July 10, 2027
Together with their families
Jackie & Gwynn
invite you to celebrate their marriage
on the bluffs above the Pacific
days to go
Where it began
Seagrove Park in Del Mar is the park and beach Jackie grew up going to, and where Gwynn proposed. It’s where our wedding weekend begins, too.
Plan your weekend
Where and how you met, in a few sentences.
Gwynn proposed at Seagrove Park in Del Mar, a spot Jackie has loved since she was a girl. It’s where we’ll begin the wedding weekend, too. A detail or two about the day.
Drinks and light bites in the park, overlooking the ocean
Seagrove is the park and beach Jackie grew up going to, and where Gwynn proposed. We can’t think of a better place to kick off the weekend.
Following our rehearsal dinner, we’d love for everyone to join us for drinks and light bites in the park overlooking the ocean. Once the sun goes down, anyone who’d like to keep the night going can head to the bars just a couple of blocks away.
TipFor those in town on Friday, we suggest checking in to your hotel, then making your way down to Del Mar for dinner before welcome drinks.
Alila Marea, Encinitas
Outdoors
Please plan to be seated 30 minutes before the ceremony begins. We’re having an unplugged ceremony: kindly keep phones and cameras away so everyone can be fully present. Take as many photos as you like for the rest of the evening.
Cocktails on the balcony overlooking the Pacific, with the evening light settling over the water
Dinner and the start of reception festivities in the ballroom
The reception shifts gears: the lights dim, the music gets louder, and the dance floor stays full late into the night.
TipStaying at Cape Rey? A shuttle will take you back from Alila Marea after the celebration. Departure time to come.
San Diego International (SAN) is the closest major airport, about 30 minutes from Alila Marea without traffic. On a Friday afternoon, allow 45 to 60 minutes. McClellan-Palomar Airport (CLD) in Carlsbad is just minutes away but has very limited commercial flights. If you’re flying into Orange County (SNA), plan on roughly an hour or more; from Los Angeles (LAX), allow two hours or more depending on traffic.
Planning your FridayBoth hotels are north of Del Mar, where the welcome party is, so coming from the airport you’ll drive past Del Mar on the way to your hotel. For most guests, we recommend flying in Friday afternoon, checking in at 4 to get ready, then heading back down to Del Mar for dinner before welcome drinks.
We recommend using Uber or Lyft to get to and from each event. There are plenty of drivers in the area, but you may wait up to 15 minutes for a pickup, so plan a little extra time. You’re welcome to rent a car, but keep in mind that most hotels in the area charge for overnight parking.
ShuttleFor your convenience, we’ll also run a shuttle from Alila Marea back to Cape Rey after the celebration ends. We’ll share the departure time closer to the wedding.
Alila MareaOur venue • Adults only (18+)Set atop a dramatic seaside bluff above the Pacific, Alila Marea is an adults-only oceanfront retreat that captures the laid-back spirit of California beach culture. Stay right where the wedding happens and skip the ride home on Saturday night. Spend your days at the ocean-view pool deck and bar, unwind at Spa Alila, dine at VAGA, the resort’s signature restaurant, or borrow an Electra bike or surfboard and take the stone staircase down to the sand. Rooms host up to two guests.
Enter it under Offer codes when booking for our discounted rate.
Cape Rey Carlsbad~4 min from venueJust steps from the sand and directly across from South Carlsbad State Beach, Cape Rey is a relaxed coastal retreat at a more affordable price point, with boutique, beachy style and sweeping Pacific views. Lounge by the outdoor pool and cabanas, unwind at the spa, or enjoy California coastal cuisine at Chandler’s Oceanfront Dining. The resort fee covers beach chairs, towels, and umbrellas, beach bikes, and a local shuttle. Select rooms have ocean-view balconies, and every room includes a mini fridge and microwave.
We’ve reserved a block of rooms for our guests. The booking link is coming soon.
Both hotels sit right on the coast, so the beach is never far.
A stone staircase leads from the resort down to South Ponto Beach, so you can be on the sand in minutes. It’s an easy spot for a morning walk, a swim, or a surf lesson before the festivities.
Cape Rey sits directly across from South Carlsbad State Beach, and its beach service sets you up with chairs, towels, and umbrellas.
Approximate drive times from Alila Marea, without traffic
For those who have asked, our registry link is coming soon.
Formal invitations will follow in early 2027, and RSVPs will open on Zola at that time.
Questions? Email us at zambellowedding@gmail.com.
Thank you for standing with us! This page is only for our wedding party, so please don’t share the link.
Alila Marea, Encinitas
TipIdeally, arrive at the rehearsal mostly ready for the evening, with hair and makeup done, so you aren’t rushing before we head to dinner.
Meet next to the pool at Alila Marea. Just bring yourselves!
Seagrove Park, Del Mar
After the rehearsal, we’ll all take Ubers down to Del Mar for an elevated coastal casual dinner by the water. We’ve reserved the park for the evening, so relax and enjoy the view.
Seagrove Park, Del Mar
The rest of our guests join us for drinks and light bites.
Alila Marea, Encinitas
Where the bridesmaids and groomsmen get ready, hair and makeup schedule.
Wedding party photo time and location.
Where to meet before the 5 pm ceremony.
Phone number
Friday welcome party: coastal chic. Elevated casual, with comfortable shoes for the park that you can slip off if you’d like to head down to the sand for sunset photos.
Saturday wedding: black tie casual. Gentlemen, a tuxedo or a dark suit and tie. Ladies, a floor-length gown, an elegant cocktail dress, or dressy separates. The ceremony is outdoors on concrete, so any heels will do, and cocktail hour is on the balcony before we move inside for the rest of the night.
Classic San Diego summer: warm, sunny days. Days are typically in the mid-70s to low 80s, evenings dip into the mid-60s, and rain is very unlikely. Mornings on the coast can start out gray before the sun burns through, and the sun sets around 8 pm. Once it goes down, the ocean breeze makes it feel cooler.
We’re having an unplugged ceremony, so we kindly ask that you put away phones and cameras until it ends. After that, feel free to take as many photos as you’d like!
We are able to host only the guests named on your invitation. Thank you for understanding.
We love your little ones, but aside from our flower girls and ring bearer, who will be joining us for the ceremony, we’ve chosen to make our wedding weekend an adults-only celebration. We hope this gives you a chance to relax and enjoy a night out with us.
Exact timing is still to come. Later in the evening, the lights dim and the music turns up for the rest of the night, and a shuttle will take Cape Rey guests back after the celebration.
Alila Marea offers valet parking only, with no self-parking or street parking nearby. Valet is $18 for wedding guests, or $60 per night if you’re staying at the resort. If you plan to drink, we recommend taking an Uber or Lyft, or the shuttle back to Cape Rey.
