Pismo Beach Wedding from Heather Armstrong Photography
I've been anxious all weekend to share this beauty with you. It's just everything I love about weddings wrapped up in one post, and the images from Heather Armstrong Photography? Beyond. They capture the love and beauty surrounding this day in such a way you feel like you were there, and it's the loveliest of feelings. Because this wedding? It's a perfect example of why I will never tire of devouring galleries as gorgeous as this one - it just doesn't get prettier. See it here.
And-- for more of this delightful day, the highlight film from ZoMei Video Production...
From the Bride...We both share a love for the Central Coast of childhood memories, and now memories that we have built together. We've always known that we've wanted to get married by the ocean. We picked The Cliffs Resort because we love that it's a beautiful place where the ocean meets the pine trees. We already felt married, so we envisioned our wedding day as a big celebration of our love with our family & friends. As I was letting our engagement sink in, it became a favorite ritual each morning to visit SMP to soak in all the beauty and inspiration. I took in every lovely swoon worthy detail from your featured DIY receptions to glorious destination weddings. It was an indulgence filled with giddy anticipation of what our wedding might look like someday on your pages.
I'm a huge believer in the saying, "one thing leads you to another," and that is how I planned our wedding. When we discovered that we could have our reception in a tent overlooking the ocean - the dye had been cast. It was important to us to have an elegant wedding with many budget conscious DIY personal touches that allowed us to share a unique part of who we are with our guests. I have worked in luxury brand integration, producing events and styling for years, and Chris is a product designer who took every creative idea and all of our hand painted wood signage to the next level with his expertise. We easily decided to integrate Charcoal Grey, Sea Glass, White, Dark Wood, Driftwood, Dark Sea Fans, Moss, Silver Sheen Leaves, Gardenias, Burnished Gold Magnolia Leaves & Rocks, Succulents and Apothecary Jars filled with Sea Shells & Glass Japanese Floating Buoys. The same colors and decor we have in our home at the beach. We incorporated Gold & Platinum Metallic to represent our rings, as well as play off of the gorgeous heirloom toasting glasses that both my Grandparents and my Parents used for their 50th Wedding Anniversaries.
The planning of our wedding became a family affair, with meaning and purpose attached behind every sentimental detail. We tried to cherish every moment of the planning, as everyone knows that day goes by in one big happy blur. We were so honored to have my Dad build all of the wood work for our gorgeous table numbers and signage, while my Mom worked lovingly beside us on every craft project. We wanted a beach theme, however, it was important for us to be subtle. Our arch was constructed as a gift by dear friends from the driftwood we had collected over the course of our engagement. It was magical to see our visions come to life in a way that only happens in dreams. Our floral/event designer truly knows how to make flowers sing. She was able to not only bring every inspiration I had to life, but to the next level.
Music played a very big part in our wedding. After sharing with our DJ that Chris played a special song for me on a first trip to New York. He made my wildest dream possible for me to walk down the aisle to an original arrangement of "City of Blinding Lights" by Terry Lawless - Keyboardist for U2. Also, our very dear friend who is a Music Supervisor gifted us a hard drive of music. We had so much fun hand picking the sound track to our wedding. One of my favorite spontaneous moments happened as we were making our way back to our chairs at the head table to hear our toasts. I noticed a beautiful patch of green grass right in the middle of our tent, and decided to sit down in my big fluffy dress with all of the beautiful children in the our bridal party surrounding us. It made the moment that much sweeter to have such a candid and carefree moment.
All of our vendors were top notch. After a year of planning every detail and timeline, it was so refreshing the day of the wedding to be able to let go of everything knowing that we were truly in the best hands possible. Looking back, I'm most touched by the 18 lanterns that hung over our reception. Each one lit, as a thoughtful remembrance for loved ones who have passed. It was especially moving when we danced our 1st dance to "Lucky" under the lanterns, gorgeous chandeliers, and pleated draping of our tent. The sun was just starting to set over the ocean, as I was dancing with the man of my dreams, in the dress of my dreams, surrounded by so much love and celebration. We are still pinching ourselves and want to jump back into every gorgeous frame of our pictures and cinematography. For us, love is truly in every detail.
