Lake Mission Viejo Wedding at the Clubhouse | Orange County Wedding Photography | Ben & Kristina
We loved getting to capture Ben and Kristina’s Lake Mission Viejo Wedding! As we arrived at the venue on their wedding day, we started to feel raindrops. Although that meant they couldn’t have the ceremony outside like originally planned, we’ve all heard it said that rain is good luck on your wedding day!
From the Bride:
“To start off with a cliché, January 5th, 2019 was the best day of my life. It was the day I got to marry my best friend, Benjamin.
We love to tell people how we met – on eHarmony. Responses to that revelation are often mixed. Sometimes it’s met with excitement, sometimes skepticism, but always surprise. Ben skipped the generic questions provided by the website and went straight to writing me a message that showed he had actually read my profile and was interested in conversation. When we realized we had a lot in common, it was time to meet in person. The downside was, we lived 70 miles away from each other! We ended up meeting for our first date at JC Beans in Dana Point.
It was also in Dana Point where Ben proposed to me a little over a year later. I had my suspicions when he said he wanted to have a little photoshoot at Heritage Park, one of the places we visited on our first date. As I stood on the overlook, taking in the beauty of the harbor below, Ben got to work setting up his camera on a tripod. I felt butterflies start to flutter in my stomach when I realized what was happening – this was the moment! He turned me around and began pouring his heart out to me and asking me to marry him. I was ecstatic!
Our wedding and reception took place at Lake Mission Viejo a year after the proposal, inside their beautiful Clubhouse. Growing up in Mission Viejo, I often visited the lake, whether to swim or fish, and never would I have thought I would get married there someday! I spent the majority of the months leading up to the wedding feeling overwhelmed – planning a wedding is no small feat – especially when you’re not someone who planned it from a young age. But experiencing all the ways it came together perfectly was just what we had hoped for.
I woke up before 5 AM on our wedding day, too filled with nerves and excitement to fall back asleep. I knew I would probably regret that decision later, but decided to use my extra time to get a head start on decorating. While I was getting my hair done at the salon, it began to rain. Oh, I thought. Great. Standing out in the rain on a freezing cold day is the last thing I want to do. (By freezing, I mean freezing for Californian standards – somewhere in the 50s).
The ladies working at the Clubhouse were more than accommodating with our situation. We were able to have our wedding ceremony in the third room of the Clubhouse. Although we didn’t have the gorgeous lake and setting sun for a backdrop, it was still perfect. Our ceremony was beautiful, just what we had both hoped it would be. When Ben’s and my eyes met for the first time that day, nothing else mattered. The wedding and reception could have been a total catastrophe but none of that would have changed the fact that we were going to be spending the rest of our lives together.
Being surrounded by our family and friends as we celebrated the beginning of our life together was wonderful. One of our favorite things at the reception (aside from the amazing cake from French’s Bakery) was visiting each table at the reception and thanking them for being there. Our hearts were truly filled with gratitude seeing so many people who have made an impact in our lives.
The photos that Jerrick captured that day will be forever treasured. We’re currently in the process of deciding which ones to print and hang in our apartment! Ben and I love to look through our photos and relive the most significant day of our lives.”
Kristina and Ben also told us that one of their favorite things about planning was getting to work on their first big project together. Kristina really enjoyed searching for and finding the perfect dress, and Ben’s favorite thing was sampling cakes.
Ben and Kristina, thank you so much for allowing us the opportunity to capture your beautiful Mission Viejo Wedding on photo and video! We can’t wait to see and hear about all of the adventures ahead for you both!
Vendors used for Ben and Kristina’s Lake Mission Viejo Wedding:
Wedding Venue: Lake Mission Viejo Clubhouse
Photography: Three16Photography
Videography: Three16 Photography
Hair: MN8 Salon and Day Spa
Cake: French’s Pastry Bakery
Dress: Macy’s
Groom’s Suit: Macy’s
Catering: BallPark Pizza
Decor: DIY , Hobby Lobby, Michael’s, JoAnn’s
Wedding Invitations: Costco
Musician: Lauren Black
Loved reading about Kristina and Ben’s Lake Mission Viejo Wedding? Show them some love by liking and commenting below! Also check out another recent blog: Ryan and Michelle’s Rancho Las Lomas Engagement Photography Session!