It’s pastel blooms galore here on the blog today, as we share the incredible wedding of Katie and Steven with you. Married in Franciscan Gardens, California, this wedding is vintage and classic with modern boho undertones and romance….heaps and heaps of romance!
Katie is a huge Grace Loves Lace fan (aren’t we all!), so even after she’d bought her dress, she couldn’t resist visiting the GLL store in LA. What’s a girl to do if she falls in love with two different dresses? Yep, you guessed it….she bought both! Her style was bohemian elegance at it’s finest, especially after being matched up with the most glorious oversized pastel rose, ferns and foliage bouquet. This wedding is beautifully timeless with a cute classical edge, and most of all, it totally represents the couple’s vision and personalities….
I wanted guests to walk in and know they were at our wedding, not just any wedding. Every detail had to be “us”. I also wanted to stray as far as possible from a traditional format. I wanted my guests to be up and moving and mingling, not stuck at their tables.
A fave feature of ours is the circular rustic fern and floral ceremony backdrop which had us swooning upon first sight. It is just divine, and set the tone of the wedding perfectly from ceremony through to reception. The setting for dinner was bare bricks, stripped back decor and the perfect lighting to warm up the industrial style dinner space. We would love to say a HUGE thank you to Meagan Lindsey Photography and videographers Luxury Lifestyle Studio for sharing this stunning wedding with us, but more so to Leilani Weddings for the submission itself. These guys are the bees knees when it comes to planning and wedding coordination – we can’t wait to see more of their work later in the year!
Take a peek at Katie and Steven’s love story vid, and then read on to find out more about their wonderful whimsical wedding….
Surprise Island Engagement
In August 2017, Steven and I set sail on the Catalina Flyer to spend 5 days (or so I thought) on the island for some much needed R&R. We spent our days sleeping in, enjoying the island cuisine, snorkelling and exploring.
On the last day of the trip, Steven got down on one knee and asked me to marry him. I shed a tear or two and said ‘yes’! I looked up and saw not only my dad, but my mom and both of Steven’s parents as well! After tearful hugs of celebration, I was told SURPRISE-we are all staying on the island as a family and celebrating the rest of the weekend. My sister and brother-in-law joined us the next morning.
Enchanting Hideaway Venue in California
We were married in Franciscan Gardens located in the historical district of San Juan Capistrano, California. My best friend was actually planning her wedding at the same time and she actually toured the venue first. It wasn’t really her vibe, but she knew I would love it.
First Look – Intimate Love Captured on Camera
We hired Meagan and Chris from Meagan Lindsey Photography. I really can’t begin to say enough about them as people, professionals and partners in our journey. Their style was a natural fit, and I was blown away at the way they managed to capture the love between us! Luxury Lifestyle Studio were our videographers on the day.
Garden Ceremony, Pampas Grass Circle and Lush Whimsical Blooms
The ceremony location was a gorgeous garden setting with high walls of greenery surrounding us. My circle arch clothed in pampas grass and lush blooms was the star of the show. The space didn’t call for a lot of decorations, so we added some florals and left it alone. One of my best friends read a poem called “An Uncommon Love”. My youth pastor officiated the wedding and performed communion for just Steven and I during the ceremony. Steven and I decided to exchange personal the vows we had written for each other, which I really think adds a nice touch to a ceremony. We had string musicians playing live music as guests were seated and during the procession, communion and recession.
Bustling Romantic Florals
We hired The Bloom of Time to supply our florals. I only met with one florist and that one meeting with Adriana is all I needed to make my decision. Her and her team do gorgeous work and it was the way we connected that made me feel so confident. She understood my vision and theme and executed it through and through. She even did my flower crown for my shower!
Rustic Reception Followed by Garden Cocktail Party
We had two reception areas – inside the dining room and outside in the courtyard for post-dinner celebrations. It was important to me that the guests didn’t feel confined to their tables, so we transformed from the ceremony/cocktail hour to a free flowing garden party.
