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A Romantic Summer Soirée Wedding in California

A Romantic Summer Soirée Wedding in California

A charming sun-kissed wedding amongst the woodlands of a private estate

On a beautiful sunny summer evening in a stunning corner of California, between the picturesque towns of Carpinteria and Ojai, Katie and Andrew's dreams came true. The brief; an intimate summer soirée, a sophisticated but personable affair that in true Californian fashion, put good vibes first and foremost. Set on a sprawling private estate on the slopes of Casitas Pass, the couple wed in a magical ceremony surrounded by luminious woodland greenery. The newlyweds exchanged their vows under the gentle rays of the sun, with only their nearest and dearest in attendance. The afternoon continued with an unforgettable reception where guests were treated to an open air tablescape beneath the canopies of swaying trees, and served up good tunes, tiramisu and espresso martinis. The bride chose two different outfits that perfectly highlighted her style: an exquisite lace gown by Monique Lhuillier for an enchanting ceremony and a custom-made corset by Ma Corsetiere for her second look, giving her an added touch of chicness. This one's etched in our hearts.

A Romantic Summer Soirée Wedding in California

Our Love Story

^{The Day We Met}

Funny enough, the day we remember meeting isn’t actually the day we met. A few months before the wedding, we were looking back at photos from our days at NYU, and noticed Andrew in the background of a picture I posted in a friend’s dorm room. As fate would have it, we “officially” met shortly after that night.

^{The Proposal}

Andrew tried to throw me off for months, and it worked! I wore white almost every time we left the house, and I had my nails perpetually done for about 6 months. Having known me for over a decade, Andrew knew two things to be true: I’d want to have my hair and makeup done (no catching me off guard first thing in the morning), and I’d want some photographic evidence to look back on. It all started with a secret lunch date where Andrew and my dad shared martinis, and he asked for permission to marry me. The undercover martini meetups continued with my mom, who is a jewelry designer, as they met in secret to collaborate on the perfect ring. A few weeks before the proposal, my mom called me to ask if we could meet at the beach outside my childhood home to take photos for a holiday card, knowing I’d be hair and make up ready. The out-of-the-blue text from my boss (yes, he DMed my boss to coordinate) canceling work for the day somehow went over my head, but when Andrew asked to go on a sunset walk before my mom got there, I had an idea of what was about to happen. And then, turning around from our walk to see both of our families on the porch in the distance and Andrew’s brother-in-law, one of my favorite photographers, running towards us full steam ahead, it all made sense.

^{The Engagement Ring}

Andrew worked with my mom (who was named “Brian” in his phone during this period) to design my dream ring. A solitaire radiant cut set on a thin diamond band.

Our Wedding

^{The Vision}

We always envisioned a wedding that felt intimate and personal – a Summer Soirée dinner party (but with dancing, of course!). As someone whose Thanksgiving dinner is 100+ people, narrowing down our list to 90 guests was no easy feat – but completely worth it. It was an indescribable feeling looking around the dance floor, feeling like there were, in fact, no “sides” at all and that every person there was truly family to us. When Andrew and I met 14 years ago while studying at NYU, we had no idea how intertwined our paths had already been. He was childhood neighbors with one of my best friends; one of his best friends had dated another one of my best friends, and the list goes on. Needless to say, our wedding was a "reunion" of sorts – where, quite literally, friends from each "side" who had been in girl scouts together reconnected. That warmth was everything we hoped for and more.

^{Our Team of Vendors}

Every single detail was perfect, and we owe it all to the incredible and talented people we had in our corner. Kat and Brita from Little Creek Events took my flood of mood boards, spreadsheets and Figma mock-ups and created magic. Our photographer, Brandi Crockett, is filled with so much love that it really is no wonder that she spends her days capturing the sweetest wedding moments. And more than anything, Andrew and I are foodies. And there was no one else in the world who we wanted to cater our wedding more than Jennifer Naylor. Jennifer was the Executive Head Chef at Granita, a Wolfgang Puck restaurant in Malibu that my family had been regulars at my entire childhood. She quite literally invented the Smoked Salmon Potato Galette, my favorite thing on the planet, and I had to have it at my wedding. We served it at cocktail hour, and it was perfect. Hope, of Pigsty, filled the dinner table of our dreams with flowers and fruit, and Jeanette Getrost hand painted our stationary (which we fully intend on framing).

