Billy & Samantha

Romantic Summer Wedding at Canopy Grove

Escondido, California | June Wedding

Summer weddings are stunning. Others are joyful. This one was both.

Billy & Samantha got married at Canopy Grove in Escondido, California on a summer day that started slow and sweet and ended with cake crumbs, a packed dance floor, and that look people get when they’ve just watched something important and beautiful. I won’t forget it.

Getting ready in the quiet moments

The morning started with pink silk pajamas, champagne in flutes, and loud laughter that echoed off the walls of the bridal suite. Samantha had a circle of women around her—hype squad, yes, but also the kind of friends who look at you and see you. Her mom zipped her into the gown (satin with gathered sleeves and a perfect train) while everyone else turned into puddles of emotion.

Meanwhile, Billy was with his groomsmen—buttoning his shirt, sipping a beer, getting lifted in the air for one of my favorite groomsmen photos of all time. That group knew how to have a good time and knew how to show up for each other.

A first touch that didn’t need a first look

Instead of a first look, Billy and Samantha shared a first touch—palms together around the corner of a barn door, each holding their vows. They read quietly, out loud to themselves but close enough to hear. Samantha gripped her bouquet and a pearl bracelet. Billy couldn’t stop smiling. It was tender, quiet, and as emotionally charged as any first look could’ve been.

The ceremony: bright light, family faces, and the happiest “yes”

They said I do under a floral-wrapped hexagon arch, kissed to applause, and walked back down the aisle with Samantha’s bouquet in the air and Billy in a lei of fresh greenery. The cheers were loud, but that’s what happens when everyone in the crowd knows you and roots for you. This wasn’t just a celebration—it was a homecoming.

Cocktails, kisses, and a new last name

We took portraits outside the venue with their full wedding party, and I mean full. The bridesmaids wore warm blush gowns and carried tall bundles of calla lilies, and every single one of them knew how to throw a party. Afterward, Samantha and Billy clinked glasses, kissed in their sunglasses, and laughed their way through a just-married glow that absolutely deserved a photo.

Reception details and a literal tower of desserts

After outfit changes (Billy shed the jacket and Samantha in a silver fringe party dress that sparkled like a disco ball), they cut into a white cake topped with berries and “Mr. & Mrs. Kalimai” in gold. The dessert table was fully loaded—macarons, chocolate mousse cups, cream puffs, mini pies—and I still don’t know how guests chose just one. (They didn’t!)

Later, there was dancing. A lot of it. High-heel shedding and top of the lung shout-singing. You could feel it: this day mattered.

Canopy Grove weddings: beautiful, grounded, and personal

Canopy Grove in Escondido is a perfect venue that just works. It’s beautiful without being stuffy, and the light is absolutely perfect in every direction. If you’re looking for a wedding venue that feels warm, grounded, and joyful, I’d photograph a hundred more days just like Billy & Samantha’s.