My obsession with this next couple is a little embarrassing. There are like a million pictures in the gallery and I kept pulling the ones of the bride and groom. I couldn’t resist. They are obviously gorgeous. Obvi. But they also seem so madly, hopelessly, crazy in love that I can’t stop staring at them. Okay, a great pair of Fendis doesn’t hurt, nor does an impeccably Californian style and photographs by Erin Hearts Court that could literally make you cry. But at the core of this wedding, is a boy and a girl that have completely and totally stolen my heart. Click here to see so much more.
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From the bride… When we first got engaged, hitting the blogs and creating my “vision” was clearly my first task. I’m very detail oriented (or OCD, as my husband says) and soon created a Powerpoint presentation, a Pinterest page and started the “Wedding” bookmark tab on my Macbook. But since then, I’ve learned two things: (1) my vision must really be our vision, and (2) despite any planning you do, whatever happens on that momentous day will be an exact reflection of the two of you … and it will be perfect.
Our goal was to create an experience that was distinctively Californian as 80% of our guests were flying in for the event. We’re both from the Midwest (Chicago and Detroit), but we met in LA and fell in love in there. A stunning ocean view coupled with the backdrop of the Malibu hills and canyons served as a perfect Southern Californian setting. Our charming little venue captured our fondness for wine country with vineyards and an olive orchard in the backyard. The farmhouse cottage where the ceremony was held topped the Malibu hills and married our enchanted-garden-meets-vintage-ranch vision seamlessly. Although it was a sweltering day that had us practically melting, by the time the ceremony started, a cool breeze wafted through the ceremony space and I knew everything would be perfect.
Since this was mainly was a DIY event, I relied heavily on my friend/planner/visionary to execute my plans. Another dear friend designed our save the dates and yet another, the flowers. My mom sewed our burlap runners and wrote the most amazing and funny speech. Our photographers were outstanding. Justin picked the caterer (a work friend whose food rivaled 5-star restaurants), created the all-important drink menu and stocked the bar with his favorites. He also handpicked every song outside of the dance section, so the music we love and live our lives to filled the day. Our dear friends played acoustic guitar and cello and sang our favorite songs during the procession, which ended with Big Star’s “I’m in Love with a Girl.” We wrote our own vows and cried and beamed through every word. As I slipped his grandfather’s ring on his finger, I looked out to the crowd and saw four generations of our family, sitting together in the shade and knew I would never forget this moment. Overall, I think we achieved the rustic California garden feel with little effort and minimal day-of stress. Since we both have insanely busy work lives, many of the ideas we originally brought to the table were cut from the show — but it simply didn’t matter. We were so thankful to have both of our families together at our sun-filled venue and to share our love and happiness with them that we didn’t notice the little things that fell through the cracks. And to hear from our guests, that it was the most beautiful wedding they had been to, with the best food and music, still makes us smile. After six years together, we thought getting married wouldn’t really change our day-to-day life, but it absolutely has. Marriage is truly utter bliss.
Wedding Photography: Erin Hearts Court / Wedding Venue: Rancho del Cielo in Malibu, California / Wedding Design + Coordination: Billy Burgess, Friend of the Couple (billy_burgess@sbcglobal.net) / Catering: Bruce’s Catering, Friend of the Groom (818-376-1288) / Wedding Invitations: Bella Figura / Wedding Dress: Legends by Romona Keveza via MaryLinn’s Bridal / Bridesmaids’ Dresses: J.Crew / Shoes: Fendi / Hair: Mia Shin, Friend of Bride, of Anastasia Beverly Hills and B2V / Makeup: Vanessa Ceballos at Anastasia Beverly Hills / Groom’s Suit: J.Crew / Cake + Desserts: Magnolia Bakery / DJ: Paul Layton / Ceremony Music: Wendy Wang (Vocals and Guitar) + Gabe Noel (Cello), Friends of the Couple / Cake Toppers + Save and Date Cards: Christina Pierson, Friend of the Bride / Bouquets: Danielle Renee Thompson of Flowers Underground, Sister of a Friend of a the Couple