{"id":186577,"date":"2026-02-20T21:15:11","date_gmt":"2026-02-20T21:15:11","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/186577\/"},"modified":"2026-02-20T21:15:11","modified_gmt":"2026-02-20T21:15:11","slug":"the-rise-of-wellness-weddings","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/186577\/","title":{"rendered":"The Rise of Wellness Weddings"},"content":{"rendered":"

On the day before their wedding, Alejandro \u201cJano\u201d Galindo and Dr. Maria Jose \u201cMJ\u201d Galindo weren\u2019t juggling timelines or hustling through the chaos of seating-chart tweaks and last-minute changes. They were rolling out their mats\u2014yoga for him, Pilates for her<\/a>.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhen we sat down to plan, we didn\u2019t start with colors or themes,\u201d MJ says. \u201cWe asked, \u2018How do we want this to feel?\u2019 I\u2019d read that you remember the feeling of your wedding more than anything else. That really stayed with us.\u201d <\/p>\n

So, they crafted their weekend around movement, shared moments, and feeling good. They let the day proceed at an easy pace, regularly stepping into a quiet room or out into the garden to breathe and reset, quiet check-ins that helped them stay grounded without guests ever noticing. \u201cWe wanted a fun, intimate atmosphere full of loving energy,\u201d Jano says. \u201cWe wanted people to feel connected<\/a>\u2014to us and to each other.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"\"Courtesy of LiveLoveSpa x Four Moons Spa<\/p>\n

Their approach reflects a paradigm that\u2019s become increasingly popular since the pandemic: Couples aren\u2019t interested in weddings that leave them depleted. The old format, with late nights that slid into hungover brunches and timelines that left no room to enjoy the day, is losing its appeal. \u201cThe priority has shifted to intention,\u201d says Ellen O\u2019Brien, former editor at Brides Magazine. \u201cCouples are integrating wellness not as an add-on but as a core value\u2014sound baths, sunrise yoga, adaptogenic drinks, plant-forward menus. They want celebrations that reflect who they really are.\u201d<\/p>\n

Gen Z is leading the charge. <\/p>\n

\u201cThey\u2019re drinking less<\/a>, sleeping more, and ditching cookie-cutter weddings in favor of deeply personal, values-first experiences,\u201d O\u2019Brien adds.<\/p>\n

\"\"Courtesy of LiveLove Spa x Four Moons Spa<\/p>\n

Where weddings were once a high-octane party weekend, they\u2019re now a gentler, more grounded affair fueled by movement and mocktails. Instead of boozy brunches, couples are opting for sauna sessions and cold plunges<\/a>. From reiki and vitamin IVs to breathwork and guided meditations<\/a>, wellness is edging out indulgence.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019ve had couples swap traditional glam time for group sound baths or intention-setting ceremonies,\u201d says Emily Campbell, who plans weddings for Four Seasons Lanai, Hawai\u2018i properties. Instead of dancing into the wee hours, some of her clients are instead planning next-morning hikes<\/a>. \u201cPeople want guests to feel good emotionally and physically\u2014not just entertained.\u201d <\/p>\n

As weddings get healthier, San Diego\u2019s resorts are leaning in. <\/p>\n

At The Inn at Rancho Santa Fe<\/a>, that looks like sunrise yoga on the lawn, guided hikes<\/a>, and longevity-forward offerings\u2014think detox and glow vitamin injections for the wedding party and IV drips for jet-lagged guests. \u201cCouples want the whole weekend to feel like a retreat,\u201d says Director of Catering Molly Nelson. \u201cPeople arrive, breathe, and move their bodies. They leave feeling better than when they came.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"\"Courtesy of Rancho Valencia Resort & Spa<\/p>\n

Rancho Valencia Resort & Spa<\/a> has seen pre-wedding pickleball tournaments<\/a> and quiet sound baths replace more traditional festivities. Couples opt for fruit-infused water instead of tray-passed Champagne, and vegetable-forward, anti-inflammatory dishes anchor the menus. Recently, one couple turned their private villa into a yoga pavilion draped in sheer white fabric, complete with morning smoothies and a flower-pressing station.<\/p>\n

At Omni La Costa Resort & Spa<\/a>, couples are crafting multi-day \u201cwedding retreats\u201d built around group fitness classes<\/a>, Ayurvedic treatments, and hydration stations stocked with mineral-rich waters and botanicals. Sustainability has also become part of the experience, says Senior Catering Manager Jenna Nickl-Jones, with biodegradable d\u00e9cor, reusable elements, herbs in place of traditional florals, and even ceremony trees that can be replanted afterward. \u201cThere\u2019s a move toward intention and minimalism,\u201d she says. \u201cCouples are prioritizing ease and well-being in every part of the weekend.\u201d <\/p>\n

And increasingly, couples are centering their pre- and post-wedding activities at spaces like Four Moons Spa<\/a>, which has seen a dramatic rise in wellness-forward bridal gatherings. \u201cFive years ago, most pre-wedding events leaned toward nightlife,\u201d says founder Letha Sandison. \u201cNow brides and couples are craving grounding, connection, and experiences that actually nourish them.\u201d <\/p>\n

And while planned wellness events can enhance the experience for couples and guests, sometimes enjoying one\u2019s wedding means doing less, not more, especially when it comes to d\u00e9cor. <\/p>\n

\"\"Photo Credit: Adriana Michele Photography<\/p>\n

\u201c[Couples are] choosing settings where the scenery holds the moment, rather than relying on ornate arches or elaborate installations,\u201d Campbell says. <\/p>\n

That\u2019s exactly what drew Jano and MJ to The Hidden Chateau<\/a>, their Victorian garden venue in Escondido with a built-in sense of magic. \u201cWe didn\u2019t need to add much,\u201d MJ says. \u201cIt had that elevated-backyard feel.\u201d <\/p>\n

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It also supported what mattered most: staying present. The blend of open garden spaces and intimate rooms created balance, giving them the opportunity to celebrate and breathe simultaneously. \u201cGuests told us it felt authentic to who we are,\u201d Jano says. \u201cPeople actually spent time with us and with each other.\u201d <\/p>\n

And that\u2019s the heart of it: Wellness weddings aren\u2019t about deprivation or austerity. \u201cPeople want to experience their wedding, not perform it,\u201d O\u2019Brien says. \u201cIt\u2019s really about presence.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"On the day before their wedding, Alejandro \u201cJano\u201d Galindo and Dr. Maria Jose \u201cMJ\u201d Galindo weren\u2019t juggling timelines…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":186578,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[28],"tags":[2975,3177,11018,74,76,75,21900],"class_list":["post-186577","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-san-diego","tag-2975","tag-everything-sd","tag-health-wellness","tag-san-diego","tag-san-diego-headlines","tag-san-diego-news","tag-weddings"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/186577","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=186577"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/186577\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/186578"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=186577"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=186577"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=186577"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}