As a wedding photographer, I’ve had the pleasure of photographing many weddings in San Diego. However, one wedding that stood out to me was a boho tropical wedding I photographed in the summer of 2022. It was a beautiful day in sunny San Diego as guests arrived at the picturesque green and floral venue for Julia + Dustin’s wedding.

The bride, Julia, and I instantly connected over the phone before she hired me. She truly felt like I friend I didn’t know I had! Of course, when she hired me to capture her and her fiancé, Dustin’s big day, I was so excited to be a part of it.

Their love story began when Julia won a ticket to an IRadio concert, where she snuck into an afterparty and met Dustin. He’s a music producer and guitarist for the boy band, Big Time Rush (cue the fangirling)!!!

Since then, they’ve done it all: long distance, dates in other countries, music tours, and running an incredible mental health business @thebrogliebox . Dustin proposed in front of their families over Zoom, then we took their engagement photos at one of the prettiest beaches in LA. You can see their Malibu engagement photos here. Now, it was time for their dream wedding (ahem, more like the biggest party ever) at one of my favorite venues!

✨Dustin is hilarious and adventurous, and Julia is a compassionate and full of light. They’re fun, goofy, and overwhelmingly generous, and great friends to those around them.

Just good human beings.

I absolutely adore the way they make each other laugh and how they take life by the horns. I’m inspired by their joy and willingness to make the most of every adventure. In every word they speak, it’s filled with wisdom and kindness.

The Wedding Details:

When I arrived at the wedding venue, I was immediately struck by the tropical theme and the beautiful boho decorations. From neutral floral arrangements, to the waterfall ceremony, to the epic guitar pick seating chart that Dustin DIY’d, every detail was perfectly executed.

When Julia told me that their besties, Logan Henderson and Kendall Schmidt from BTR, were gonna be at the wedding, I let slip that I would probably die . Luckily, I kept my cool and professionalism .

There were quite a few things that made their wedding day so unique…

1. The handmade guitar pick seating chart, representing Dustin’s love of music (seriously, it was the coolest thing! check it out below)

2. Instead of a formal cocktail hour, they opened up a pre-dinner dance floor! It got everyone partying right away and it was such a hit with the guests!

3. They had a live band instead of a DJ, which made for the biggest party ever!!! The dance floor was full of non-stop dancing the whole time. I highly recommend a band if you want a raging dance party!

4. Late night snacks. Need I say more?

They also had meaningful and hilarious speeches by their parents, maid of honor, and best man. As the sun began to set, the crowd eagerly awaited more dancing, because the band was THAT good!!!

Mid-way through the night, the caterers brought out giant soft pretzels for each of the guests. It was a surprise that kept me at the pretzel bar for a long time (totally not eating a pretzel while also dancing and taking photos lol).

The best part of the night was when Julia, Dustin, and the BTR members, Logan and Kendall, took the mic along with a couple other friends and karaoked Semi-Charmed Life by Third Eye Blind. It was sooooo epic, especially when Julia was the only one who really knew the lyrics lol! The band kept the energy up the rest of the night until we unfortunately had to go home. I bet we would’ve stayed all night if we could’ve!

Throughout the day, the couple radiated joy, and their connection was truly special. I captured countless sweet moments between the two of them, from their first look to their intimate first dance. It’s very obvious to me that Julia and Dustin are absolutely perfect for each other.

It was truly a celebration of love, good times, and the beauty of San Diego.

After the wedding day, I sent them their some wedding sneak peek photos and received a heartfelt text from Julia thanking me for capturing all of the special moments and she said “we’re crying, so happy, we love you!!!”

VENDORS:

Venue: @botanicathevenue
Photo: @parallel33photography
Video: @wanderlandmediaa
Flowers: @vibe_florals
Hair: @touch.of.rose.sd
Makeup: @zennahodge
Band: @luckydevilsband
VW bus: @adventurebusphoto
Couple: @juls.b_ @dbeltwrites

ENGAGED? HOLLAH AT ME!

I’m Bree, a San Diego & Vegas based wedding photographer (but I’ll travel anywhere for you ). I specialize in adventurous, fun, and romantic photos that show off your candid and authentic selves. I want to capture your JOY and make it fun & easy while doing so. Learn more here and send me an email!

ENGAGED? HOLLAH AT ME!

I’m Bree, a San Diego & Vegas based wedding photographer (but I’ll travel anywhere for you ). I specialize in adventurous, fun, and romantic photos that show off your candid and authentic selves. I want to capture your JOY and make it fun & easy while doing so. Learn more here and send me an email!