Joanna & Jerrick at La Ventura Event Center

May 3, 2024 · La Ventura Event Center, San Clemente

A La Ventura Event Center Wedding in San Clemente

Joanna and Jerrick love exploring new food spots together, and at home it is TV shows, cuddling and sending each other relatable memes. Joanna's witty jokes are what make them laugh the most, and what they looked forward to most was saying "I do" in front of their friends and family. They married on Friday, May 3, 2024 at La Ventura Event Center in San Clemente. The palette was pastel lavender, peach and dusty blue, and the day moved from a first look at the geranium wall to portraits on the coast, a courtyard ceremony and a reception in the parlor. Here is their La Ventura wedding, photographed by One and Only Production.

The Details at La Ventura

Joanna and Jerrick's invitation, rings and dusty blue ring box were styled with lavender sweet peas. Outside, La Ventura Event Center greeted guests with its white Spanish style walls, pink bougainvillea and a wall of red geraniums.

Joanna and Jerrick's invitation with a dusty blue ring box and lavender sweet peas
The invitation naming La Ventura Event Center in San Clemente, with the wedding bands resting on it
The rings in a dusty blue velvet hexagon box among lavender sweet peas
Close up of the engagement ring and bands in the blue velvet box
A perfume bottle, hairpiece and invitation styled with sweet peas
The white Spanish style facade of La Ventura Event Center in San Clemente
The welcome sign under pink bougainvillea in the La Ventura courtyard
Terracotta pots of red geraniums on the white garden wall at La Ventura, photographed by One and Only Production

Joanna Gets Ready

Joanna's sparkling gown had a corset lace up back, a long train and sheer puff sleeves, and she paired it with lace flats. Her bridesmaids started the day in mauve rompers and changed into dusty blue gowns, and we took them out to the carved wooden door and the bougainvillea in the courtyard.

Joanna's sparkling gown hanging on a carved wooden door
Joanna's lace pointed flats on the terracotta tile
Joanna buckling her lace flats
Joanna's lace up back and long train in the suite
Close up of the corset lace up back of Joanna's gown and her braided updo
Joanna holding her pastel bouquet with sheer puff sleeves off her shoulders
Joanna in front of the carved wooden door with her train spread out
Joanna under the bougainvillea in the La Ventura courtyard
Joanna sitting on a courtyard bench beneath bright pink bougainvillea
Joanna with her veil and pastel bouquet against the white wall
Bridesmaids helping Joanna into her gown
A family member hugging Joanna once she was dressed
Joanna and her bridesmaids in matching mauve rompers in front of the carved door
Joanna with her bridesmaids in dusty blue gowns, holding pastel bouquets
Joanna and a bridesmaid in dusty blue in front of the carved door, photographed by One and Only Production

Jerrick and His Groomsmen

Jerrick wore a blue suit with a silver tie, and his party wore light gray. They got ready together and lined up along the geranium wall.

Jerrick in his blue suit in the groom's suite
Jerrick leaning against a dark wood door in his blue suit and silver tie
Jerrick adjusting his boutonniere
Jerrick tying his brown dress shoes on a carved bench
Jerrick sitting on a courtyard bench beside the potted plants
Jerrick with his party in light gray in front of the geranium wall
Jerrick and his groomsmen sharing a laugh
Jerrick and his party lined up along the geranium wall
Jerrick and his groomsmen in the La Ventura courtyard, photographed by One and Only Production

A First Look at the Geranium Wall

Jerrick waited in front of the wall of red geraniums while Joanna walked up behind him with her pastel bouquet.

Jerrick waiting by the geranium wall for the first look
Joanna walking up behind Jerrick with her pastel bouquet
Jerrick turning to see Joanna for the first time
Joanna and Jerrick holding hands in front of the geranium wall
Jerrick kissing Joanna's forehead after their first look, photographed by One and Only Production

Portraits in the La Ventura Courtyard

The architectural arches at the front of La Ventura were one of the details Joanna and Jerrick were most excited about, so we started portraits there under the bougainvillea. We also toasted with champagne and stepped inside to the sweetheart table and the parlor.

Joanna and Jerrick by the arched doorway in the La Ventura courtyard, framed by bougainvillea
Joanna and Jerrick under the arched entry lined with agave and pink bougainvillea
Joanna and Jerrick beneath the white arch with pink bougainvillea spilling over it
Joanna and Jerrick toasting with champagne flutes
Joanna and Jerrick laughing as they raise their glasses
Joanna and Jerrick at their sweetheart table lined with pastel florals
Jerrick kissing Joanna in front of the string light backdrop in the parlor
Joanna and Jerrick sitting at a small table beside a painted tile mural

Portraits on the San Clemente Coast

A golf cart from the venue took us a short drive to the beach, where the sandstone cliffs and narrow canyons made a completely different backdrop from the courtyard. Joanna's long veil loved the ocean breeze.

