Elegant backyard wedding in Solvang // ©2017 Sun & Sparrow Solvang wedding photographer

FROM THE BRIDE // We got married in Los Olivos, CA, a section of California Wine Country that we chose for its outdoor beauty. And of course, the week of our wedding, there was a record breaking heat wave and we were terrified in the days leading up to the wedding that it would be too hot to have our outdoor ceremony. We planned to have fans, umbrellas, ice water- anything to keep people cool. The morning of the wedding we looked at the weather and guess what… RAIN! In the middle of the heat wave! And it was scheduled to start raining at the exact moment that our ceremony was set to begin. Up until that point Jeremy and I were both pretty pleased with ourselves for being a very chill bride and groom. That morning, not so much. We thought about moving everything inside, but decided instead to risk it. We knew that everyone was up there to have fun, and a little rain wouldn’t get in the way of that. What I remember most about our wedding day was the laughter. We laughed at the weather, at each other, at the absurdity of spending months planning a wedding outside only to be foiled by nature. We had so much fun that day. All the pressure was off. It was cooler outside, and the rain freshened up the landscape, made everything breathe. And when the ceremony began, the skies cleared, the sun came out and it was perfect. Jeremy and I had exactly what we wanted: a relaxed, funny, beautiful evening with all of our friends, amazing food, wine, music, full of love and support. When the sun set the band came out, everyone got on the dance floor and danced all night. Our friends danced with our parents friends, we danced with everyone. There was a single moment where the floor wasn’t filled. Big fires were lit in these awesome cauldrons and all our nieces and nephews got covered in chocolate while making s’mores. The moon was huge, heavy and butter yellow and it didn’t rain once after the ceremony. We had pies instead of cake- cherry, key lime, and pecan and between the sugar and the dancing (and alcohol) there was a lot of joy all around.

There were so many special moments! Our flowers were done by my good friend and former roommate. She started the business when we were living together in LA, at the same time that Jeremy and I started dating, and since then it has BLOOMED. It was so special to have her practice her craft at the wedding. It felt like years in the making for both of us. My uncle gave a speech that had the entire room in tears. When I was three I gave him a painting (if you can call it that- it’s very abstract) and I told him that he could give it back to me when I got married. He brought the painting to the wedding and returned it to me. There were many other moments. We both had so many friends at the wedding that we have known since we were little. It was incredible to have everyone in the same place, decades of history, all gathered for a weekend. And our parents dancing… that was the best part for both of us.

When we found Mattei’s Tavern we knew we didn’t have to worry too much about decor. The place is a dream. It’s rustic and elegant at the same time, with beautiful lighting and really cool interiors. Mattei’s was the key to the look. We really didn’t have to do much. So we decided that what we cared about most were the food, the booze, and the music and we put most of our energy into those. I think we nailed all three. I trusted Hope, from Pigsty florals, completely, and she did amazing work with our florals, understated and classic. Our wedding planner also seemed to read our minds, and completely understood the feel we wanted without us having to go into detail. Neither Jeremy nor I like the spotlight, and I think our wedding style reflected that. My dress was very simple and his suit was classic. We let our groomsmen and bridesmaids pick their own suits/dresses, because we wanted them to be comfortable and happy. All we said was we wanted shades of blue. It was all mismatched but it worked out!

Prioritize! There are so many details that go into a wedding, and so many of them can’t be controlled on the day. Pick your battles! We spent a huge part of our budget on music, because that’s what we cared about most, and we were happy we did.

MY VENDORS:  

Venue:                     Mattei’s Tavern  //  www.matteistavern.com
Coordinator:           Frankie Podrat       //    www.franklyweddings.com
Photographer:       Sun & Sparrow    //    www.sunandsparrow.com
Florals:                 Pigsty Florals    //      www.pigsty.co
Invitations:           Minted     //          www.minted.com
Rentals:                Ventura Rentals       //   www.venturalrental.com
Caterer:                 Pure Joy Catering   //    www.purejoycatering.com

Wedding rings maker (Jeremy’s): Ash Hilton       //   www.ashhilton.com

Wedding rings maker (Emily’s)    Jennie Kwon        //   www.jenniekwondesigns.com

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Wedding Gown Maker: Jill Stuart
Hair & Makeup:  TEAM Santa Barbara
Bride Shoes: Rachel Comey

Groom Suit: Brooks Brothers
Groom shoes:  Cole Haan