Newport Beach Marina Wedding

From Jenn & Pawel Photography: “Genesis and Matt were searching everywhere for a wedding venue, but with the limited budget they couldn’t find anything that quite fit. Matt runs a children’s sports academy. One day while teaching a group of 3-year-olds to play baseball at the new bay-side park in Newport Beach, he noticed a group of people carrying floral arrangements upstairs at the community center where he was coaching. He didn’t notice they held weddings at this venue. With the help from their creative family to help execute all things DIY, this would be the perfect location, plus it was within their tight budget. Genesis loves all things turquoise. All accents of their house are this color. Even her engagement ring is turquoise! So it was inevitable for this color to play a major role in the wedding decor. Plus, being next to the ocean, this color really plays into the vibe of the setting.

“Genesis and Matt are an outdoorsy couple, who love to go hiking, camping and are always seeking an adventure. Matt proposed to Genesis at the dog beach in Newport Beach so the venue really captured their personalities. Since they love the outdoors, they really try to limit their carbon footprint. They hated the amount of waste that a wedding could generate: invitations, extra postage, favors, wearing garments only once, etc. So the idea of trying to reduce, reuse and recycle also played a major role in their wedding.”

A pretty blue Newport Beach marina wedding in California

The Proposal

“On May 2, 2016, Matt picked up the ring. He was too excited to wait for their weekend getaway trip to Portland, that he decided to surprise that same day. After words of encouragement from Jane, Matt’s mother and calling John, Genesis’s father to ask for a blessing, Matt worked out his master plan. When Genesis came home from work, he suggested watching the sunset at the Newport dog beach with their favorite four-legged companion, Cooper. While Matt was jumping in the waves with Cooper, he secretly changed out his collar which read, “Will You Marry Daddy?” When Genesis saw the collar, she turned around and Matt was down on one knee with the most beautiful, unique ring Genesis had ever seen. Genesis was so surprised. They spent the rest of the night drinking champagne on the lifeguard tower, calling close friends and family, and celebrating at Taco Tuesday.”

The Attire

“Genesis really loved the illusion back style wedding dress. She wanted the dress to be comfortable to dance in all night long, so the big poofy dress wasn’t really her style. She found the dress online at Anthropologie’s new wedding dress line, BHLDN, took a gamble and prayed that it would fit… and it was perfect! Not to mention, she bought it on sale for $600!

“Her veil was borrowed from one of her cousins and the headpiece was the same one her mother wore at her wedding.

“Matt wanted to wear a suit that he could wear multiple times. He went to the Indochino studios in Beverly Hills and got fitted for his own suit. He selected the fabric, fit and all of the details for only $300. Not bad for a nice suit that he will get multiple wears out of!”

DIY & Special Details

“One of our close friends is starting her own floral company called Primrose & Poppy. She was always doing DIY arrangements for her friends that she decided to start something on her own. Genesis really liked the simple white flowers mixed with greenery and coastal elements.

Sports Fans’ Heinz Field Wedding by Meaghan Elliott Photography

“Genesis’s mom and sister baked all of the cupcakes and the wedding cake. They decorated them with a California theme since Matt and Genesis met in California, and it was a destination wedding for most of their wedding guests.

“Genesis’s mom made homemade rock candy to look like sea glass. She bottled them up in little glass bottles to go with the coastal theme. They used this as the table seating. The cupcakes were also packaged up in to-go boxes.”