I had a lot to be thankful for this past holiday and one of those things might just have to be Patrick Moyer Photography and this beyond gorgeous Malibu wedding that he sent us. What a perfect way to help kick this turkey day hangover. It is all kinds of pretty with the most perfect Southern California details. Natural elements and pops of vibrant colors look stunning against this beautiful backdrop of sand and water. Click here to see them all in the full gallery!
Click here to see the entire gallery of images!
From the Bride...We wanted our wedding to reflect a love of nature, art, architecture, music, good food and reverence for family customs... a small intimate outdoor wedding in a unique location, away from the hustle and bustle, with our closest family and friends! Rancho Cielo, a private contemporary residence atop a mountain in Malibu was a spectacular setting for the wedding we envisioned! The modern architecture set in a dramatic landscape dotted with succulents, unique rock formations and views to the mountains and valleys beyond was just incredible!
Our wedding day was an unusually hot day from the coast to the valleys in Southern California. For the ceremony we had parasols placed on the guest chairs to give them respite from the sun. From where the guests sat, two mountain peaks framed Stephan and I standing in front of an altar table where we placed glass vessels for an earth mixing ritual incorporated into our ceremony. My father brought earth from my childhood home in the Midwest and Stephan's relatives brought earth from Bulgaria, where he is originally from. And with the lingering smell of sage in the air we read our vows to one another. After we were pronounced husband and wife my niece poured a small amount of water and geranium on the ground before us from a Bulgarian copper vessel to send us on a life path filled with health, prosperity, and good luck!
Following cocktail hour by the pool my mother-in-law fed us bread with honey which is another Bulgarian custom. We sat for a family-style dinner and looked around seeing all the people we love dining outdoors as the sun set in the distance with the most beautiful light filling the valleys and illuminating the mountainside. The sounds of live jazz later filled the air as guests intimately talked and enjoyed the pleasant evening temperatures. We also had a scotch bar set-up with descriptions of the various whiskeys. Stephan has been discovering different types of scotch over the past couple years and many people enjoyed them that evening along with some great regional California wines. The array of beautiful petite desserts our caterer prepared were a hit as well!
The week before the wedding we had so much fun making our homemade "pucker face" pickles with Stephan's parents and loved sharing them with our guests as take home gifts at the wedding. Our wedding was truly beautiful and so meaningful for us! Many thanks to all that helped make it happen!
Wedding Photography: Patrick Moyer Photography / Wedding Coordinator: Renea Martoff of Sharibella Events / Floral Design: Centia Batz of Petal Floral / Hair + Make-up: Theresa Haung / Catering: Candice Food Couture / Rentals: Smart Party Rentals / Guitarist: Andrew Jackson / Jazz Musicians: Austin Peralta Quartet / Venue: Rancho Cielo