Darlington House
September 1, 2007

College sweethearts Allison and Ryan have known each other since the start of the decade. They got engaged in March 2006 following a camping trip to Mexico with friends.

“Ryan never found the right time to propose during the trip,” says Allison. “So he did it that night when we got home. It was a really private moment.”

They married September 1, 2007 at Darlington House in La Jolla, a San Diego Historical site. “It was the first place I visited. I fell in love with it. It was perfect,” says Allison.

“Darlington House is an open palette for you to be able to create the exact look you are seeking for your dream wedding,” she continues. “I was able to choose all rentals and details; round and square tables, linens and chairs. All laid out, it was amazing!”

The bride, who is from Arkansas and the groom who is from Oklahoma, are both junior architects. They met in college at the University of Oklahoma in 2000. After graduation, they moved to San Diego.

Even though Allison and Ryan now live in Colorado, hosting their wedding in San Diego was a natural choice. “It was easy for me to plan and you can’t compare the beauty of San Diego to other places,” she says.

The theme was “sophisticated garden” fitting the couple’s love of the outdoors. The invitations and other details of the day had an earthy look. “I wanted to use colors found in nature,” says Allison. “Greens, browns and beige.”

The bride’s bouquet featured green cymbidium orchids and white phalaenopsis, as well as dendrobium orchids and chocolate cosmos. Bridesmaids carried bouquets of green cymbidium and mokara orchids.

Since she and Ryan study architecture, Allison says they love clean lines and simplicity. She chose one of the first gowns she tried on: a diamond white, almost ivory toned trumpet Angel Sanchez gown she found at an M Bride trunk show.

“The designs were kind of me,” Allison says. “It’s all about the cut of the dress and the lines that are created. Sanchez’s dresses are more sculptural, about form and shape, rather than ornamentation.”

Ryan wore a chocolate brown suit with an ivory tie and vest. His groomsmen wore chocolate brown suits with cream colored shirts and tan vests. The bridesmaids worked the chocolate brown theme as well in strapless tea-length dresses.

Continental Catering prepared California cuisine including a roasted pear salad, both seafood and beef tenderloin stations, a mashed potato bar and a sushi bar, which was “a surprise” for the couple’s families who don’t usually eat the Asian delicacy.

For a sweet treat, guests enjoyed a Crumbs of Paris cake featuring a layer of chocolate and a layer of white cake with hazelnut. “It was fabulous,” says Allison. “Just so good!”

As favors, the couple gave guests fortune cookies with personal notes inside thanking guests and wishing them lots of love.

Allison and Ryan spent a long weekend in Santa Barbara following their wedding. In May, they enjoyed two weeks in Machu Picchu, Peru where activities included a four-day hike, relaxing on the beach and surfing.


WEDDING RESOURCES

Ceremony & Reception Location - Darlington House

Wedding Coordinator - Unforgettable Event

Officiant - Pastor Steve Bombaci

Photographer - Studio 7 Photography

Florist - Floral Poetry

Linens - BBJ Linens

Ceremony Music - Libertino Music

Reception Entertainment - B Entertained

Invitations - Rick Bays

Catering - Continental Catering

Dress - M Bride

Men's Formalwear -A Better Deal Tuxedo
Jewelry & Rings - Blumenthal Jewelers

Cake - Crumbs of Paris

Accessories - The Tiara Room