Ojai Wedding from Michael + Anna Costa

Erin Lepperd
August 29, 2013
Categories: Real Weddings, Traditional Elegance

If you’re looking for classic tented wedding inspiration, you are in the exact right spot. And really, is there anything more romantic than a beautifully draped white tent? I think not. But the proof is in the pudding, a.k.a this wedding so perfectly captured by Michael + Anna Costa. Held at Ojai Valley Inn and Spa (also up there on the romantic and beautiful scale) it has tent inspiration galore plus the prettiest of pretty classic details coordinated by Hoste Events and you can see even more in the full gallery. Have a look right here.

Colors

Seasons

Spring Weddings

Settings

Hotels + Resorts Weddings

Styles

Classic Weddings

From the groom…Our goal for the wedding was simple: a celebration of the start of the next chapter our already long relationship that reflected our personalities. Thanks to the help of many people, we achieved that goal and more.

We both share a love of all things California and wanted that to show throughout the weekend. This lead us to Ojai– a small eclectic town that is an easy drive north from L.A.. Kicking the weekend off with our closest family and friends under the twilight sky at the Spanish restaurant in town set the tone. Saturday morning I hosted a casual breakfast at a family friend’s house at the upper end of the valley. With spring in the air and the arrival of a heat wave, the smell of orange blossoms was everywhere, and what was supposed to be a quick event turned in to an extended morning of lawn games and lounging.

We picked the Ojai Valley Inn because it offered the best of all worlds. Our ceremony was held in the Herb Garden– a small but comfortable space filled with, no surprise, lots of herbs. An added benefit is that it is up above the sprawling lawn which gave our guests a full view of the reception tent below and the Oak Tree covered hills in the distance.

My favorite part of the evening was the tent. Or maybe the band. Or maybe the cake. Just like at the circus, the high peaks and good lighting inside the sailcloth tent made the party even more fun. The band was the result of the expert Google search “Los Angeles Soul Wedding Band” and after a few YouTube clip viewings, we booked them. They brought an entourage, which says it all. We both don’t like being rushed through cake, so we made sure there was enough time for everyone to sit and enjoy dessert before dancing began.

Mary’s favorite part of the evening were the flowers. Or maybe her dress. Or maybe the late night singalong in one of the hotel’s bars. The flowers were a mix of succulents, herbs, and garden roses. These blended naturally with the surrounding garden, which was in full bloom. Her dress was stunning and not at all what I expected her to wear (and I never saw it beforehand). The lace flowers and beautiful back of the dress leave me wondering if I’ll be able to convince her to put it on again some day. The night ended in the early morning with friends taking over the wood-paneled hotel bar, some reflecting on how lucky we all were to have been able to celebrate together and others singing along to a guitar.

[dotted]