Photography: Heather Armstrong Photography | Venue + Catering: The Cliffs Resort | Wedding Coordinator: Anna Fergus | Cinematography: Zomei Video Productions | Floral + Event Design: Adornments Flowers & Finery | Wedding Cake: Cake Cathedral | DJ + Sound Design: AMS | Celebrant: Barbara Koenig | Hair: Luanne Iannucci-Donahue, Lukaro Salon | Makeup: Gina Simms | Floral Save The Date Cards: Althea & Ruth | Wedding Invitations: Crane Co. (Charcoal Grey Baluster Edge with Foil Stamp, Martha Stewart) | Response Cards: Custom, Clam Collection, Moe & Me | Sea Fan Stamps: Zazzle | Sea Shell Toothpicks: efavormart.com | Striped Straws + Decorative Tape Flags: DIY, Urbanic Paper Boutique | 5 Wishes (Italian Tradition): DIY, Jordan Almond Flowers Claros + Wrap with Us | Seating Cards: DIY, Specialty Bottle, Corked Glass Vial #VC4C | Sea Salt Guest Favors + Place Cards: DIY, #CKSQ250 Pacific Blue Flake Sea Salt, Saltworks + Specialty Bottle | Aqua Swirl Lollipop Place Cards for Kids: DIY, Oriental Trading Co. | Font for Seating + Place Cards + Signage: DIY, My Pro Fonts (Carolyna Pro Black) | Sea Shell Bouquets: DIY, Seashells Supply (Rose Cockle Sea Shells) | Bride + Groom Chair Garland: DIY, Seashells Supply (Maple Leaf Center Cut Sliced Sea Shells) | Girls Hair Wreaths: Serenity Crystal, (Ivory Cherry Blossom Garland) | Birds Nest Flower Girl Basket, Butterfly Confetti, Preserved Gardenias for Mother's Hair & Grandmothers Wrist: Save-On-Crafts | Antique Ceremony Table: Family Heirloom | Wooden Lantern for Cards: The Garden Gallery Inc. | Birdbath Ring Holder: Bride + Groom | Cake Knife : Vintage Family Heirloom used at My Parents Wedding in 1962 | Silver + Crystal Beaded Cake Stand: Lamps Plus | Candle Sticks on Head Table: Bride + Groom | Reception Wine: Dahlia | Send Off Sparklers: Sparklers Online | Wedding Dress: Wtoo via Ferndales Bridal | Earrings: Lovella Bridal (Maria Elena #291) | Shoes: Stuart Weitzman (Mischievous in Mercury Cipria) | Bride's Veil/Blusher: Borrowed from Bride's Cousin via Cheryl King Couture | Bridesmaids' Dresses: Wtoo via Ferndales Bridal + Toast Bridal | Bridesmaids Earrings: Kendra Scott (Elle Earring in Chalcedony) | Brides Rhinestone Hair Comb: Swarovski-Elements, Beverly Hills Beauty Center | Beaded Bridal Purse: A Vintage Keepsake | Bride's Diamond Engagement Ring: Mark Broumand | Bride's Sterling Silver Carrie Wedding Band: Fantasy Jewelry Box | Groom's Gold Wedding Band: Vintage Family Heirloom | Groom's Tux: Black by Vera Wang | Groom's Bow Tie & Pocket Square: Brooks Brothers | Groom's Mother of Pearl Cuff Links: Link Your Shirt | Groomsmen's Suits: Kingston (Charcoal Grey / Flat Pant) | Groomsmen's Ties: Calvin Klein | Toddlers Boys Vest Suit: Boys Suits and Tuxedos ( Charcoal Grey Pin Stripe with White Shirt & Tie Catalog# 2139131/5827252) | Ivory Flower Girl Dress: Davids Bridal | Sea Shell Girl's Dresses: Sophia's Style (Little Girl Gold Glitter Christmas Dress)
I'm a huge believer in the saying, "one thing leads you to another," and that is how I planned our wedding. When we discovered that we could have our reception in a tent overlooking the ocean - the dye had been cast. It was important to us to have an elegant wedding with many budget conscious DIY personal touches that allowed us to share a unique part of who we are with our guests. I have worked in luxury brand integration, producing events and styling for years, and Chris is a product designer who took every creative idea and all of our hand painted wood signage to the next level with his expertise. We easily decided to integrate Charcoal Grey, Sea Glass, White, Dark Wood, Driftwood, Dark Sea Fans, Moss, Silver Sheen Leaves, Gardenias, Burnished Gold Magnolia Leaves & Rocks, Succulents and Apothecary Jars filled with Sea Shells & Glass Japanese Floating Buoys. The same colors and decor we have in our home at the beach. We incorporated Gold & Platinum Metallic to represent our rings, as well as play off of the gorgeous heirloom toasting glasses that both my Grandparents and my Parents used for their 50th Wedding Anniversaries.
The planning of our wedding became a family affair, with meaning and purpose attached behind every sentimental detail. We tried to cherish every moment of the planning, as everyone knows that day goes by in one big happy blur. We were so honored to have my Dad build all of the wood work for our gorgeous table numbers and signage, while my Mom worked lovingly beside us on every craft project. We wanted a beach theme, however, it was important for us to be subtle. Our arch was constructed as a gift by dear friends from the driftwood we had collected over the course of our engagement. It was magical to see our visions come to life in a way that only happens in dreams. Our floral/event designer truly knows how to make flowers sing. She was able to not only bring every inspiration I had to life, but to the next level.
