Angela always knew she would get married by the water. Not in a Pinterest-board kind of way, but with the certainty of someone who grew up paying attention to tides and seasons.

So when she and Tony stood on the terrace at The Seabird Ocean Resort on a breezy November morning, watching the Pacific stretch out in front of them, the decision felt obvious. She turned to him and said, simply, “This is it.”

Finding Their Wave

Angela and Tony met on a dating app in Seattle in 2019. From their first date, the connection felt easy. "Our first date was one for the books," they recall. "Full of laughter, great conversation, and the kind of effortless connection that just felt easy from the start. It set the tone for everything that came after."

That ease carried them from Seattle coffee shops to San Diego beaches, where they eventually settled in Oceanside. Tony proposed on a sunny day along the Torrey Pines beach trail, choosing a quiet bend overlooking the ocean, a moment that felt just as natural and thoughtful as everything that came before. "Beautiful cliffs, ocean views, and the sweetest surprise," Angela remembers.

The Vision: California Coastal Meets Modern Tropical

“California coastal meets tropical and upscale boho” is how Angela and Tony described their vision from the start. Not the overdone version, but something more refined. Think warm wood and rattan textures, palm-forward elements, and a palette of olive green and tan that felt natural, elevated, and relaxed.

Living in Oceanside shaped the look in a real way. The palm-lined streets, surf culture, and easy coastal energy informed every decision. “We wanted it to feel cool and casual, but still elegant and unique,” they shared.

Choosing The Seabird Ocean Resort felt meaningful. Located in the heart of downtown Oceanside, it reflected the place they’d come to call home. “The Seabird had the coastal feel we were drawn to: memorable, preppy, and right on the water,” they said. “A terrace ceremony overlooking the ocean felt like the perfect expression of that.”

Flowers That Speak Their Language

When it came to florals, Angela and Tony were clear about what they didn’t want: anything that leaned into a more typical idea of a “beach wedding.” Instead, they turned to Poppy with a clear vision born from "Pinterest inspiration and a clear vision of wanting mostly greenery."

"The palms and greenery really tied the whole theme together," they explain. What emerged was a sophisticated take on tropical—architectural white anthuriums that looked almost sculptural, oriental lilies with their dramatic blooms, and those essential palm fronds that brought the whole vision home.

Angela’s bouquet reflected that contrast. Glossy anthuriums paired with mini calla lilies and white lisianthus, anchored by graphic raphis palm fronds. It wasn’t traditionally soft or romantic. It was clean, confident, and unmistakably them.

For the ceremony, Poppy approached the arch as an exercise in form rather than fullness. Instead of a wrapped or overflowing installation, the design was deconstructed and airy. Lime green hydrangeas clustered in coral formations, while white roses and delphiniums reached upward through layers of palm. The asymmetrical design looked less arranged and more discovered, as if this particular combination of flowers had simply decided to grow there.

"Everyone immediately ooh'd and aww'd when the bouquets arrived," Angela remembers. "Seeing everything come together was magical. Each arrangement felt cohesive, intentional, and even better than I imagined."