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I can’t think of a better way to celebrate love than reminisce about one of my fabulous weddings.  This darling couple are such a special pair and I have been *dying* to share these photos with you! What do you get when a graphic designer marries an architect/landscape architect?? Pure creativity, and a wedding dripping with details. I could barely contain myself as i waited for guests to arrive for the ceremony. It was everything I could’ve ever dreamed of for them and their reaction was priceless.

I’ll walk you through the heartfelt ceremony. It took place on the back lawn at Rancho Sol Del Pacifico, a private estate in Malibu. The azure skies seemed to melt into the horizon and you could barely distinguish sky from sea. A grouping of olive trees created a focal point for the ceremony, where the couple was married by a couple whose marriage and love they admire.

The gorgeous photos below are courtesy of my pal Jay Reilly, a fantastic photographer out of Oceanside.

the bride makes her way down the stairs for the processional

The vibrant orange bridesmaid bouquets each featured a single flower type. These included roses, tulips, coxcomb, pincushions and dahlias.

The aisle was lined with pomanders covered with dahlias or eucalyptus leaves.

Custom square programs, designed by the bride. Since they met on match.com, they included their original profiles in the program. It was such a fun touch!

I looove this pic of Shannon coming down the aisle. iI perfectly depicts her sassy nature; she is so adorable!

Some great wide shots. I loved the way that the orange bouquets stood out against the bridesmaids’ ice blue dresses.

S&S used large orange pillar candles in hurricanes for their twist on the unity candle. Another unique touch: they circulated their wedding rings during the ceremony, asking each guest to say a prayer or blessing for their union.

The joyous recessional!

The beautiful couple: married!

Another aspect i enjoyed about their ceremony was the music. They opted to use modern selections that held special meaning to them. The songs included..

“Then Came You” by Joshua Radin for the entrance of the parents
“Such Great Heights” by Iron & Wine for the bridal party entrance
“Let Go” by Frou Frou (the instrumental beginning) for the bride’s entrance
“Good Day Sunshine” by the Beatles for the recessional!

I love personalizing the ceremony this way. For my own wedding, we recessed to “Wouldn’t It Be Nice” by the Beach Boys.

Everywhere you turned, there was something to delight the senses. From funky floral arrangements and whimsical placecards to striking branch “trees” and breezy paper lanterns, creativity ruled the day. I, along with the guests, loved every last detail.

The bar top featured a collection of various orange blooms, gathered in streamlined square and rectangular vases.

Love love LOVE this! Remember this logo from their darling programs? They had this incredible piece made as a key décor element on the lawn.

Here’s an adorable pic for scale. Personalization with a big impact!

Two large pots were brought in and filled with curly willow. Hung admidst the branches were these beautiful pomanders covered with dahlias and mood moss. Scrumptious!! These flanked the path leading guests onto the property.

A mod lounge area was created with white-button leather gallery-style benches. Glass cubes filled with orange roses added a punch of color.

These escort cards might have been my favorite part of the day. S&S took great care to personalize each card. Not only did it include the guest’s name and table number, but also a nickname or phrase. It was a wonderful conversation starter, and I overheard the delighted comments of guests at the discovery of this very special touch.

A closer look… nicknames included things like, “chic euro gal” and “personality perfect”.

Ta-da!! The hip, unique, and inviting reception area. We grouped tables in the estate’s beautiful circular driveway.

How perfect is this tablescape?? we used chocolate pintuck linens, turquoise crinkle napkins, and a handmade damask placemat in the center.

Another look, because it’s just that beautiful.

A custom menu was placed on each napkin.

The stunnnnnning centerpieces! They comprised of a chocolate-stained wooden box, filled with mood moss dotted with orange florals, succulents, and dramatic curly willow.

Shannon & Stephen’s wedding date was extra special due to the fact that there was a full moon that evening. It was known as a “full strawberry moon,” or “rose moon.” {curious? learn more here.} Whatever you want to call it, the moon was absolutely glorious that evening and it bestowed a wonderful glow on the festivities below. Guests enjoyed a very sweet ending to this gorgeous celebration.

The grand entrance of the bride and groom was heralded by a dashing young trumpeter.

Their first dance (to corinne bailey rae’s “just like a star”) was magical. Their custom gobo looked fabulous on their sleek white dance floor.

perfect projection

Dinner is served!

Guests who explored the property after dinner had their choice of:

…lounging poolside. the pool lights change colors.

…hamming it up in the vintage photobooth. my personal fave!

…slipping away for some romance, like these two lovebirds…

…or basking in the glow of the aforementioned spectacular moonlight! Can you believe that golden orb is the moon??

A slideshow made a lovely accompaniment to dessert before the dancing began.

This pic sums things up quite well! The dance floor was packed!

A picture perfect kiss set off some sparks!

What a splendid evening. I loved reminiscing with these photos, and I hope you enjoyed this closer peek at one of my weddings. Have a terrific holiday!

[vendor roundup]

We had some amazing people working on this event!

• fresh, joyful and lively photography by Jay Reilly
• creative and WOWalicious florals by Blossom Floral Inc.
• catering by Contemporary Catering (ask for Nathaniel!)
• white dance floor + custom gobo from Bob Gail
• linens + chiavaris from Elegant Designs Specialty Linens
• all other rentals: Town and Country
• eclectic music and a rockin’ reception courtesy of dj tony from Red Shoe l.a.
• vintage photobooth rental from Photoworks Interactive