A Nature-Inspired Wedding At The Resort at Pelican Hill in Newport Coast, California

Molly Guran and Alex Fazeli met on Mother’s Day, 2013, when a friend set them up on a blind date. After receiving news that her boss and mentor had passed away, Molly had to push back their original date by a week.

Factor in an impromptu family trip to Palm Springs, and it was a whirlwind of rushing around for Molly to make the date happen. Even though she knew very little about Alex, other than him being a Harvard graduate working in medicine, she had a gut feeling that it was a date worth keeping.

“My first impression of Alex was he seemed so friendly and happy,” Molly describes. “I was pleasantly surprised how easily we were able to talk to each other. He seemed so perfect. He’s intelligent and handsome. ‘What’s the catch?’ I thought to myself.” As it turns out, Alex was going through a divorce and had three kids. Although he was upfront with his situation, he wasn’t sure how she’d handle it.

“Her reaction was not what I expected, and very unusual,” Alex says. “She asked, ‘Are you okay?’ Instead of being concerned for herself, she actually cared about me and had empathy. That was truly unexpected. If there was ever a sign from above, this was it. I knew then that she could be my little angel that heals my heart and those of my kids.”

It was Valentine’s Day, 2014 when Alex made reservations at the St. Regis Monarch Beach for an elaborate dinner. Afterwards, the couple took a walk around the resort. It was chilly out, so Molly asked if she could wear his jacket – but he refused. Secretly, Molly was a bit disturbed. Thinking they were leaving the resort, she was confused when Alex escorted her to a hotel room, took out a key, and opened the door.

“Even at that point, it never dawned on me that he was going to propose,” says Molly. “The room was completely covered in candles and rose petals. I thought maybe he got the room for Valentine’s Day, but I didn’t want to jump to any conclusions. I was admiring all the rose petals and candles, and when I turned back to look at Alex, he was down on one knee.” As it turns out, he had refused to give her his jacket, because the pocket contained a huge Cartier box.

The wedding planning process began with choosing the perfect venue – The Resort at Pelican Hill. With wedding planner Paula Laskelle at the helm, an extraordinary group of premier wedding vendors was put together, including Duke Photography, Square Root Designs, and Untitled Films Au, who flew in from Sydney for the special occasion.

Exactly three years after becoming an official couple, the bride and groom tied the knot with an exquisite ceremony and incredible reception. After sunset, the reception space transformed into a romantic atmosphere of gold décor, crystal candelabras, and candlelight. With an amber and purple lighting scheme, as well as an abundance of greenery, it felt like a real-life version of A Midsummer Night’s Dream.

“At the end of the reception, a Bentley escorted us to our villa onsite,” Molly says. “The first thing we did was eat the chocolate covered strawberries and drink Cristal. We were both so happy to share our special day with our friends and family. It was truly a memorable wedding and Fourth of July.”