests were on the dance floor all night long, and if they weren’t, they were enjoying the late-night food truck. If you come to Southern California for a visit, it is the number one rule that you have to stop at an In-N-Out to enjoy a burger. Luckily for Shelby’s friends and family who traveled all the way from the South, they were able to try this quintessential SoCal meal for the first time ever!! From start to finish, everything about Gabrielle and Shelby’s wedding day was sheer perfection!