The dining room had a naturally raw and industrial feel with exposed brick, piping, wood floors and beautiful windows and chandeliers. We had a mix of wood farm tables and rounds with large candelabras surrounded by florals and scattered mixed metal accents. The farm tables had hand-cut lace runners topped with greenery and floral runners featuring various candles. The courtyard was transformed with multiple vintage furniture seating vignettes scattered throughout the space. One vignette was a dedicated cigar and whiskey bar for the gentlemen (or ladies!). We had a live band playing, a dessert display, corn hole game set up, vintage VW photo bus and of course, a free flowing bar.
Delicious and Elegant Catering
We used the amazing 24 Carrots to cater for us. We had appetisers (Caprese Crostini, Mini Pesto, Brie & Pear Pizza and Chicken Potstickers), followed by a dinner of Sea Bass and Pan-Seared Hangar Steak with Caramelized Brussels Sprouts and Butternut Squash Risotto Pave. The Sugar Philosophers made our cake and desserts. We had a two-tiered cake made of red velvet sponge (for Steven) and Coconut (for me). The made us fabulous mini styled desserts too, including French macaroons, lavender honey cheescake and cream puffs.
Customised Coffee for Guests to Take Home
Steven and I really enjoy coffee, especially slow Sunday mornings. I wanted to give our guests something represented us and something they would use and not just keep for a while then throw out. We made our own blend of coffee and placed it in custom bags for our guests to enjoy.
Grace Loves Lace Obsession
I took my mom, mother-in-law, sister and three bridesmaids with me (a small army) dress shopping. I chose a dress from a Trunk Show collection, but didn’t buy it.
I had forgotten about the dress until I was scrolling through photos of me in it. I decided to make another appointment at Blush Bridal Couture and I bought it that day. I’m also obsessed with Grace Loves Lace and have been for years, so I decided to buy a second dress! I tried on gowns I’d been idolising for years, and ended up purchasing a very simple dress that fit my personality perfectly. I wore a Toni Federici Veil with jewellery and accessories from Bloomingdales (a gorgeous opal and diamond antique inspired pendant necklace), LANA Jewellery and Haute Bride.
Steven wore an outfit from Friar Tux and the bridesmaid dresses were all different brands purchased from Bella Bridesmaid.
First Dance
Our first dance was to ‘White Moth’ by Xavier Rudd. I hadn’t heard of that song or artist before, but when we were discussing song options, Steven pulled it up. He really liked it as our first dance song, I liked the song too but what I liked most is that Steven liked it, so we went with it!
Favourite Moment
Honestly, I loved the bridal suite and spending time with my mom and all my best girls. The energy was amazing and they did such a good job of making me feel special – the excitement I felt was off the charts! I should also probably mention my husband somewhere in this question….the ‘first look’ and the ceremony are moments that I’ll forever cherish.
Any Advice?
Be unapologetically yourself – this is your one time to be a bride, don’t leave anything on the table. If you want, just go for it and don’t be afraid to ask. Ask for help, seek out your friends when you’re stressed, confide in your fiancé and most of all…be excited! Also, keep your future marriage at the forefront of everything you do. You’re not just planning an awesome party, you’re solidifying your commitment to each other. Oh, and get yourself a wedding planner, not just a day of coordinator. It was the SINGLE BEST decision I made and I made it early on in the planning process.
I was recommended to Eric Acuna from Leilani Weddings by one of my best friends. He has now helped three of us as we plan our weddings – he’s the best!
The Line Up
Photographer: Meagan Lindsey Photography; Videographer: Luxury Lifestyle Studio; Venue: Franciscan Gardens; Wedding Planner: Eric Acuna from Leilani Weddings; Bride’s Dress: Blush Bridal Couture / Grace Loves Lace / Essence Designs; Jewellery/Accessories: Bloomingdales | LANA Jewellery | Haute Bride; MUA: Flawless Faces; Hair: Corey Rosenbaum; Bridesmaid Dresses: Bella Bridesmaid; Groom’s Outfit: Friar Tux; Florist: The Bloom of Time; Cake: Sugar Philosopher; Caterer: 24 Carrots; Stationery: Type J Creative; Band: Lucky Devils Band; Photobooth: Photobus
the flowers are gorgeous!
Excellent decorations