I think yellow should be indoctrinated as best wedding color ever. It works in every single setting we come across, including a stylish beach fête with a modern flair. And if yellow is winning best color then succulents should be crowned best wedding flower plant ever. At least for today because this pretty wedding captured by Larissa Cleveland Photography is a shining example of our love affair with all of the above. See the full shindig right here.
Click here for the FULL wedding!
From the Bride… I guess it all began with the colors. Yellow is my favorite color, and it complemented the slate gray fog that blankets the beach and farming town of Half Moon Bay, California, where my family had a beach house for four generations. Trying to adhere to the natural coastal beauty of our sleepy old town location, while at the same time embracing the sophistication of the Ritz-Carlton hotel where my husband and I wed, we created a blend of modern and vintage aesthetics that suited us as a couple and our location. Our clever florist created a modern arch from driftwood and succulents, while family friends loaned us their blue Ford truck, which reminded us of the old trucks once used on Half Moon Bay farms. Because of our love of travel and the fact that for most of our guests this was a destination wedding, we chose countries that we have frequented as table names and used small luggage tags for seat assignments. The passport stamp on the tags determined the dinner dish each guest received. To carry the theme further, the menus and programs were also made on different sized luggage tags; a globe highlighting our excursions spun on the reception table; and maps in our wedding colors stood in for table place cards. The bagpiper who led my husband, our beloved bulldog Humphrey, and the groomsmen down the aisle furthered this travel theme, as did the mariachis who played during the cocktail hour. Each style of music came from our family backgrounds.
While staying true to our location and theme, we wanted to maintain a level of playfulness that best represents us as a couple. We had so much fun with the smaller details, including the Chucks my husband designed for himself and the groomsmen, Humphrey’s matching bow tie, the seersucker suit for my grandpa and ring bearers, the sugar pearl-studded cake to complement my lovely pearl-studded bridesmaids, the Mr. Rogers’ reading, the Dick Van Dyke credits song for our reception entrance, the paper flower balls created by a bridesmaid, and the “half moon” sugar cookies my mom baked for guests staying at the Ritz. We couldn’t have done it without my parents, who assumed the role of wedding planners, helping with music, spray-painting, collecting driftwood and constructing the corresponding screen and seat assignment stands, sewing programs, and growing 100 succulent garden favor pots. In the end, though, it was the special toasts and guests who rocked the dance floor that made the evening a night we will never forget.
Wedding Photography: Larissa Cleveland Photography / Wedding Venue: Ritz-Carlton Half Moon Bay in Half Moon Bay, California / Wedding Venue Contact: Amy Monroe / Floral Design: Alena Jean / Wedding Planning, Seat Assignments, Programs + Succulents: The Bride’s Parents / Officiant: Father Tom Dowling of White Robed Monks of St. Benedict / Wedding Cake: Marina Sousa of Just Cake / DJ: Matthew Cope of Cope Entertainment / Paper Flowers: A Bridesmaid / Half Moon Cookies: The Bride’s Mother / Wedding Dress: Monique Lhuillier / Hair + Makeup: Mizu Salon
A glorious San Juan Capistrano setting, beautiful blooms by Inviting Occasion and a bride-to-be seeing her fiancé in his Dress Blues for the VERY first time… if this isn’t the world’s dreamiest e-shoot, then I don’t know what is. Yep, this darling duo (and their adorable pup!) have most certainly put a smile on my face – and with Kelsey Events styling every romantic moment and Brandon Kidd Photography on hand to capture it all, we’re in for a wonderful, WONDERFUL Tuesday. Click here for more.
Click here for the FULL engagement session!
From the Bride… We always knew we wanted to have photos taken outside with our dog, Ruby, in San Juan Capistrano – Los Rios and orange grove field. Over our two and a half years together, I had never seen Adam in his dress blues. He wanted to take this chance to don his formal military attire for me and in the photos we would be sharing with our families. The mission was a perfect backdrop for such a handsome man in uniform! We wanted to include items that I had collected since our engagement, some of which would be for the wedding and others specifically picked up along the way with the engagement photos in mind. Even Ruby got her very own “lovebirds” dog collar!
Photography: Brandon Kidd Photography / Location: Mission San Juan Capistrano in San Juan Capistrano, California / Floral Design: Inviting Occasion / Event Design + Planning: Kelsey Events
This Pasadena wedding is filling me up with total and complete happiness. I am in love with absolutely every single detail – the DIY wildflower arrangements, the travel decor so appropriate for this anthropologist bride and Austrian groom, the romantic, al fresco setting and, of course, Annie McElwain Photography sweet images. See them all in the full gallery!
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From the Bride… In deciding to get married, I only had one absolute request: I wanted to get married under a big tree. When we first entered the garden at Happy Trails, we knew it was the perfect spot with the perfect tree. Since Peter is from Austria, and I am an anthropologist, we wanted an international flavor to the wedding, something that represented our love of travel and all the places that are special to us. We didn’t have a wedding planner, but I took lots of inspiration from wedding blogs, Etsy and Pinterest, and my mom was a big help in designing the overall look for the day. With help from many friends and family (and some late nights) we made the programs, favors, and flags, and Peter made the beautiful directional sign leading people into the garden.
We also did all the bouquets and centerpieces ourselves, taking advantage of the amazing selection at the LA Flower Market. Wandering the market at 6 a.m. with all the other brides and their mothers was so much fun and really got me excited for the day. We rented globes and vintage suitcases, which we mixed with some old maps and other pieces we had collected in our travels. For the place cards, I found a selection of vintage postcards from our favorite spots in Southern California and slipped them into the napkins. And of course we wanted to add some Austrian touches, so we ordered Bavarian-style pretzels for the cocktail hour and made sure to have plenty of beer on hand. On the morning of the wedding Peter passed on another Austrian tradition, the “morning gift.” He gave me a beautiful pair of aquamarine earrings to wear as my something blue.
We lucked out with a beautiful, warm, fall day in Pasadena. Our friend (fortuitously named Karma) officiated, and for our reading, we went with Charles Darwin’s musings on marriage, an homage to our scientific roots. The night went by quickly (No many how many times people told us it would, I was still surprised!), but I remember standing aside for a moment during dinner and seeing everyone eating at the long tables under the lit up tree and thinking it really was a perfect day.
Wedding Photography: Katie of Annie McElwain Photography / Wedding Venue + Catering: Happy Trails Catering in Pasadena, California / Flowers: DIY by the Bride via the LA Flower District / Wedding Cake: Vanilla Bake Shop / Cake Banner: ReadyGo / Wedding Invitations: TheLoveFont / Rentals: Archive Vintage Rentals / Wedding Programs, Favors + Flags: DIY / Directional Sign: DIY by the Groom / Wedding Dress: Jenny Yoo / Bride’s Shrug: BHLDN / Groom’s Suit: Hugo Boss
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