Elegant Outdoor Affair in Los Olivos
We might be a tad smitten with this Bride. Scratch that, a whole lot smitten. She takes gorgeous to a whole new level of confident beauty.And it shines bright in this elegant Los Olivos affair captured by Sorella Muse with a film by Rainbowfish Cinema. It's the kind of wedding that melds chalkboard signage with communal seating and fresh blooms by Kaleidoscope Flowers; making the gallery a total must.
From Sorella Muse... On a bright spring day last April, two of the most beautiful, spiritually grounded, kind, and generous souls promised themselves to each other beneath a large oak tree, with the rolling hills of Los Olivos behind them.
When you witness how Alex looks at Jess, you know that no woman should ever settle for less. They bring out the best in each other, and the best in everyone around them. Their mutual respect and admiration is an amazing example of what love can be.
Jess and Alex saw each other for the first time as she walked down the aisle, and they were both visibly overcome with emotion and joy. At the end of the ceremony, Alex jokingly fell backwards from the kiss in a hilarious moment caught on their wedding film, which is so reflective of his humor and the way he makes Jess laugh like no one else can. Their video was beautifully shot by Rainbowfish Cinema, and it’s truly a must-watch! It also captures part of the fairy tale that Alex wrote to Jess as a wedding gift, which was in equal parts romantic and silly, making everyone in the room laugh and cry while one of Jess’s bridesmaids read it aloud before everyone got ready in the morning.
Jess and Alex both have a great sense of style, so I knew from the beginning that their day was going to be stunning. It was a classic vineyard affair with relaxed elegance. Vibrant yellow gave a colorful pop to the wedding, with yellow, gray and white in the bridal bouquet, yellow tulips for the bridesmaids, and white hydrangeas, yellow tulips, and billy balls on the tables. Jess has an incredible eye for design, so creating their wedding came naturally to her. She recently launched an inspiring new venture, Haute Hope, a company that creates carefully curated gift boxes filled with items from socially purposeful and responsible brands. It’s so amazing to see someone following their passion and living in alignment with their values!
After wine and appetizers were served in the vineyard barrel room, guests found their seats at the long wooden communal tables (thanks to a cute chalkboard seating chart!) Jess and Alex wanted it to feel like an intimate family meal. So instead of being served or having a buffet, large dishes were set out on the tables family style, and guests passed them to each other. They worked with Pure Joy Catering to create an incredible feast, which was all the more magical thanks to the courtyard setting, complete with an ivy covered wall and illuminated by string lights.
A unique and super fun first dance to “Ain’t No Mountain High Enough” by Marvin Gaye was followed by cutting the vanilla and brown butter cake with dulce de leche that bridesmaid Becky Reams made for them (it helps having a friend who also happens to have been on Master Chef Season 3!). In addition to their wedding cake, there were donuts piled high, since Jess and Alex can often be found in donut shops all over LA together.
As a photographer, I have never been so welcomed into a couple’s love story, which just speaks to the kind of open, welcoming, and gracious couple that Jess and Alex are. During our first coffee meeting (which went well over two hours since we couldn’t stop talking!) they told me so much about how they fell in love and their experience as an inter-racial couple as though I were already a close and trusted friend. Jess dubbed me her unofficial 7th bridesmaid and I even had the honor of giving a speech at their rehearsal dinner! Now that we are close friends, I can say that as gorgeous as their wedding was, it’s their marriage that is truly beautiful.
When you witness how Alex looks at Jess, you know that no woman should ever settle for less. They bring out the best in each other, and the best in everyone around them. Their mutual respect and admiration is an amazing example of what love can be.
Jess and Alex saw each other for the first time as she walked down the aisle, and they were both visibly overcome with emotion and joy. At the end of the ceremony, Alex jokingly fell backwards from the kiss in a hilarious moment caught on their wedding film, which is so reflective of his humor and the way he makes Jess laugh like no one else can. Their video was beautifully shot by Rainbowfish Cinema, and it’s truly a must-watch! It also captures part of the fairy tale that Alex wrote to Jess as a wedding gift, which was in equal parts romantic and silly, making everyone in the room laugh and cry while one of Jess’s bridesmaids read it aloud before everyone got ready in the morning.
Jess and Alex both have a great sense of style, so I knew from the beginning that their day was going to be stunning. It was a classic vineyard affair with relaxed elegance. Vibrant yellow gave a colorful pop to the wedding, with yellow, gray and white in the bridal bouquet, yellow tulips for the bridesmaids, and white hydrangeas, yellow tulips, and billy balls on the tables. Jess has an incredible eye for design, so creating their wedding came naturally to her. She recently launched an inspiring new venture, Haute Hope, a company that creates carefully curated gift boxes filled with items from socially purposeful and responsible brands. It’s so amazing to see someone following their passion and living in alignment with their values!
After wine and appetizers were served in the vineyard barrel room, guests found their seats at the long wooden communal tables (thanks to a cute chalkboard seating chart!) Jess and Alex wanted it to feel like an intimate family meal. So instead of being served or having a buffet, large dishes were set out on the tables family style, and guests passed them to each other. They worked with Pure Joy Catering to create an incredible feast, which was all the more magical thanks to the courtyard setting, complete with an ivy covered wall and illuminated by string lights.
A unique and super fun first dance to “Ain’t No Mountain High Enough” by Marvin Gaye was followed by cutting the vanilla and brown butter cake with dulce de leche that bridesmaid Becky Reams made for them (it helps having a friend who also happens to have been on Master Chef Season 3!). In addition to their wedding cake, there were donuts piled high, since Jess and Alex can often be found in donut shops all over LA together.
As a photographer, I have never been so welcomed into a couple’s love story, which just speaks to the kind of open, welcoming, and gracious couple that Jess and Alex are. During our first coffee meeting (which went well over two hours since we couldn’t stop talking!) they told me so much about how they fell in love and their experience as an inter-racial couple as though I were already a close and trusted friend. Jess dubbed me her unofficial 7th bridesmaid and I even had the honor of giving a speech at their rehearsal dinner! Now that we are close friends, I can say that as gorgeous as their wedding was, it’s their marriage that is truly beautiful.