From the beginning, Candice and DeVaughn’s celebration was about more than elegance. It was about ease. Held at the sunlit Monserate Winery in Fallbrook, California, their wedding unfolded like a summer daydream, rooted in intention, elevated by timeless design, and captured with grace by Tracy Pacana. With a soft Italian garden party aesthetic, the day was a seamless combination of light, emotion, and quiet sophistication.
Location: Fallbrook, California, USA
Style: Italian Garden Aesthetic
Time of planning: 15 months
Number of guests: 100
Setting: Vineyard
Season: Summer
Their story began with a leap of faith, literally. Candice moved from New York to Los Angeles without fully knowing why. Six months later, she met DeVaughn on Hinge. Despite showing up 30 minutes late — thank you, LA traffic — their first date felt like catching up with someone she already knew. They connected instantly over their Midwestern roots, shared Christian values, and love for family.
When DeVaughn proposed during Candice’s birthday weekend, it was a complete surprise: on the beach in Santa Monica, with a thoughtfully arranged picnic and friends and family flown in from out of town. Candice cried immediately. “It was perfect,” shared the bride.
Vision & Inspiration
The couple planned for over a year with the help of Palm & Pine Events, drawing inspiration from European garden parties and minimal home design. Monserate Winery, with its olive trees, golden hills, and rustic architecture, became the perfect canvas.
Candice chose a palette of creamy beige and soft white to echo her own home aesthetic. Everything was rooted in texture: stone vases, neutral fabrics, and florals that felt organic and uncluttered. Sweet Floral Dreams brought the floral vision to life with delicate white arrangements styled in natural vessels. The design struck a quiet balance: elevated, but not overdone. It invited guests into a space that felt calm and alive.
Bridal Fashion
Candice wore a Monique Lhuillier gown with modern structure and timeless lines—a strapless silhouette with a dramatic slit and full skirt that moved like silk in the breeze. Her accessories were intentionally minimal, including a pair of classic Manolo Blahnik heels and diamond studs.
Her makeup by Manuel Espinoza glowed softly under the sun, while Kamari and Ricki styled her hair into a sleek, pulled-back bun that gave her whole look a quiet power. The bridesmaids wore black gowns in different cuts, adding dimension to the palette while keeping the visual focus on clean elegance.
On the groom’s side, DeVaughn’s ivory double-breasted tuxedo jacket paired with black trousers felt both sharp and romantic. “I attended his appointments to make sure his look complemented mine, haha!” added the bride.
Ceremony
Set along the water’s edge with rolling hills in the background, the outdoor ceremony was designed to let nature take center stage. Guests were seated in rows lined with delicate blooms and soft white parasols swaying in the breeze. The couple kept the decor minimal: white flowers in stone vases, neutral-toned pedestals, and the sun glow.
Candice walked down the aisle with her father and brother to Jordan Rakei’s cover of “Best Part,” and DeVaughn greeted her at the altar with tears in his eyes.
The bride’s party embraced a striking all-black dress code, creating a sleek contrast to the natural palette, while the rest of the guests added joyful color to the day through vibrant, personal fashion choices that brought the vineyard to life.
The ceremony included a unity sand ritual and was officiated by DeVaughn’s father, adding an intimate, familial layer to the experience. The atmosphere was sacred, heartfelt, and cinematic.
Cocktail Hour
Cocktail hour took place just steps from the ceremony, shaded by oversized umbrellas. The open-air bar served two signature cocktails: the “Mint to Be Mojito” and “Spicy Marry-Mita” — both refreshing, fun, and custom-designed for the day. Signage by Goldie Crew Creative was displayed on stacked slabs of stone, continuing the natural, textural thread of the celebration.
Guests mingled beneath the late-afternoon sky, drinks in hand, laughter ringing across the courtyard. It was relaxed, but purposeful, designed to bring people together and let the joy spill out naturally.
Private Moment
Before joining their guests for dinner, Candice and DeVaughn took a moment to themselves. Away from the buzz of celebration, they walked hand-in-hand through the vineyard, soaking in the stillness.
Captured beautifully by Tracy Pacana and Dee Hernandez, these portraits reflect not just how they looked, but how they felt: newly married, completely grounded, and fully present.
Reception & Decor
Reception unfolded inside Monserate’s barrel room — a space with soaring arched ceilings, neutral stone walls, and soft, ambient light. Long dinner tables were dressed in white linens, with single-stemmed roses in clear vases and flickering candles creating a glow that carried into the evening. Adore Folklore and 2 Create Designs supplied the rentals and furniture that transformed the space into a minimal yet inviting dinner setting. The layout encouraged connection, conversation, and comfort.
Guests were served an elegant meal that included salmon piccata, braised short ribs, and a portobello mushroom entrée for vegan guests. Each place setting featured a fabric name card and custom-printed menu, beautifully styled to feel personal.
Candice and DeVaughn made their grand entrance to cheers and music, dancing their way into the reception with a sense of joy that was immediately contagious. One of Candice’s favorite memories was watching the wedding party enter one by one to their own songs — each entrance full of personality and celebration. It was the kind of detail that made the whole evening feel alive.
Toasts from loved ones were intimate and emotional, bringing both tears and laughter. The energy was high, the love was palpable, and every guest seemed deeply present.
Later in the evening, the couple cut their sculptural white cake by Jenny Wenny Cakes, a modern tiered creation that matched the reception’s tone perfectly. The joy didn’t slow, just shifted. Guests hit the dance floor, led by DJ Beatific, who kept the party going late into the night.
The dance floor glowed with energy — drinks in hand, heels kicked off, and the kind of carefree celebration that only happens when everything else has gone just right.
Advice from the couple:
• Focus on being present and soaking in the joy. The day flies by and it’s important to relish the memory.
PHOTOGRAPHER Tracy Pacana | CONTENT CREATOR The Social Club | PLANNER Palm & Pine Events | VENUE Monserate Winery | FLORALS Sweet Floral Dreams | MAKEUP Manuel Espinoza | HAIR Beauty Marked by Mari & Ricki Styles | BRIDAL PARTY MAKEUP Angel Face MUA | DJ DJ Beatific | FURNITURE & RENTALS Adore Folklore, 2 Create Designs | CAKE Jenny Wenny Cakes | STATIONERY MinimalMoon Paperie | SIGNAGE Look Good on Paper Co., Goldie Crew Creative
