Mission San Juan Capistrano

Something about Mission San Juan Capistrano seems to attract us very much, it could be the aged walls, the long hallways, the cracked bricks, or simply the warm color scheme of the entire mission.

This is a Spanish mission located in Orange County, CA and was founded back in 1776. Aside from its rich history, the site is now a popular day trip destination and wedding venue in Southern California. We actually had our wedding portraits taken here as one of the three locations we chose, but being shot by a professional photographer in a timed session is a very different feeling than just the two of us casually touring the place. It was a very pleasant afternoon spent here as we were able to slow down our pace and enjoy all the details that we didn’t have time for during our previous visit.

For more site information such as hours, tickets, venue, etc., click here.

Campanario - The Bell Wall

This is absolutely our favorite spot in the mission, the wall has a bold Spanish accent in terms of architectural style. The four bells, from largest to smallest, each named as San Vincente, San Juan, San Antonio, and San Rafael (the 2 larger bells are actually replicas of the originals due to irreparable damages).

There is also a petite but beautiful fountain right in the middle of this area, making the space extra photogenic.

The Hallways

The site structure of this mission allows it to have several long and gorgeous hallways, and for us simply walking from one end to another is a unique form of joy. There are many forms of happiness in life, and one of them must be the fact that you know you have a long way to walk still, but when you look back your beloved one is always there.

Serra Chapel

A historical chapel inside Mission San Juan Capistrano and a place that contained the rich and diverse history of California. This is where you can really feel and understand the deeper meaning of the mission.