Joanna's long veil catching the wind at the beach as Jerrick holds her
Joanna and Jerrick on the bluff path below the sandstone cliffs
Jerrick spinning Joanna on the cliffside trail
Joanna and Jerrick walking the sandy path under the cliffs
Joanna and Jerrick smiling together with the San Clemente cliffs behind them
Joanna gathering her gown on the sand as Jerrick looks on
Joanna and Jerrick tucked into a narrow sandstone canyon near the beach
Joanna and Jerrick close together inside the carved sandstone walls
Joanna holding her bouquet against the sculpted sandstone, her veil trailing
Joanna and Jerrick on the sand beside the cliffs, photographed by One and Only Production

The Wedding Party

Dusty blue gowns and light gray suits came together in the courtyard, with two flower girls joining in for the full group.

The full wedding party in dusty blue and light gray in the La Ventura courtyard
The wedding party seated together in the courtyard
Jerrick leading Joanna through the cheering wedding party
The wedding party celebrating around Joanna and Jerrick in the courtyard
Joanna and Jerrick with their wedding party and flower girls under the bougainvillea
The wedding party and flower girls gathered close around Joanna and Jerrick, photographed by One and Only Production

Ceremony in the Courtyard

The ceremony was held in the open air courtyard at La Ventura Event Center under a greenery arch, with pastel florals by Eveni Floral Design lining the aisle. Their officiant Irene Yang led the vows, they exchanged rings, and Jerrick finished with a dip and a kiss.

Jerrick walking a family member down the aisle in the La Ventura courtyard
A groomsman and bridesmaid walking in the processional, guests seated along the courtyard
A bridesmaid in dusty blue walking down the courtyard aisle
A bridesmaid and groomsman walking in together under the greenery arch
Jerrick waiting at the altar as the processional begins
Bridesmaids in dusty blue lined up beside the altar
Wide view of the courtyard ceremony with pastel florals on both sides
Bridesmaids holding their pastel bouquets during the ceremony
Jerrick reading his vows into the microphone beside pastel florals
Joanna and Jerrick facing each other with their officiant during the ceremony
Guests watching the ceremony from their seats
Joanna and Jerrick exchanging rings at the altar
Wide view of the ceremony in the courtyard with guests on both sides of the aisle
Jerrick dipping Joanna for their first kiss as guests cheer, photographed by One and Only Production

Reception in the Parlor

Dinner was in the parlor at La Ventura, with round tables, dusty blue napkins and pastel centerpieces, and a sweetheart table set with rattan chairs and a long garland of flowers.

The parlor at La Ventura Event Center set with round tables before guests arrived
Round tables set with dusty blue napkins in the parlor
The sweetheart table with rattan chairs and a garland of pastel florals
Pastel roses and sweet peas in the floral arrangement
A table number among pastel florals and glassware
A pastel centerpiece on a reception table
The card table on a round wooden pedestal at the parlor entry
Guests snapping photos from their table
Joanna and Jerrick laughing at their sweetheart table with friends leaning in
Joanna and Jerrick with friends behind the sweetheart table, photographed by One and Only Production

Grand Entrance, First Dance and Parent Dances

The wedding party danced their way into the parlor, then Joanna and Jerrick had their first dance under the string lights, followed by the parent dances.

The emcee announcing the wedding party into the parlor
Groomsmen and bridesmaids dancing their way into the parlor
Bridesmaids twirling during the grand entrance
Guests cheering and filming the grand entrance from their tables
The wedding party dancing in as guests clap along
Joanna and Jerrick throwing their arms up as they start their first dance
Joanna and Jerrick facing each other on the parlor dance floor
Joanna spinning in her gown during the first dance
Joanna and Jerrick close together under the string lights
Jerrick dipping Joanna in front of the sweetheart table
Joanna and Jerrick ending their first dance with a hug
Jerrick sharing a parent dance on the dance floor
Jerrick dancing with a family member in pink
Jerrick laughing during the parent dance, photographed by One and Only Production

Speeches

Friends from both sides took the microphone, and the parlor was full of laughs and hugs.

A groomsman giving a speech in the parlor
Guests laughing during the speeches
A groomsman hugging Joanna and Jerrick after his speech
Guests reacting from their tables during the speeches
A bridesmaid giving a toast with the microphone
A bridesmaid in dusty blue sharing her speech
Joanna and Jerrick smiling at the sweetheart table during the speeches, photographed by One and Only Production

Games and Cake

A few reception games got everyone involved before Joanna and Jerrick cut their pastel cake.

