As a former Division I college athlete, it was fitting that Amelia “Amy” Daniels met her future husband Robert “Rob” Fife playing kickball for the local adult league. Rob was the captain of the defending champions, so he quickly took notice of Amy and her stellar performance on the rival team. After exchanging smiles from across the room at the local bar where players would gather post kickball, Rob asked Amy out to dinner. 

Similar to their meeting, Amy and Rob’s engagement was just as pure and memorable. On a cold, rainy night, Rob insisted Amy come outside to help him with something. Dressed in sweatpants and her hair thrown up in a messy bun, Amy stepped outside and immediately heard her favorite Disney song “You’ll Be in My Heart” from Tarzan playing. 

Twinkle lights, rose petals, and an inflatable jumbotron featuring a picture of the “Tree of Life” from Disney’s Animal Kingdom was set up. “As a massive Disney fan, I had always joked about getting married under this tree. Standing in the rain, looking my worst, Rob got on one knee and asked me to marry him,” Amy illustrates of the special moment. 

Beginning their journey with the guidance of a wedding planner, the bride was quickly surprised by how much “faith you must have when planning a wedding,” she says. “Unfortunately, you can’t see everything that you’re creating for the event, so pictures and concepts have to suffice.” 

Upon searching for a wedding venue, the couple had a couple of important characteristics the site had to provide: a stunning outdoor space and private ballroom options, as well as be nearby a major airport and in an area that guests could plan a weekend around with activities and sightseeing, as many of their invitees would be flying from across the country. “Most importantly, our venue needed to be dog friendly so that our dog, Baloo, could be part of the celebration,” tells Amy. 

The Lodge at Torrey Pines checked all the boxes, and more, with its sprawling manicured lawns and handsome Craftsman-style architecture. Inspired by the colors of The Lodge and her blush wedding dress, Amy settled on a color scheme of dark green, white, brown, and peach. 

“We created an incredibly unique aisle and ceremony space.”

Focusing on white florals for the ceremony was a brilliant choice, as the contrast against the greenery of the alfresco space was impressive. The aisle was sprinkled with snowy arrangements and led to a structure that boasted suspended florals and verdure that wrapped around the columns. “We created an incredibly unique aisle and ceremony space,” Amy shares of her vision. 

Baloo walked Rob down the aisle and became the star of the show. Their beloved pup also made an appearance later in the night when she escaped from their suite and joined them on the lawn after dinner, which Rob marks as one of his favorite moments in addition to watching his bride walk down the aisle. Having her dad by her side was of great importance to Amy, as was honoring her family. “My aunt passed away before our wedding, so I chose to walk down the aisle to a song by one of her favorite artists, Elvis Presley,” describes Amy of one special familial detail. 

For the dinner portion of the reception, Amy was inspired by “an incredible sunset when visiting The Lodge in the past” and wanted their guests to have the same experience. Vintage glass lights suspended from the ceiling of wood structures, along with lava lamps and candles, helped to illuminate the space with an amorous ambience, in addition to gorgeous floral arrangements in shades of peach. 

As the party extended into the later hours, the bride envisioned elements of a luxurious nightclub. “To do this, we used impactful lighting designs, inviting seating, exotic florals, and a wood bar that spanned the width of the room. While my ceremony was clean and bright, I wanted the party to be warm and comforting,” she explains. 

The newlyweds agree that there is nothing they would do differently, and Rob admits he was in awe of the level of detail that Amy took in planning. “Everything that we had was done with intent and had meaningful purpose,” he reflects of the perfect wedding weekend.

This real wedding was originally published in the Spring 2024 issue of Inside Weddings magazine. 

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