We love weddings that are full of personal touches and romantic details. This bride and groom fell in love with Big Sur, California and knew right away it was where they wanted to make it official. With the help of some awesome friends and family, Evynn Levalley, and all the loveliness that Big Sur has to offer, this wedding is definitely something to swoon over. Get lost in the dreamy gallery!
From the Bride… When my now husband and I first stood at the edge of the cliffs in Big Sur, something inside of both of us changed. It’s one of those amazing places in the world where nature has formed something so dramatic, so awe-inspiring, that you feel humbled and grateful to get to experience it. More than three years later, when we got engaged and started planning our wedding, we knew that it was the perfect place for us to begin our life together as husband and wife.
Deciding to get married in Big Sur was the easy part – convincing our friends and family to fly across the country and then take a three hour drive down a winding remote highway was a bit more challenging. We were blessed that more than 25 of our closest friends and family – none of whom had ever visited Big Sur – decided to make the journey.
Because this was such a big investment for our guests, I wanted to make sure that they could soak up as much of the Big Sur spirit as possible. I made all of the invitations by hand, integrating natural wood and moss elements so from the moment they first experienced the wedding, we were starting to tell the story of the natural beauty of the area. We kept that theme going in every other printed detail – with moss and wood embellishments following through to the placecards and menus. Ripplewood Resort – where most of our guests stayed – is a quaint gathering of cottages nestled in a redwood grove along the Big Sur River, so when they arrived, these details came to life in nature.
When it came to the ceremony and reception…we felt fortunate that we found an amazing team of extremely talented local vendors who ensured that every detail was 100% Big Sur and showcased the best of the area for our guests.
Our officiant, Soaring Starkey, helped us find the ideal spot for our ceremony – a tucked away clearing high in the dunes above Pfeiffer Beach, away from the wind and crowds and shadowed by towering cypress trees. While the “aisle” to get up there was a bit tenuous in heels and a long lace train, my dad handled it like a champ and our harpist, Susan Bradley, created a scene that to me, felt like it was out of a fairy tale.
Following the ceremony, we celebrated with a champagne toast with guests before our shuttle drove everyone to the Big Sur Bakery for our reception. Every detail was local – from the flowers our florist harvested from her garden to the fresh salmon that was just caught that day in the bay to fresh strawberries from a garden just down the street (which my husband kept getting bowls of all night long). The best part was that the intimate, family feel that our vendors had created translated perfectly to our guests – at the beginning of the weekend, many of them didn’t know each other very well, but during the ceremony and reception, we all became a tight-knit group, on the dance floor toasting and celebrating well into the night. When it came time to leave, our guests got to take a bit of Big Sur with them, as we had custom totes designed with a map of all of our venue locations and filled it with local treats and snacks for the journey back home. It was honestly more than a wedding weekend for us – it evolved into a celebration of friendship, love and all of the natural wonder in the world. Which was beyond anything we could have ever hoped for.
Photography: Evynn Levalley | Floral Design: Big Sur Flowers | Stationery: Nicole Twork | Ceremony Location: Pfeiffer Beach | Reception Venue: Big Sur Bakery | Bride's Shoes: Badgley Mischka | Groom's Attire: Sid Mashburn | Officiant: Soaring Starkey | Ceremony Music: Susan Bradley | Bridal Gown: Pronovias | Bridal Hair And Makeup: Kim Larson | Bride And Groom Accommodations: Post Ranch Inn | Guest Accommodations: Ripplewood Resort | Reception Music: Belmont Entertainment | Totes: CW Designs