Joanna and Jerrick at the sweetheart table during a reception game
A guest laughing during the game
Bridesmaids playing along in the game
Guests gathered on the dance floor for a game
The cake with lavender and pastel flowers on a gold stand
Close up of the pastel buttercream cake
Joanna and Jerrick sharing a kiss before cutting the cake
Joanna and Jerrick slicing the cake together
Joanna and Jerrick feeding each other cake
A gold name card for Jerrick tucked among pastel flowers, photographed by One and Only Production

The Dance Floor

949 Studio kept the parlor dance floor busy for the rest of the night, and Joanna danced right in the middle of her friends.

Guests filling the parlor dance floor under the beams
A guest dancing low as friends cheer him on
Friends dancing together under the purple lights
Joanna dancing in the middle of her friends
Joanna dancing with her bridesmaids on the wood floor
A guest singing along on the dance floor
Friends singing together late in the night, photographed by One and Only Production

Planning a La Ventura Event Center Wedding?

La Ventura Event Center is a family owned, Spanish Colonial Revival venue on El Camino Real in San Clemente, about half a mile from the ocean. It hosts the ceremony and reception in one place, with an open air courtyard, an indoor parlor and getting ready suites for both sides. Here is what we learned photographing and filming Joanna and Jerrick's day, for couples planning their own La Ventura wedding. You can also watch Joanna and Jerrick's La Ventura wedding film.

Getting Ready Suites

Joanna had her hair and makeup done at an Airbnb about half a mile away and arrived at La Ventura around 1:00 to finish getting ready. The bridal suite is bright and white with a full length mirror, a sofa and a wall of woven baskets, and the antique carved doors just outside it are the best place to hang the gown. On Jerrick's side, the suite with wine barrel lids on the wall worked well, with the tiled courtyard right outside for portraits.

Best First Look Spots

The wall of terracotta pots and red geraniums is La Ventura's signature backdrop, and it was perfect for Joanna and Jerrick's first look: bright, evenly lit and private before guests arrive. The bougainvillea arches over the dark wooden doors and the ceremony arch itself are great alternatives, all a short walk apart.

The Courtyard Ceremony

Ceremonies are held in the open air courtyard on terracotta tile, with string lights overhead and olive trees along the walls. Guests face a white draped arch, so a full floral arch like Eveni Floral's makes a big difference in photos. For a 4:30 ceremony in early May, the light stayed soft and even across the courtyard.

Just Married Beach Portraits

One of La Ventura's best extras: the venue arranged a golf cart and a staff member to drive Joanna, Jerrick and our team to a cliffside beach a few minutes away. Their timeline set aside cocktail hour for it, which left time for the sandstone bluffs, the beach trail and a narrow carved canyon. Ask the venue whether this is available for your date, and have someone ready to help with a long train on the sandy path.

Reception in the Parlor

The parlor has wood floors, dark exposed beams and white walls, so it takes on whatever your florals and lighting bring. Joanna and Jerrick added curtains of fairy lights behind the sweetheart table, which also made a soft backdrop for toasts and the first dance. Save a few minutes at the end of the night for the hand painted Spanish tile mural, one of the most colorful spots on the property.

Timeline Tips From Their Day

Joanna and Jerrick's timeline worked well: coverage started at 1:30 with details and the gown, the groomsmen got ready at 2:45, the first look was at 3:00, family and wedding party portraits followed, and the ceremony started at 4:30. Cocktail hour went to beach portraits, and the reception opened at 6:00 with introductions and first dances, then speeches, dinner, games and cake cutting at 9:00 before the 10:00 end.

La Ventura Event Center Wedding FAQ

Where is La Ventura Event Center?

La Ventura Event Center is at 2316 S El Camino Real, San Clemente, CA 92672, in south Orange County, about half a mile from the beach.

How many guests does La Ventura hold?

La Ventura lists capacity for up to 200 seated guests. Ask the venue about layouts for your guest count.

Can we have the ceremony and reception at La Ventura?

Yes. Joanna and Jerrick held both there: the ceremony in the open air courtyard and the reception in the parlor.

Are you a La Ventura Event Center wedding photographer?

Yes. One and Only Production is a wedding photographer and videographer team based in West Covina. We photographed and filmed Joanna and Jerrick's La Ventura wedding, serve Los Angeles, Orange County, the Inland Empire and the San Gabriel Valley, and work in English, Cantonese and Mandarin. See more in our wedding portfolio, and if you are planning a La Ventura wedding, check your date with us below.

Wedding Vendors

Venue: La Ventura Event Center @laventuraeventcenter
Coordinator: Ashley Downes, La Ventura Event Center
Makeup: Credo Makeup Studio @credomakeupstudio
Floral: Eveni Floral Design @eveni.floral
Officiant: Irene Yang
Gown: Lotus Bridal @lotusbridal
Suit: The Suit Spot @thesuitspot_
DJ: Mike the DJ, 949 Studio @949studio
Photo and Video: One and Only Production @oneandonlyproduction

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