^{The Location}

We got married at one of our best friends, Olivia's, private home on Casitas Pass – between Carpinteria and Ojai. Olivia's 60+ acres of land was our dream setting to make things "official". Our chuppah was constructed with olive branches and fruit from her land, and seashells filled with the olive oil she produces were spread across our dinner tables. Olivia officiated an intimate and heartwarming ceremony nestled under a covering of trees, where she shared stories dating back more than a decade.

^{The Ceremony}

After our guests were welcomed with our favorite summer drink, a Hugo Spritz, they were gathered under a covering of trees beside a natural pond for the ceremony. It was the most peaceful and special moment. We shared public vows under a beautiful chuppah, exchanged rings, broke the glass, and exited with a petal toss!

^{The Reception}

We designed our cocktail hour around a large walnut tree that sat right at the edge of a natural pond on the property. Our bar wrapped the tree on all sides and served our signature drinks: an extra-cold dirty martini, a mezcal margarita and a white negroni. After cocktails, the band welcomed guests over to the reception area, where we danced, shared some of our favorite dishes family style under the stars (like spicy vodka sauce rigatoni and chicken milanese), and danced some more. We cut the cake (an extra large tiramisu covered in raspberries), and I grabbed a glass of champagne and my two friends Lauren and Alex to help lace me up into my second look. Mini espresso martini shooters, affogatos, and french fries were served on the dance floor late night and naturally, we ended up in the pond.

A Romantic Summer Soirée Wedding in California

^{The Special Touches}

We did something called a “ring warming”, where the ring box gets passed from guest to guest throughout the ceremony, allowing them to hold the bands and imbue their love into them. Looking down at our wedding bands every day, we are reminded of that moment.

^{Our Favorite Moment}

It’s almost impossible to pick a favorite moment, but if we have to, it was the vows. Replaying the most special moments from our relationship, with the family and friends that had been with us throughout it all, felt better than expected.

Our Style

^{The Bridal Looks}

For the ceremony, I wore a Monique Lhuillier gown, Aquazzura heels, and jewelry designed by mom, Sara Weinstock. For the reception, I wore a custom corset from Ma Corsetiere, with a hand made ostrich feather stole from Tab Vintage and Jimmy Choo heels.

^{The Groom Looks}

Andrew wore a Ralph Lauren Purple Label tuxedo and cufflinks from his dad.

^{Our Bridesmaid’s Looks}

My bridesmaids were my “something blue”. They all picked powder blue dresses that suit them, and it turned out perfectly. My mom wore navy blue to compliment them.

Our Advice

^{For The Planning Process}

Romanticize it. I would be a professional bride if that were a career path. All of the fun new beauty appointments, creative and design projects, trips and events with friends. The memories we created the year leading up to our wedding are all the “wedding” for me, and it was the best time of my life.

^{For On The Day}

Enjoy every moment and remember the most important part of the day: you get to marry the love of your life. I had a note on my phone that said, “You’ll never get the same moment twice. Be present. Feel all the happiness. You get to marry Andrew. You’re so lucky”. Andrew set his iPhone background to a picture of the June calendar with our day highlighted to remember it was only one day and to make the most of it.

A Romantic Summer Soirée Wedding in California

^{For Post-Wedding}

If you aren’t doing a honeymoon, plan a mini moon. It can be simple and itinerary-less, but for those 4–5 days after the wedding, we didn’t want to do anything but sit on a beach chair and replay every single moment in detail. It was perfect!