I swear, Santa Barbara plays hostess to some of the loveliest weddings in all the land, and this pretty captured by Patrick Moyer at El Encanto is the perfect example. It’s simply overflowing with gorgeous, and with TEAM Hair & Makeup at the beauty helm, it’s no surprise this Bride pin-worthy pretty from start to finish. Basically this gallery? It’s as lovely as they come. See it all here.
From the Bride…We thought we wanted a vineyard wedding in the pastoral Santa Ynez region outside of Santa Barbara. My husband loves wine and I had visions of long wooden tables set in high grass in a grove of oak trees. However, several trips (and cases of wine) later, the realities of sourcing every chair, napkin, bathroom and butter knife quickly overshadowed the romance of throwing a party in a field.
One of my husband’s colleagues was in the midst of planning a wedding at El Encanto, a boutique hotel situated high up the hill in the Santa Barbara Riviera. The property had just reopened after 7 years of meticulous renovations, and while we originally didn’t want the hotel ballroom kind of wedding, as soon as we stepped on the property we fell in love. It had my oak tree, standing in all its ancient glory in the brick courtyard entrance. I could have my outdoor ceremony in the lush arbor. The chic ballroom maintained the quaint feel that we were hoping for. And rather than having to bring in every teaspoon, wine glass and bread plate, El Encanto supplied everything in splendor.
Once we booked the venue, we decided that help was needed. El Encanto suggested Hana Malek of Venus Event Design and we are so happy that they did! In addition to weddings, she has a background as an ICU nurse, which must help her keep calm in stressful situations. Her poised and graceful presence is a godsend when you get stressed over which vase to choose, or how to hang a chandelier from thin air. Hana is very creative and has such a knack for turning Pinterest boards and vague visions into reality. I loved the burlap wrapped mason jars that she handmade for our succulents! I envisioned a whimsical and slightly vintage table, rather than the traditional big floral centerpiece. Hana spent hours helping me plot every little detail that would be on that table. She also created the cutest survival kit for my bridal party just because. And she was really great about reminding me that, “this is fun!”
Stephanie, our florist, was also lovely. She got right in there with us in all the back and forth over florals and décor. I imagined simple white and sage green, with an earthy, rustic feel. There is so much foliage on property and the venue has such a charming interior design, that the florals need only compliment not distract. Furthermore, I’m not one for gaudy décor. I really thought Stephanie, in tandem with Hana, took my tastes and made them a reality. I loved working with her too!
I spent a lot of time researching photographers as well. I had so much fun drifting into wedding dreamland through the lenses of the many amazing options out there. In the process, I fell in love with weddings captured in film. My eyes are so accustomed to the heavily filtered iPhone images posted on facebook and instagram, that my discovery of the film wedding movement was a startling breath of fresh air. I love the soft lines, the vivid colors and the clarity of film images. It’s such a romantic medium for documenting weddings and when I came across Patrick Moyer, I knew that I found my photographer. He has that organic and artistic bend to his work that I was hoping for.
Finally, shout out to Mar of Team Hair and Makeup. We loved how everyone turned out!! And to hubby of course, who is such a great partner and was so much fun to marry
Photography: Pat Moyer Photography | Event Planning: Venus Event Design | Florals: Stephanie Aquilon (stephaquilon@gmail.com) | Wedding Dress: JLM Couture, Inc | Hair & Makeup: TEAM Hair and Makeup | Groomsmen Attire: Indochino | Venue: Belmond El Encanto | Bridemaids Dresses: J.Crew