I’m a firm believer that the venue sets the tone for a wedding. Whether you find your venue first or decide on a style and vision right away—the venue is oh-so-important in translating the look and feel of your day. And this Santa Barbara Polo Club wedding from Michael & Anna Costa Photography couldn’t be a better example. It emits elegance in such an effortless way. With Grass Roots and Events By M And M behind all the lovely touches, it’s easy to see why. Hop on over to the gallery for even more!
From the beautiful Bride… Jim and I met in San Francisco in 2010 through mutual friends at a BBQ and were instantly drawn to one another. We quickly found ourselves spending all of our free time together and talking about the future. Within the year we had moved in together. A year and a half after we met, he surprised me by proposing in the rain while on my favorite hike in Marin County. Three months later, we moved to Philadelphia for Jim’s job and our planning became long distance as we both wanted to wed in California (thank goodness for our planner!). Though we initially thought the wedding would take place in San Francisco, it took only one seventy-five degree April day in Santa Barbara (where Jim’s parents live) to realize that it would provide the perfect indoor/outdoor venue for us. More than anything, we wanted our wedding to be a great party with family and friends. To us, this meant having a casual, yet elegant atmosphere with good food, drinks, and dancing.
The Santa Barbara Polo & Racquet Club provided the ideal back drop and required very little decoration to enhance its natural beauty, of which our florist and planner did an incredible job collaborating upon. We liked the Club’s sense of tradition and simplicity, and played upon the polo theme by giving guests the option of wearing derby hats and garb. My bridesmaids wore emerald green dresses in different styles. Jim wore a navy suit, while his groomsmen wore suits in varying shades of gray with navy and white polka dotted ties. The day of our April wedding was the warmest of the year and the scenic surroundings did not disappoint. I loved that a majority of the female guests donned fascinators and that people enjoyed our signature drinks of rosemary-infused greyhounds, mint juleps and wine from a local winery featuring our own label; a wedding gift from Jim’s parents. Hats off to the Polo Club as well for allowing our photographers to capture memorable one-on-one shots with a polo pony and equipment. For us, it was perfect.
Photography: MICHAEL + ANNA COSTA PHOTOGRAPHY | Event Design: Events By M And M | Floral Design: Grass Roots | Caterer: Duo Catering & Events | Wedding Venue: Santa Barbara Polo And Racquet Club | Hair And Make-Up: Bliss Bridal Beauty | Live Music & DJ: Mike West | Rentals: The Tent Merchant