Music played a very big part in our wedding. After sharing with our DJ that Chris played a special song for me on a first trip to New York. He made my wildest dream possible for me to walk down the aisle to an original arrangement of "City of Blinding Lights" by Terry Lawless - Keyboardist for U2. Also, our very dear friend who is a Music Supervisor gifted us a hard drive of music. We had so much fun hand picking the sound track to our wedding. One of my favorite spontaneous moments happened as we were making our way back to our chairs at the head table to hear our toasts. I noticed a beautiful patch of green grass right in the middle of our tent, and decided to sit down in my big fluffy dress with all of the beautiful children in the our bridal party surrounding us. It made the moment that much sweeter to have such a candid and carefree moment.
All of our vendors were top notch. After a year of planning every detail and timeline, it was so refreshing the day of the wedding to be able to let go of everything knowing that we were truly in the best hands possible. Looking back, I'm most touched by the 18 lanterns that hung over our reception. Each one lit, as a thoughtful remembrance for loved ones who have passed. It was especially moving when we danced our 1st dance to "Lucky" under the lanterns, gorgeous chandeliers, and pleated draping of our tent. The sun was just starting to set over the ocean, as I was dancing with the man of my dreams, in the dress of my dreams, surrounded by so much love and celebration. We are still pinching ourselves and want to jump back into every gorgeous frame of our pictures and cinematography. For us, love is truly in every detail.
Photography: Heather Armstrong Photography | Venue + Catering: The Cliffs Resort | Wedding Coordinator: Anna Fergus | Cinematography: Zomei Video Productions | Floral + Event Design: Adornments Flowers & Finery | Wedding Cake: Cake Cathedral | DJ + Sound Design: AMS | Celebrant: Barbara Koenig | Hair: Luanne Iannucci-Donahue, Lukaro Salon | Makeup: Gina Simms | Floral Save The Date Cards: Althea & Ruth | Wedding Invitations: Crane Co. (Charcoal Grey Baluster Edge with Foil Stamp, Martha Stewart) | Response Cards: Custom, Clam Collection, Moe & Me | Sea Fan Stamps: Zazzle | Sea Shell Toothpicks: efavormart.com | Striped Straws + Decorative Tape Flags: DIY, Urbanic Paper Boutique | 5 Wishes (Italian Tradition): DIY, Jordan Almond Flowers Claros + Wrap with Us | Seating Cards: DIY, Specialty Bottle, Corked Glass Vial #VC4C | Sea Salt Guest Favors + Place Cards: DIY, #CKSQ250 Pacific Blue Flake Sea Salt, Saltworks + Specialty Bottle | Aqua Swirl Lollipop Place Cards for Kids: DIY, Oriental Trading Co. | Font for Seating + Place Cards + Signage: DIY, My Pro Fonts (Carolyna Pro Black) | Sea Shell Bouquets: DIY, Seashells Supply (Rose Cockle Sea Shells) | Bride + Groom Chair Garland: DIY, Seashells Supply (Maple Leaf Center Cut Sliced Sea Shells) | Girls Hair Wreaths: Serenity Crystal, (Ivory Cherry Blossom Garland) | Birds Nest Flower Girl Basket, Butterfly Confetti, Preserved Gardenias for Mother's Hair & Grandmothers Wrist: Save-On-Crafts | Antique Ceremony Table: Family Heirloom | Wooden Lantern for Cards: The Garden Gallery Inc. | Birdbath Ring Holder: Bride + Groom | Cake Knife : Vintage Family Heirloom used at My Parents Wedding in 1962 | Silver + Crystal Beaded Cake Stand: Lamps Plus | Candle Sticks on Head Table: Bride + Groom | Reception Wine: Dahlia | Send Off Sparklers: Sparklers Online | Wedding Dress: Wtoo via Ferndales Bridal | Earrings: Lovella Bridal (Maria Elena #291) | Shoes: Stuart Weitzman (Mischievous in Mercury Cipria) | Bride's Veil/Blusher: Borrowed from Bride's Cousin via Cheryl King Couture | Bridesmaids' Dresses: Wtoo via Ferndales Bridal + Toast Bridal | Bridesmaids Earrings: Kendra Scott (Elle Earring in Chalcedony) | Brides Rhinestone Hair Comb: Swarovski-Elements, Beverly Hills Beauty Center | Beaded Bridal Purse: A Vintage Keepsake | Bride's Diamond Engagement Ring: Mark Broumand | Bride's Sterling Silver Carrie Wedding Band: Fantasy Jewelry Box | Groom's Gold Wedding Band: Vintage Family Heirloom | Groom's Tux: Black by Vera Wang | Groom's Bow Tie & Pocket Square: Brooks Brothers | Groom's Mother of Pearl Cuff Links: Link Your Shirt | Groomsmen's Suits: Kingston (Charcoal Grey / Flat Pant) | Groomsmen's Ties: Calvin Klein | Toddlers Boys Vest Suit: Boys Suits and Tuxedos ( Charcoal Grey Pin Stripe with White Shirt & Tie Catalog# 2139131/5827252) | Ivory Flower Girl Dress: Davids Bridal | Sea Shell Girl's Dresses: Sophia's Style (Little Girl Gold Glitter Christmas Dress)