As much as I’d love to stick with the blissful beach theme of the day… we’re going to completely switch gears to bring you a spectacular So Cal wedding that’s all romance. Captured by the very talented Susan Dean every single shot is pure love. To make us even more week in knees, Kate Holt of Flower Wild was behind all the perfectly pedals and we could. not. be. more obsessed with these luscious arrangements. Add to that a beautiful bride with an eye for classic, elegant style and you can just let the swooning begin…
{Click here to see the rest of this dreamy affair}
From Kate Holt, Fower Wild…
Corinne has impeccable taste and all of that came thru in the flower details. Her bouquet was constructed entirely of heirloom garden roses. Their gorgeous ruffles and distinctive scents were simply unforgettable in their singular simplicity. Very Classic. I tied together smaller European twists of light peach, quartered rosettes for her lovely sisters. The perfect complement to the girls’ sweet bridesmaids gowns.
For the tables – we added a little flourish to each place setting with a single hellebore bloom. While the focus of the tables was a number of tailored arrangements full of ruffled rose blooms, cafe au lait dahlias, queen anne’s lace, ranunculas, dusty miller, flowering pieris etc. Once set -the ballroom was aglow with the sweet scent of garden roses and flicker of warm candlelight..it was truly timeless.
From the bride, Corinne…
We chose Santa Barbara so we could spend a weekend away from the city with our friends and family. We fell in love with the beautiful rich and authentic architecture of the Santa Barbara courthouse, particularly its Mural Room. We both didn’t have a religious upbringing, and the Mural Room provided us with a mild sense of church that we wanted. As an Art History student I loved the idea of getting married in a building rich in art and culture. My husband is also studying Law so it was a perfect fit for the two of us. We then opted for the Biltmore because it complemented the courthouse’s style. We Loved the old world Spanish feel of the building, but I didn’t want to be tied down to Spanish decor. Instead I went with a look that represented what I love: heirloom flowers and subtle colors with some vintage flair.
My invitations were all DIY. I used a calligrapher Rene Troy to do a custom invitation and then had it letterpressed. Envelopes were all hand lined by me and addressed by the calligrapher. I placed coordinating boxes of homemade cookies with a note for our out of town guests. California cuisine made with local and fresh ingredients inspired the Four Seasons Menu. Robyn Loves Cake made the truly delicious and artful wedding cake. The cake was inspired by my wedding gown.
My mother embroidered hem-stitch linen cocktail napkins with each guest’s name. These were used to escort the guests to their seat. Instead of a traditional guest-book we had guests write on swatches of fabric with a fabric marker. My mother then sewed these swatches into a quilt for us. We also used local Santa Barbara wildflower honey. We packaged the honey to coordinate with the invitations. Ceremony itinerary programs were small little books bound together with cocoa silk ribbon.
The Father daughter Dance was also a special moment. My dad had been in the hospital for months after having major surgery during which doctors removed his right fibula which they transplanted to his jaw. My father was ill and tired, and the area of his leg where they’d performed the surgery made even the slightest movements difficult and painful for him. Despite his condition, however, he put his suffering aside to give me the liveliest and best dance of my life. Everyone there was glued to the sight of my father dancing circles around everyone else, and my sisters were in tears to see him so full of life on the dance floor.
We had an open-mic policy, which was an unexpected treat! We were given the most touching speeches, we really felt blessed. We chose to have our wedding on a Friday to help stretch out the weekend festivities. This helped with our limited budget and gave us the chance to spend time with everyone.
Vendor Credits: Photography: Susan Dean Photography / Floral Design: Kate Holt of Flower Wild / Cermony: The Mural Room, Santa Barbara Courthouse / Reception: The Biltmore / Dress: Romona Keveza / Bridesmaid Dress: Anthropologie / Makeup: Julie Morgan / Linens: La Tavola / Cake: Robyn Loves Cake