The Secret Gardens Wedding | Bodega Bay, Ca

Paige and Jonah hosted the most beautiful destination wedding at The Secret Gardens in Bodega Bay, California. They invited their closest friends and family to keep it intimate and enjoyable for all.

What made you fall in love with The Secret Gardens Wedding Venue

The Secret Gardens was the last venue we toured and it was the first venue that really felt right. We were hoping to have some feeling of wonder or excitement when touring venues and none of the other places made us feel anything. Right away when we stepped in, we could envision our wedding in the space. It feels instantly magical and almost otherworldly. 

What did you enjoy most about your wedding day in Bodega Bay, California?

We of course wanted our wedding to be beautiful, but one of our priorities was to make sure the day was fun for our guests. Our goal was for our wedding to feel like an extension of who we are, which meant we didn’t want it to feel too formal or prescriptive. When it came to tradition, we made decisions that felt right for us and tried to add some fun wherever we could. There were so many favorite parts that it’s hard to choose! Here are some of highlights:

Paige:

– Doing our vows privately first was 1000000% the right move. I know that Jonah was still pretty nervous but for me, it helped me feel really relaxed and like there was less pressure when we did them again in front of everyone.

– After our family photos, I hid in the back while guests arrived until the ceremony started. I didn’t have a formal bridal party but my 4 closest friends followed me to the bridal suite and hung out with me while I waited. It was really nice to have them there. It made me feel so calm and happy to just be there and have a private moment with my friends.

Jonah:

– The first look! The location was so great. The wildflowers were beautiful and fit our day perfectly. Paige looked so beautiful there.

– I really liked the photo booth. It was really great to take pictures with our friends and document the night in such a fun way.

– Just seeing everyone having a good time was great. Between the zaffa, the movie, the food, it was so nice to see all of our friends and family enjoying themselves. 

Both:

– The food!!! Serving pizza was one of the ways we tried to inject some fun into the night but we didn’t do any kind of formal tasting menu. It had to be some of the best pizza we’ve ever had, just so amazing and special. They wrapped up about a dozen pizzas for us to take home and they barely lasted 3 days. 

Your Vows were so incredibly beautiful. Can you share a favorite line?

Paige’s fav:

“Even when you’re away I can feel you everywhere I am.”

Jonah’s fav:

“I love how excited you get when it rains. I love how you always insist on one more kiss.”

Do you have any advice for newly engaged couples planning an intimate destination wedding?

All the rules about weddings are fake and in the end, it has to be what you both want. It’s easy to get wrapped up in what others expect; what’s traditional, what family/friends want you to do, but truly, none of that matters. All that matters is you’re making decisions that are right for yourselves. Give yourself a deadline before the wedding to stop working on any DIY projects so you aren’t cramming the night before. And the most classic (but true) advice, once the day starts, try to let go and just be present. You won’t have total control over how the day goes once it starts and it really goes by soooooo so fast. You’re going to be so sad when it’s over, even if you wanted to tear your hair out while planning like I did, so do your best to soak up every moment of it.   

Bodega Bay, Northern California Wedding Vendors

We definitely want to recognize Huria’s (our caterer @huriasbodegabay), Michelle Angeli (our coordinator @michelleangeliphoto), and Donis (manager @bodegabaysecretgardens) at The Bodega Bay Secret Gardens. 

Venue | THE SECRET GARDENS, BODEGA BAY, CALIFORNIA

Photographer | XSPERIENCE PHOTOGRAPHY, Minnesota based but travels for destination weddings and elopements… the BEST kind of love stories in the making!!!

Wedding Day of Coordinator | MICHELLE ANGELI

Wood-Fired Pizza Wedding Catering | HURIAS BODEGA BAY

Music | THE TALENTED BRIDE AND HER FAMILY!!!

The Secret Gardens Documentary Wedding Video

See Paige and Jonah’s engagement Session at Pacifica Beach HERE.