I really do have the coolest job in the world. I get to check out some seriously gorgeous weddings all day, every day. It never gets old. But really, the reason we all do what we do here at SMP is to inspire. So when this California bride told me that she was so inspired by a wedding she found right here on Style Me Pretty, I couldn’t help but smile. For days. It makes the perfect job even more rewarding, fantastic, and amazing. And, captured by Jensen Larson Photography, the wedding was definitely beautiful & fabulous, very SMP. Click here for even more of the stunning affair.
We chose Pebble Beach as the location for our wedding because I grew up there and my husband and I have spent lots of time there visiting family and enjoying the beautiful scenery, hiking, golfing, and all that the area has to offer. Our ceremony location was at Church in the Forest, which is located on the campus of where I went to high school and the reception was at Monterey Peninsula Country Club, which is just down the road from the church.
The whole time my husband and I were engaged we were living in Sydney, Australia so when it came to wedding planning, I relied on Skype and email for wedding planning with my mom and our event planner. I wanted our wedding to be elegant, classic, fun, warm and memorable for our guests. While our wedding wasn’t DIY by any stretch, it was extremely important for me that it had a personal feel. So, when we moved back to the US a few months before the wedding, I worked with family and friends on various homemade touches and unique details.
One of my bridesmaids made the fascinator that I wore in my hair, my mom and I made 1,000 lemon lavender shortbread hearts (to give as favors), my mom sewed my initials and wedding date into my dress and we made the escort cards from cardboard straws and paper flags. For the cake stands, we used a collection of vintage cake stands that had been handed down to my mom from family and friends over the years. And, my husband tapped into his photography and computer skills, along with some friends, to create the photo booth. I also found Etsy to be a great resource for things like our cake topper and photo booth props.
A few other personal, more sentimental details include the dime and sixpence that I wore in each shoe. The dime had been worn by over twenty brides on my husband’s side of the family and the sixpence had been worn by my mom on her wedding day. I also carried a hanky around my bouquet that belonged to my grandmother.
In lieu of a guestbook, we bought four magnums of Silver Oak cabernet sauvignon that we had our guests sign with metallic pens. We plan to open a bottle on our first, fifth, tenth and fifteenth anniversaries. We look forward to seeing how the wine ages over time and reliving our wedding memories!
All the planning and effort really paid off, as the wedding was just as we had envisioned and I think the pictures capture it to a tee.
Photography: Jensen Larson Photography / Flowers: Floral Design by Reina / Event Planning: Amy Byrd Weddings & Events / Ceremony Location: Church in the Forest / Reception Location: Monterey Peninsula Country Club / Invitations: Little Miss Press / Shoes: Jimmy Choo / Dress: Victoria Nicole / DJ: Rock Bottom / Cakes: Gayle’s Bakery / Bridesmaid Dress: Simple Silhouettes / Groomsmen Suits: Men’s Wearhouse