Malibu, oh Malibu. The setting of so many of my favorite weddings, and now this beauty perfectly captured by Caroline Tran. She didn’t miss a moment of the ranch-set lovefest and So Happi Together orchestrated every last detail. Ready for more? It’s all waiting right here.
From The Bride…From the moment that Robert and I met at a college physics class, we both felt the immediate jolt of connection, which led to spending countless studying hours together in the library. After nervously chatting me up all semester and ostensibly tutoring me in physics; Robert finally got up the courage to ask me out. Through the weeks of getting to know him through studying and his patience in tutoring, I was already secretly smitten by his intelligence and warm, generous smile.
From that moment on, and throughout the next 8 years, we continued a long distance relationship while we pursued our different career paths. Rob went on to dental school and I went on to pharmacy school, but somehow always found the time from our hectic schedules to be together.
8 years later, after both of us had finished school, milestones such as exams and residencies were accomplished, Rob proposed while we were on vacation in San Francisco near my hometown. With the iconic Golden Gate Bridge in the background, we gazed upon the sunset and relished in the feeling that we were finally where we wanted to be. Eager to get hitched, we began wedding planning right after our engagement. We began scouting venues in search of a place our family and friends would love as much as we did. Photography is a big part of our lives so it makes sense that the next thing after booking the venue was finding the perfect photographer to hire. Rob and I were both unanimous about wanting something that seems unique and old fashioned nowadays—a photographer that used real film –not digital. This was because we both felt that film magically captured the essence and tone of an emotional celebration in a way that digital technology could not replicate.
Eight months later, our closest loved ones gathered on a gorgeous hilltop overlooking the stunning vineyards and mountain views of Malibu. I knew I always wanted to get married outside and Saddlerock Ranch in Malibu’s natural beauty was the perfect backdrop. Our wedding was a true reflection of who we are as a couple and even though we labored over every detail, it was worth every moment to see our vision come to life.
For the dining portion of wedding, we knew family style dining for our wedding would be a casual but elegant way for our table guests to engage in comfortable conversation and create an overall warm atmosphere! We chose hearty comfort food dishes such as braised short ribs, mashed potatoes, and fried chicken with grits in addition to mini chicken pot pies and mini lattice crust pies that served as our escort cards upon arrival to the reception area (who says you can’t eat dessert first?). Designing the table scape around our beautiful botanical plates and birch flatwear from Casa De Perrin really tied together the whimsical and comforting feel to the dining portion of our wedding. Our custom cake topper—which I designed on Etsy to match our wedding day attire, adorned one of our three delicious cakes from Sweet and Saucy Bakeshop in addition to the macarons, mini cupcakes, cheesecakes and cake pops that our guests sampled at the custom dessert bar.
One part of the wedding I remember enjoying the most was the creative process of making our personal wedding slideshow that we played after the cake cutting. I loved being able to create our story through pictures and videos of ourselves growing up and illustrating to our guests how we met and fell in love. Creating the slideshow was truly a walk down memory lane. It allowed an opportunity for our guests to laugh, reflect, remember and see our relationship evolve over the years which was beautiful and inspiring.
I loved the reception… the smiles, laughter and of course the dancing. I truly felt the wedding reception is the part where our guests could actually break loose and celebrate the day. Listening to speeches from our loved ones, feasting on the delicious food, libations and getting more hugs and kisses than we thought was possible! It was the greatest day of our lives and to have all of our loved ones together in one place celebrating our union and getting to see all the hard work of organizing and planning come to fruition is something neither of us will ever forget.
Photography: Caroline Tran Photography | Videographer: Imagique Weddings | Wedding Planner: So Happi Together | Floral Design: Twig & Twine | Wedding Dress: Reem Acra | Ceremony Venue: Saddlerock Ranch | Reception Venue: Saddlerock Ranch | Shoes: Jimmy Choo | Bridesmaid Dresses: Amsale | Catering: Urban Palate | Makeup: Patrick Ta | Calligrapher: Letters To You | DJ: Red Shoe LA | Groom's Attire: Hudson Custom Suits | Baker: Sweet & Saucy Shop | Linens: BBJ La Tavola | Rentals: Archive Rentals | Rentals: Town And Country | Rentals: Found Rental Co. | Tableware: Casa de Perrin