Middle School Sweethearts Say "I Do" in Romantic Barn Wedding by the Beach

We see beach weddings and we see rustic barn weddings, but it's rare to find an outdoor rustic venue near the beach -- which is exactly why this couples' gorgeous day is a total gem. And when this couple first saw their venue, they knew it was the exact spot they wanted to celebrate their big day! With a classic and neutral color palette, personal details that made the day unique, and the gorgeous bride in a Monique Lhuillier gown, we are definitely catching the feels. Browse the entire gallery below, all captured by the talented Hello Blue Photo!

From the bride on photography... Not only did I immediately fall in love with Hello Blue Photo, but I also immediately fell in love with Christina! Breathtaking natural lighting, romantic, attention to detail, and priceless. From the bride’s dress down to the small details at the wedding venue, I knew that not one photography shot would be missed. I cannot recommend HBP enough. More important, I cannot recommend Christina enough. She has the kindest heart, sweetest soul, and man oh man is she passionate about wedding photography! I ultimately chose Christina for these reasons, as well as the fact that she made me feel so comfortable when I met her for the first time! In simplest terms, she felt like an older sister who made me feel like she was going to make sure that not only I had the perfect wedding, but she was going to capture my perfect wedding flawlessly! She embodied everything that Mike and I were looking for in a wedding photographer; the “style” (fine art), attention to detail, making sure she doesn’t miss any of the “important shots”, honesty, sincerity, and how endearing she was! I cannot express to you enough, how elated Mike and I are to have Christina, and Hello Blue Photo capturing the most important day of our lives! From the bride on how they met... I met Mike in September of 2005. We had just both started the seventh grade at Cerro Villa Middle School. I walked into his choir class when he first noticed me, but I quickly transferred out of the class without noticing him. However as fate would have it, a few days later Mike had to unfortunately transfer out of his Honors History Class. Fortunately for me, he transferred into my Regular History Class where the teacher sat him right next to me. We immediately introduced ourselves to each other and have been inseparable ever since. From the bride on wedding vision... Mike and I are both very laid back, nature-loving individuals. Some of our fondest memories together are made either at the beach or outdoor flea/farmers markets. When we got engaged, and being “California Kids”, we immediately knew that we wanted either wanted to get married on the beach or in a garden-inspired venue that encompassed various natural elements. After going to a few venues, Mike and I found the venue that was the best of both worlds “The Red Horse Barn”. Located in Huntington Beach, California, The Red Horse barn is a romantic, intimate, rustic, and breathtaking location. The beautiful ceremony and reception venue includes a spacious outdoor lawn, quaint garden gazebo, water features, and endless amounts of greenery/florals. As soon as we saw the venue, Mike and I knew that it was perfect for our California, garden-inspired wedding. When we envision our wedding, some main characteristics come to mind. We wanted it to be very personal. Mike and I have known each other for 12 years so it was very important for us to have an intimate wedding with people that we have known throughout our entire lives. We also wanted it to be very sentimental. We are choosing to give each other heartfelt love letters before the ceremony rather than doing personalized vows. Mike and I have a very unique relationship, and we both wanted to keep our intimate words between each other. We also hand selected the music in order to create an emotional ceremony/reception. Finally, we wanted to make sure that it was a fun experience for all of our guests! We wanted to include various elements that would include the guests; dollar dance, photobooth, and music for all ages. Overall, our main inspiration for our wedding was; the natural beach/garden California elements, our 12 years of friendship, and the different generations of weddings in my family.