Next-Level Personalization Impressed Guests at This Earth-Toned Wedding at Park Hyatt Aviara in Carlsbad, California
Like many couples today, Angelica Sun (31, CEO and creative director of Velvet Fox Designs) and Jonathan O’Connor (32, CEO of Joycast Acrylics) met online, in 2015. But their love story was anything but conventional. They became friends before deciding to meet face-to-face and, at that point, only shared a few phone calls and photos. In a world where some people have fake online identities, not video chatting before a first date was unheard of, but Angelica and Jonathan were ready to take the leap.
They planned to see each other in person for the first time at the Third Street Promenade in Santa Monica, California, which was a one-hour drive for Angelica, but a longer trek for Jonathan. “Jonathan lived in Marin County near San Francisco. He said there were many times he thought how crazy he was driving seven hours to meet a girl who could potentially be a catfish, but he never turned back,” says Angelica. It’s a good thing Jonathan listened to his gut, because the date was filled with laughter and ended with them stargazing along scenic Highway One.
Four months later they became boyfriend and girlfriend. “After our third date, I knew I loved her. After three weeks, I told my best friend I was going to marry her,” says Jonathan. On November 25, 2022, he proposed at a private dinner on the beach while he and Angelica were vacationing in Playa del Carmen, Mexico. Much to Angelica’s surprise, Jonathan placed the ring underneath a juicy strawberry on their cheesecake dessert for her to discover, before getting down on one knee.
Once engaged, their first order of business was finding a wedding location and hiring a planner. For the venue, Park Hyatt Aviara in Carlsbad, California, ticked all of Angelica and Jonathan’s boxes. It had the large outdoor area they wanted for their reception and accommodations for out-of-town guests, and it was unfamiliar enough that it felt like a luxury destination by the ocean, despite being nearby. For Angelica, having Amorology help them plan the wedding was a no-brainer, given her career as a stationer. “Since I’m in the wedding industry, I know many planners. Amorology always awed me whenever I saw their creative work and execution style,” she says.
The theme for the resort affair was inspired by “European fashion, Oriental shapes and the film Crazy Rich Asians,” says Angelica. The colors that made this theme come to life were neutrals like tan and cream, while terra-cotta and poppy red made the decor more dynamic. Angelica’s Chinese heritage also influenced the celebration’s look. “My Chinese culture played a huge role in the wedding. I embraced Eastern design qualities and translated them into my own style with a Southern California touch,” she explains.
With the help of their florists and planner, Angelica and Jonathan were able to make their wedding vision board a reality. It started with the attire and accessories for Angelica and her wedding party, which were true works of art. One of the florists, Dogwood & Fir, accented the bridesmaids’ dresses with blooms of Majolica roses, amaranthus and more (hand-sewn into the fabric) and created mismatched hair accessories. The bride also got a gorgeous floral headdress—an all-white one for the ceremony and an all-red one for the reception to match her red qipao, a traditional form-fitting Chinese dress.
After a heartwarming ceremony among the palm trees, the cocktail hour commenced and was a highlight for Angelica. Not only did the couple serve delicious fruit-forward signature drinks, but there was an out-of-this-world sushi bar to dig into. In addition, the couple displayed vintage rotary phones as audio guest books, so people could verbally share their well-wishes. The party next moved under a sheer golden canopy with a terra-cotta-colored gable structure, where guests enjoyed a seven-piece band. But there was a surprise on the way: colorful hot air balloons suspended in the sky, a perfect backdrop for golden-hour pictures. They also gave Angelica and Jonathan some alone time, since they went up in one after their grand reception entrance.
And even though there was a communication snafu resulting in 10 unaccounted-for guests showing up at the wedding, everything ended up exactly as it was supposed to. The bride and groom chatted with loved ones, savored their delectable four-tier cake and performed a breathtaking first dance to their favorite song, “If I Lose Myself” by OneRepublic. “I loved our first dance. It finally felt like it was just us in this tiny moment where we could focus only on each other,” says Angelica.