Backyard Wedding by Gia Canali, II

I happen to be a HUGE fan of backyard weddings – they have such an intimate nature to them that always gives me those warm fuzzies!  (Granted, you and your family will be left with hundreds of tiny stiletto punctures in your lawn, but what a small price to pay, wouldn’t you agree?) And although I’ve never met this featured couple, photographed by Gia Canali, I believe I’d adore them; those inflatable swans, alone, likely speak volumes of the kind of people they are!  They carry with them an important lesson about wedding planning, too; don’t be afraid to make your wedding an extension of who you are.













{Click here to see SO much more goodness}

I’ll let Gia Canali take it away with the oh so delightful details…

We loved the unique design touches — the chandelier in the tree in the front yard, the antique car, and the inflatable swans that floated in the pool.  The design was really simple and elegant, but didn’t take itself too seriously (I mean: how can you take yourself too seriously when you’re willing to float giant inflatable swans in the pool at your elegant backyard wedding?).

This wedding had great lighting — they planned the events of the day around natural lighting, but also lit the dining and dancing areas with clusters of paper lanterns and string lights.  Paper lanterns are actually a really good source of bright, even light (that doesn’t kill the mood!).

The very subtle color palette was especially lovely. Not every wedding needs to scream “these are my wedding colors!!!” — Though Nada’s wedding design has lots of whites, neutrals, and little bits of gold in it, there were touches of green and pink echoed in the florals and in the attendants’ attire.  The little bit of pink in Nada’s bouquet is reflected in her sister’s gown; the greens in the florals, moss, and other decor were reflected also in Paul’s friends’ ties.

Thanks, Gia, for bringing this amazing wedding to our eyes! xoxo, Alison of The Knotty Bride

Photography: Gia Canali / Venue: Bride’s parents’ home in Modesto, CA / Dress & Necklace: Vera Wang / Bride’s shoes: Kate Spade / Groom’s suit: Hugo Boss / Groom’s shoes: Bally / Hair: Joseph from Joseph’s Salon / Makeup: Intimo Skincare Spa / Florals: Michael from Simple Flowers / Tables & Chairs: Classic Party Rentals / Linen Rentals: La Tavola Linens / Band: Hot Pocket / Chinese lanterns – Cultural Intrigue / Belly Dancers: Jodette’s Belly Dancing Acadamy, Sacramento, CA / Cake: Suzie Grover – 209-543-6777 / Overall Decor, Event Planning & Table Decor (Vases, chandelier, votives, mercury glass birds) – Lino Bella (Leila & Nada Bibi) / Day of Coordinator: Jennifer Pitts