A little vintage, a little bohemian and drenched in a whole lotta charm, this California fete from Mirelle Carmichael is just the right mix of styles and sweet details. The beautiful Bride (who also happens to plan weddings for a living) crafted a DIY-infused day with a bit of help from Pinterest and coordinator, Danica Alvarez—the result is a garden wedding that will sweep you off your feet.
From the beautiful Bride… I had purchased a one way ticket to Oahu to experience the Island life just one month prior to meeting Eric. I had this dream of moving to Hawaii to live out the gypsy in me. While I did begin that journey, little did I know I was only a month away from meeting my future Husband! A mid-week BBQ quickly turned into a long night of shooting stars and fluttery hearts. It wasn’t long before the magnetic connection began between the two of us. After many long beach walks, days spent surfing, and day trips around the island we decided it was time to move in together. A year and three months later on May 23rd, 2013 he proposed at the top of Montara Mountain in Half Moon Bay, Ca (Eric’s hometown). Completely surprised I knocked him from his knees to his bum screaming, “SHUT UP!” Not the answer any man would expect to hear, he replied, “Uh, is that a yes?” I answered, “YES, YES, YES, A big FAT YES!” The long hike down the mountain was spent sharing the news with all our family and friends. It was finally time to begin planning the day I’ve dreamt about my entire life! Emotions were beyond overwhelming…
Our wedding was held a year and three months after our proposal on August 23, 2014 at the Gardens at Peacock Farms in Arroyo Grande, California. We had searched up and down California for the perfect venue for nearly six months. Just as I was about to give up and start planning a destination wedding we stumbled upon The Gardens. It was love at first sight! It was a rose garden and a farm, but had this quaint and boutique feel to it that felt just like home. At first I couldn’t quite put a name on the style I was envisioning but after seeing the venue the vision came alive. We wanted a perfect blend of elegance yet natural and very down to earth. Most importantly we wanted our day to reflect us as a couple. Eric and I are both from the California Coast, we are beachy with a country taste. Our guests traveled from all parts of the U.S. and our goal was to have an amazing party, yet have a venue that kept everyone in one location. We wanted everything to flow flawlessly without anyone else having to lift a finger! The Gardens at Peacock Farms suited every one of those wishes! They have a beautiful bridal suite, cool man cave, a designer and a florist, a team of professionals for the day of coordination, wine, and amazing décor rentals! Did I mention the gorgeous landscape or roses and walnut trees? The place was just stunning!
The ceremony, we were married by Eric’s brother in law, Jason, someone we think so highly of. We knew he would do an amazing job, but WOW he really surprised us all! We really wanted our ceremony to be sentimental yet humorous. He succeeded at that perfectly! Jason had secretly reached out to our family and friends prior to the wedding asking them to share stories about us and give words that described us. With words like, durable and LOUD to describe Eric and I our wish for laughter came true. It was truly touching to hear all the words of loved ones come through during our ceremony. Something else that made our day so special was all of our fabulous vendors. I am a wedding coordinator and have gotten to know some amazing vendors through the industry. We chose our very favorite people to work with, which made us feel right at home!
We knew that The Gardens already had so much natural beauty that we didn’t have to worry about having to add too much. I really wanted to pick flowers and accents that would flow with all of the greenery, but also give a splash of color and a dash of glow. I chose ivory, coral and peach tones, with mint and gold accents. There’s something about coral and mint that brings a smile to my face, especially with touches of gold. Jessica, the Owner of The Gardens is a beyond talented florist and designer. I gave her an inspiration picture of dahlias, garden roses, dusty miller, and gold spray eucalyptus seed. My bouquets and centerpieces were a perfect blend of organic loveliness and elegance.
The boys wore grey suites with mint ties and handmade wood cuff links. For the girls, I wanted them to be the POP of color. I wanted a fun and eclectic feel that would each suit them uniquely, yet flow with the style of the day. I made them a PDF style sheet that gave them guidelines on length and a color scheme. I think this made them uncomfortable because each girl showed up with a couple dresses on the day-of and we all chose what dresses they were going to wear together the morning of the wedding. I gave them handmade natural crystals that were wrapped in gold wire and placed in mini jars filled with lavender. I knew nerves would be high that day so I thought a natural calming scent would help ease the jitters.
Thanks to Pinterest I went a bit overboard with the DIY inspiration. Some of the handmade items that were the cause of many sleepless nights and empty wine bottles for myself, family, dear friends, and the venue coordination team were…gold leafed glass jars for the centerpieces/ floral displays, peach spray painted floral jars, gold glitter candle sticks that held succulents, mini terra-cotta pots that were wrapped with lace ribbon, filled with succulents, and finished with a wooden “let love grow” sign for favors, twine wrapped jars for the sand unity, handmade wooden puzzles for conversation starters, and handwritten signs and menus made on gold mirrors. We also took advantage of Etsy for the following personalized embellishments: “You are my happy” Cake topper. Custom save the date stamp, signs for the ring bearers to carry down the aisle, which presented some laughter in the crowd. A wood mini surfboard engraved with our wedding date for our guest sign board. Gold wire table numbers, wooden cuff links, and mint ties for the guys.
Being a wedding coordinator for my profession, I planned a good deal of the wedding myself. However, I could not have done it without my coordinator, Danica. She really helped me sort out the madness in my mind. She eased my stress and ensured me that the day would be beautiful and taken care of. She also helped with many of the beautiful details I discussed above, which gave me some free time to spend with my future hubby. It’s so easy to get stuck in the planning, day in and day out that you lose those nights to connect with the man you are about to marry! Remember this is one day, yes it’s the most important day of your life, however it flies by faster than you could ever imagine so stay connected to your hunny and set time aside to focus on the meaning of this day, the marriage! Although the details are fun, but the vows are the most important!
When it comes to asking for your grooms help DO NOT expect too much! Be grateful for the help he is willing to provide. In your eyes this day is about the both of you so you should equally be planning, right? Well no, that is not the case for most couples. Most grooms will go about their normal life and give input when asked or better yet when told what you have planned, he’ll then chime in and put a spin on your vision. With that being said I recommend giving your groom some small tasks that he can take pride in planning. For example, his groomsmen gifts and attire, making appointments with the caterer, or creating a list of music. Remember that to most grooms this is a day their bride has dreamed of their entire life so he will most likely step back and allow you to do the planning. Don’t complain, just enjoy, that’s what you have a coordinator for! Good luck and happy planning!
Photography: Mirelle Carmichael | Coordination: The Gardens At Peacock Farms | Floral Design: Flowers To You By Jessica | Wedding Dress: Allure Bridal | Invitations: Eva Sanders | Bridesmaids' Dresses: Nectar Clothing | Bridesmaids' Dresses: ASOS | Bridesmaids' Dresses: Lulu's | Bridesmaids' Dresses: Nordstrom | Catering: Everlasting Events & Catering | DJ: Bailey Entertainment | Groom's Suit: Express | Groomsmen Attire : Men's Wearhouse | Wedding Venue: The Gardens At Peacock Farms | Bridal Boutique: Panache Bridal | Donut Truck: Sugar Lips Mini's | Hair And Makeup - Bride: Jessi Skipton Campbell | Hair And Makeup - Bridesmaids: Bluebird Salon | Party Bus: SLO Safe Ride | Photography - Assistance: Mirelle Carmichael