Until about a year ago, I had no idea what an air plant was. It sounded like something out of a sci-fi movie but lo and behold, the second I set eyes on my first air plant infused wedding, I was hooked. And these pretty plantish thingamajigs are taking casual ranch elegance to a whole new level of beauty with this Camarillo affair all snapped by the ever so talented Jenna Marie Photography. From succulents to rowboats, pale blue to leafy green, chocolate chipotle cookies to…ok you get the hint. See it all right here!
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From the bride… I could not have dreamed of a more perfect day… Even a sudden flash-flood warning in the middle of summer could not spoil our Southern California wedding!! The process of planning came fairly easy (It probably helps that I work as a wedding coordinator). We had a pretty limited budget so immediately we decided what was essential and what we could live without. We both agreed that most importantly it needed to feel like US! I was not interested in playing by the rules and having a stuffy formal wedding. I wanted it to feel comfortable – like you were just sitting around a campfire hanging out with your best friends. With this being the focus we were able to make decisions throughout the process that stayed true to our vision. We were also lucky enough to have a lot of support from our families who offered to help with anything we needed. My Uncle owns a catering company and provided all the food and service. A family friend let us use their beautiful ranch as the venue and my Mom pretty much did anything and everything that I asked of her (which was a lot!)
I am a collector of anything old…the more rust the better! So each piece that decorated our wedding I found in a flea market, garage sale, dumpster or old barn. The mini terra cotta pots that were used as escort cards came from an old greenhouse that was being demolished. I snuck into the construction lot one early morning and collected as many as I could before the workers arrived. The large metal candles were made from old pipes I found on my Step-Dads cattle ranch. My brother cut them into mix matched pieces and Aaron filled them in with cement to make the base. The centerpieces of succulents were made by my Mom and I over the course of 6 months. I collected vintage boxes and my Mom collected succulents from friends and local nurseries. We would meet at her house and plant them one at a time (Graciously she let them sit in her backyard and continue to grow until the wedding day). The wagon wheel chandelier was a labor of love! I found the wheel on Craigslist and had my Step-Dad weld arms for it. Then the day before the wedding with the help of a dozen people, we hoisted it into the rafters and tied on the mason jars full of sand. It was a wonderful moment to see it finally hanging in its rightful place…
The story of my dress was just one of many miracles…While on a garage sale excursion I met a woman named Margaret. She was having a sale at her home and after chatting about the wedding for a bit, she mentioned that if I ever needed any alterations to call her because that is what she does. She even went inside and brought me her scrapbook of work…Turns out she made the jacket that Nicole Kidman wore to her wedding with Keith Urban! Coinsidently, that same week I was visiting my Mom and she asked if I wanted her wedding dress to maybe use for fabric. I had never seen my Mom’s dress and never considered wearing it but I went ahead and had her pull it out of storage. I think we were both in shock when I tried it on and…It was perfect!! Well, not entirely perfect…but pretty close! So, I called Margaret the next day and we began our amazing journey to transform a long puffy-sleeved 80’s dress, 6 sizes too big, into what you see today. (The discarded sleeves came in handy though because I was able to use the extra lace to make necklaces for each one of my bridesmaids, my Mom and my flower girl!)
Venue: Lamb Ranch Reservoir (friend’s residence) / Flowers: Grown and arranged by the bride / Caterer: Marty’s Catering (805-646-8020) / Photographer: Jenna Marie Photography/ Bride’s Dress: Her mother’s with alterations by Margaret Thompson (818-248-1656) / Wedding Coordinator: A Savvy Event / Flavored Marshmallows: Plush Puffs / Linens: La Tavola Linens / Signs + Escort Cards: Bride’s aunt / Family Tree: Bride’s cousin / Hair + Makeup: DIY by friends and family