Any wedding lined with Diana McGregor, Toast Santa Barbara, Love This Day Events, TEAM Hair And Makeup and Ojai Valley Inn on the vendor list is destined for perfection right from the start. And when said wedding includes the dreamiest grey and ivory color palette, ridiculously gorgeous calligraphy details and a couple who couldn’t be more in love, the result is a gallery we might never leave. See the day unfold below!
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From The Bride…Chase and I met on a flight from Toronto to New York City. Unbeknownst to us at the time, we were both doing consulting work in Toronto and living in New York City, making the commute back and forth on a weekly basis. One fateful Thursday evening, on a return flight, we were assigned seats next to each other (a rare, but fortunate occasion since we both normally book window seats). We spent the entire flight talking from the moment we sat down until we de-planed in New York. It sounds cliché, but from that very first encounter we both knew that there was something special between us. When we landed in New York, he took my number and shortly thereafter we had our first date.
Pretty soon we were inseparable, seeing each other every day, whether we were co-located in Toronto (Chase driving almost an hour each way to pick me up for dinners after work) or back in NYC. Our short courtship was filled with fun, adventure, excitement, and a great deal of travel. On a trip to Cabo San Lucas, soon after our one year anniversary, Chase took me on a boat to Lover’s Beach and got down on one knee. I think I said “yes” before he even asked me to marry him.
We wanted to have a wedding that was personal, intimate and centered on the union of our families. With Chase’s family being from Arizona and mine from Colorado, we decided on neutral ground – California. Nestled against the backdrop of the Topa Topa Mountains, Ojai serves as the perfect retreat. What led us to choose Ojai Valley Inn & Spa as our venue was the natural beauty of the resort grounds and the serenity that it elicits, as well as the amazing staff. Ojai truly was the perfect location for our dream wedding as well as a hidden jewel that we knew our family and friends would enjoy.
I stumbled upon Kara Delay of Love This Day Events very early on, and in viewing her portfolio I connected with her work immediately. I decided to hire her before I even had the venue, much less the state, confirmed. With an abundance of inspiration, Kara served as my cornerstone and siphon, pulling together all my ideas (and filtering out the bad ones) into a cohesive vision and plan. In addition, she directed me to excellent vendors such as our florist, Toast.
Our vision for the wedding was simple and understated elegance, infused with organic and natural elements. We let the terrain and natural flora guide the design. Complementing the natural beauty of the Herb Garden, we decided to use a lot of green foliage (seeded eucalyptus, olive, rosemary, and other foraged greenery) along with a variety of white garden roses and peonies, sprinkling in light grey as an accent color.
My favorite moment of the day was standing at the ceremony before our officiant with the love of my life. We worked with our officiant – a pastor Chase has known since middle school – to create a ceremony that was very personal and special to us. We chose literary and biblical readings to be incorporated, as well as the Apache wedding prayer, a nod to my husband’s Native American heritage. We finished the ceremony by reciting our handwritten vows to one another. We were anxious about writing our own vows, but it was important to both of us that these words and promises were our own.
My favorite wedding detail was my jewelry, all custom designed and expertly crafted by my new sister-in-law, Lindsey Almquist of EmmaQuist Jewelry. Not only did she create my gorgeous Asscher-cut engagement ring, but both of our wedding bands as well. The bands feature the “Forget Me Not” floral design, prevalent in the 18th and early 19th centuries and originating in medieval times as a symbol of faithfulness and enduring love. I wanted something simple, yet meaningful, that wouldn’t distract from the beauty my engagement ring and something that I could wear on our frequent traveling excursions. Aside from my jewelry, I loved my ‘something old, new, borrowed, and blue’. My ‘something old’ was an heirloom, vintage brooch that belonged to my great grandmother which I fastened to the base of my bouquet. My ‘something new’ was my wedding dress; a simple, yet stunning, Romona Kaveza gown made of raw silk, which exemplified the theme of the wedding and my style. My ‘something borrowed’ was a pair of baroque pearl earrings from my gracious mother-in-law. Finally, my something blue was a blue ribbon from a card I made for my dad when I was a little girl that my mom sewed into my dress.
When the day finally arrived, it all felt like a dream: from walking down the winding pathway through the Herb Garden with my father to the sea of sparklers bidding us farewell…
After exchanging vows in the intimate and magical Herb Garden, our guests sipped a lavender infused cocktail, our signature drink, and ate an assortment of hors d’oeuvres under the garden pergola as the golden sun faded and the Topa Topa Mountains were lit ablaze with a vibrant, pink hue. Grey pashminas’ were provided to our guests to stay warm as the sun went down and the brisk evening chill set in. At dusk, guests were escorted to the terracotta-tiled Anacapa Terrace to dine under a canopy of strung café lighting. Tables were covered with light grey linen table clothes and adorned with candles. The long head table was lined with a garland of olive branches and other green foliage. Set amongst the foliage were hurricane vases of varying height, illuminating the entire terrace with a spectacular glow. Two Spanish guitarists along with a percussionist serenaded us with Latin music as we dined on Wild Salmon and Oven Roasted Chicken. At the end of our meal, guests leisurely enjoyed cigars on the terrace, while dancing commenced in the ballroom.
The night concluded with a sparkler sendoff. We are extremely blessed to have had such a special night, sharing our love with our friends and family, and we are grateful to have had Diana McGregor so exquisitely capture the evening and the memories that we will cherish forever.
The planning, design and execution were superb and I cannot praise enough the people who understood and shared my vision and who went above and beyond to produce a beautiful event. Many thanks to all of the great people who worked so hard to make the weekend in Ojai so memorable!
Photography: Diana McGregor Photography | Coordination: Love This Day Events | Floral Design: TOAST Santa Barbara | Wedding Gown: Romona Keveza | Cake: Ojai Valley Inn | Ceremony Venue: Ojai Valley Inn | Bridesmaid Dresses: Jenny Yoo | Catering: Ojai Valley Inn | Lighting: Bella Vista Designs, Inc | DJ: Vox DJs | Bridal Jewelry: Emma Quist Jewelry Design | Chairs: Town And Country | Inviations And Calligraphy: Wondrous Whimsy | Linens: BBJ La Tavola | Makup: TEAM Hair and Makeup | Photography - Assistance: Michelle Boyd Photography | Reception Wedding Gown: Grace Loves Lace
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Whether you’re dreaming of an intimate candle-filled ceremony with your nearest and dearest or a dance party that will leave all of your guests talking, 
