A wedding that kicked off their marriage with a bang – that was this couple’s vision of their dream day, and I would say they got that and SO much more. Because this al fresco affair planned by Platinum Weddings by Kerrie and captured by Christine Farah Photography is a stunner. Stun-ner. It’s so much more than a bang, it’s bright and vibrant and full of wedding bliss – it’s a firework show of fabulous and you can see it all right here in the little ol’ gallery of gorg!
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From the Bride… Our vision was a wedding that kicked off our lives together with a bang. So we broke down what would make our perfect wedding, concluding it was the setting, the people, the food, the music, and the memories. We wanted a location with the wow factor, with stunning views that provided a great backdrop to the event. The Figuora Mountain Farmhouse is a short drive above the charming town of Los Olivos in the Santa Ynez Valley. Surrounded by mountain ranges and wide open vistas, the farmhouse has phenomenal views and a real sense of isolation, hence providing an amazing setting for both the ceremony and reception. The property also sleeps people so it was great that could bring our families together and celebrate this special occasion for a few days before the big day. We had a wine tasting event Thursday and the rehearsal dinner at the house Friday. We aimed to have a visual treat for our guests; so together with the location we incorporated lots of little details attempting to achieve rustic sophistication, and using bold colors with our flowers to ensure they stood out against the dry harshness of the Californian mountain side, thereby creating an element of warmth and enchantment. We also wanted to incorporate the fun traditions of a British/American wedding.
The ceremony was performed in an open space at the front of house. Announcing vows and declaring our love under a floral arch made out of branches with views of the mountain and the sun setting at the end of the Santa Ynez valley was incredibly special and romantic. The person officiating the ceremony was Jamie’s best friend from college, as we did not want someone we didn’t recognize between us. She was ordained especially for our wedding. We lucked out with our florist, Camille of Modern Day Designs. She was amazing and really innovative and was able to take our vision and make it a reality. The flowers stood out, and they allowed us to make the scenery part of the wedding, as they were designed to incorporate and offset the yellow of the mountains around us.
As the event progressed, our intentions were to move through the house and the reception was performed at the back of the house. Cocktail hour was on the back porch with the sting quartet playing. When it was time to sit for the reception, Camille had this great idea to have a table with everyone’s name and table number on a tag tied to a vase with flowers. The guests would come to the table, find their name and then bring the vase to the table and add their flowers to the arrangements on the tables. It was really lovely. Surrounded by mountains, sat eight tables with café lighting — the bold flowers really stood out. DJ Tasos was amazing and patient enough to put up with Jon, who almost handpicked the entire playlist. We had many unique little details — the groom and best man’s matching cufflinks, the wishing tree with real ink and feather pens, the invites designed by Jon’s father, a wedding website with cartoons illustrating our history designed by Jon, having Megan (our dog) as one of the flower girls…. The day could not have been better! Special thanks to our amazing photographer, Crissy Farah, for capturing the day (she is phenomenal)!
Wedding Photography: Christine Farah Photography / Wedding Venue: Figueroa Mountain Farmhouse in Santa Ynez, California / Wedding Planning: Kerrie Underhill of Platinum Weddings by Kerrie / Floral Design: Camille Panzarello of Modern Day Design / Catering + Bar Services: Pure Joy Catering / Wedding Cake: Decadence Fine Cakes & Confections / Cake Topper: From the Bride’s Grandparents’ 1952 Wedding / Ceremony Musicians: Arroyo Strings / Officiant: Vanessa Dinkel (A Friend of the Couple) / Wedding Invitations + Paper Details: DIY / DJ + Lighting: DJ Tasos of LSM Entertainment, Inc. / Rentals: Discount Party Rentals / Transportation: Roadrunner Shuttle & Limousine Service / Portable Restrooms: MarBorg Industries / Wedding Gown: Jenny Packham “Eden” via M Bride / Veil + Headpiece: The Mother of the Bride / Bride’s Shoes: Beholden Bridal / Bride’s Engagement Ring: Tiffany & Co. / Bride’s Wedding Band: Jolie Designs / Hair + Makeup: Champagne Spa & Boutique / Bridesmaids’ Dresses: Swoon “Barbados” via Bella Bridesmaid / Tuxedos: Men’s Wearhouse / Groom’s Wedding Band: spexton / Groomsmen’s Ties: DesignYourTie.com