Catalina Island Wedding | Kim & Jon - lesliejoyphotography.com

Kim and Jon’s Catalina Island Wedding was over a decade in the making— 12 years to be exact. They met while working the same part-time job in college. Although they spent most shifts working completely opposite schedules, they would work together on weekends and spent all of their other shifts asking their coworkers about the other person. Eventually, their first date at Disneyland (during which it completely poured rain the entire time) gave way to officially dating, then moving in and building a life together.

Catalina Island has always held a special place in Kim’s heart. She and her family spent many vacations making the trek to Avalon on the ferry. Her love of the island became a shared passion for her and Jon. Eventually he knew it would be the perfect place to propose. It wasn’t any wonder that when it came time to decide on a wedding venue, they chose Descanso Beach Club. They were eager to share this place that held so many memories for them with all of their loved ones. This gathering was incredibly special for the couple, especially as the wedding weekend was the first time Kim got to meet Jon’s brother, who flew in from Thailand to celebrate the couple.

The Wedding Details

The color palette of shades of blues, white, and cream was inspired by Catalina Island itself. Kim’s bridesmaids were outfitted in mixed styles of dresses in the same shade of blue. In turn, Jon’s groomsmen donned light grey suits. Jon opted for a slightly darker grey suit to stand out, while Kim commanded attention in the traditional wedding white.

We captured their first look outdoors, then moved to the venue’s covered patio area for a private vow exchange. The weather continued to keep us on our toes, so all of their family formal portraits were taken indoors. These moments were especially important for the couple, who mentioned that their love of family was a shared value that drew them together.

Despite the brief April showers at the beginning of our coverage, the clouds parted just in time for the ceremony. A special moment came during their ceremony, during which their guests participated in a ring-warming ceremony. Guests were invited to take a moment to hold the rings and offer well-wishes or prayers for the couple’s future together.

Though we were met with more rain during the couple’s just married portraits, Kim and Jon took it in stride. It felt like a full-circle moment, nodding to their storied first date at Disneyland in the pouring rain. And on their wedding day, nothing got in the way of the feelings of joy and excitement that consumed them. They were finally married after over a dozen years in the making.