Riviera Mansion estate inspired wedding in Santa Barbara // ©2017 Sun & Sparrow Santa Barbara wedding photographers

Describe your experience at your wedding in 1 paragraph, everything you remember.

When we think back to our wedding day the first word that pops into our mind is joy. Every moment of the day was filled with joyful love and laughter. The second word that comes to our minds is smooth. The whole day ran so smoothly! All of our vendors, family and friends did everything in their power to make our day perfect. They allowed us to not have to worry about the details but rather focus on each other and this special day which was the greatest gift we could have been given!

What was your favorite moment from your wedding day? Did you have any special moments/story with friends or family that stand out to you?

One of our favorite moments was our first look. I was so nervous for Michael to see me and didn’t want the typical first look where I have to walk up and tap him on the shoulder and then he turns around to see me but, in the chaos of the day I forgot to tell everyone this. Therefore, as I was standing there, experiencing all the butterflies that comes with your future husband seeing you for the first time it dawned on me what was about to happen. I quickly tried to tell our videographer that I was too nervous to walk all the way in and tap Michael on the shoulder but it was too late..the film was rolling.  I made it about half way into the room before mustering up the smallest “please turn around, Michael” to which he spun around, face beaming, and instantly took me into his arms. My butterflies retreated and we then shared about 20 beautifully intimate minutes in the library reading our vows to one another.

During the wedding day Michael, Tiffani and I loosely planned some time for us to head to the beach to take some pictures. We we’re hesitant to leave our guests but decided last minute that we should go. Having that time to escape with each other and get some beautiful pictures was such a fantastic decision! Those pictures are some of our favorites and the memories of escaping together that comes with them brings a smile to our faces every time we see them.

What inspired you while planning your wedding & decor? Was there any special element that made your decor come together for you, personally?

The first thing Michael and I did when we began planning our wedding was we sat down and independently wrote down the three most important things to us for our wedding and then shared them with each other. This really helped us create a clear view of how we were going to divide up our budget and created a great starting off point for planning. Both of us wrote down that above all, we wanted the day to feel romantic and intimate as if our guests were stepping into our love. From here we decided that the best way to capture this feeling for us was a classically elegant wedding with an old Hollywood glamor feel. Therefore, we chose a venue that was previously an old mansion and allowed the space to influence our design. I think this all really came together when we completed our floral designs. To me flowers and candles can transform a room into an incredibly romantic atmosphere so seeing our flowers come together completed the vision I had of our décor.

MY VENDORS: 

Venue: The Riviera Mansion, https://www.uclubsb.org/, @riviera_mansion
Coordinator: Laura Bevilacqua, 646-596-1700
Photographer:  Sun & Sparrow  3 @sunandsparrow   www.sunandsparrow.com
Videographer: Rowboat Films, @austinhvideos, rowboatfilms.com
Florals: Floral design by Roni,http://www.floraldesignsbyroni.com/
Rentals: Just4fun rentals,  just4funpartyrentals.com, @just4funpartyrentals
Caterer: The Riviera Mansion

Wedding rings maker:  Sam Jewelry ,  samjewlery.com

String Trio: El Real Chamber Players,  http://www.elrealchamberplayers.com/

DJ: Patrick Butler, http://www.patrickbutler.com/

Wedding Gown Maker: Paloma Blanca
Wedding Gown Boutique: Bella Bridal Couture
Hair: Kia McMillin, 805-264-0989

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