When it comes to fashionably bold brides, this next slice of lovely takes the cake. One look at her gorgeous couture, high-low gown and you’ll see just what I mean. Staying true to their stylish personalities, these beach-loving sweeties threw an intimate affair overflowing with pretty. From their Printerette Press paper goods to every snap from the lens of Mi Belle, the gallery is the only place to be!
From The Bride…When Ben and I began planning our wedding, our number one priority was to make it as true to US as possible. We set out to have every detail reflect who we are as individuals, and as a couple. That meant doing it our way from the get-go, regardless of what our families had to say about it (don’t worry! It’s a happy ending- the mothers adored every detail :) ).
Although I am from La Jolla, and my parents would have loved us to have a local wedding, Ben and I ended up finding our dream venue in Santa Barbara, at the Montecito Country Club. We both love the beach- Ben is an avid surfer, and I moved back to the west coast from NYC a few years ago to be by the water. So, the ocean view, big grassy field, and sunny skies were the first selling points for the MCC. Then, we loved having our reception inside (I get cold easily!!), but in a space that we could make our own, without distracting textured wallpapers and icky carpet prints (I know y’all feel me).
Our incredible wedding planner, Donna, helped bring our vision to life. I loved the open field on which we had our ceremony, but I wanted an intimate vibe- to feel like we were in a small, special space together. So, we framed the seating area with faux hedges, and found aged white barn doors to welcome guests into the setting. A heart-shaped floral wreathe hung on the door, made by our incredible florist, Nico, with greens and florals cascading from the doorway. At the end of the aisle, where Ben’s dad performed our ceremony, Nico built a distressed wood arch, and had asymmetrical florals draping all around it.
For colors, we kept it predominantly shades of white, with hints of soft pinks. Because Ben, after all, was equally important part of the wedding and aesthetic, we balanced the girlie-ness of the palate with natural wood throughout. My long-time friend Catherine, of Printerette Press, silk screened her hand-drawn flowers and lettering onto wood veneer for the invitations. This really helped set the outdoorsy but beautiful feel for the day, and the wood, white, and baby pink theme carried over into the ceremony space, place-card table display, dinner menu, event signage and beyond.
As a stylist with a background in design, my dress was of course of utmost importance!! (What bride’s isn’t?) I did research, and spent a lot of time thinking about exactly what I wanted in my dress. I decided to ask my former boss, Zaldy, under whom I worked for Gaga and Britney, to make the dress for me. I sent him sketches and tears of the various design elements I wanted to include in my dress, and he got to work. As he is based in NYC and I am in LA, it was a complex process- including a last-minute 36-hour journey to NYC to get it just right! My completed dress arrived the day before we left for Santa Barbara!! #heartattack. But once it finally did, it was absolutely perfect. I paired it with a vintage pearl necklace, two bracelets previously handed down from each of my grandmother’s, and a rose-gold-and-diamond earring that I also gave to each of my bridesmaids to wear alongside me. For hair and make up, my good friend Vittorio, with whom I work on Kesha (he on glam, myself on styling) agreed to doll me up for the day- and he made me feel like a million bucks and then some. It couldn’t have been a more personal ensemble, and I felt the love all over me :)
Ben opted for a slim-fit baby blue suit by Moods of Norway, with exposed ankles and casual but sharp loafers. To keep everything light, his groomsmen wore faintly striped cream-and-khaki J. Crew suits, and my bridesmaid chose their own dresses in shades of baby pink. We wanted everyone to feel comfortable and like themselves!
For food and music, Ben and I wanted to serve and play the kind of stuff we would want to eat and dance to at a party. So, to our parent’s dismay, we forewent steaks served to the table, and opted for a buffet that included custom salads, pizza, mac n’ cheese, elote corn, and mnm chocolate chip cookies. It was DE- licious!! Oh, and instead of a champagne toast, we passed around (optional!) tequila shots and limes, for a more hearty cheers to the bride and groom :)
We had a live band play during our ceremony, but chose to use a DJ to get the dance floor hoping. I think we’d both heard one too many mature adult singers do their best Will.I.Am voice in “Tonight’s gonna be a good night” – so we decided to stick with the originals (still,…no Tonight’s Gonna Be A Good Night.)
We couldn’t have been happier with how the wedding turned out from an aesthetic standpoint. But, the best part about making such a personal wedding was that everyone saw and felt “Shelby and Ben” throughout the day. The best compliment we received over and over, was that everyone seemed to FEEL the love between us, and as a result the energy and spirit of the day was incredibly happy and love-filled. It was truly the most magical and special day of our lives.
Photography: Mi Belle Photography | Videographer: Viken Productions | Flowers: NLC Productions | Invitations: Printerette Press | Venue: Montecito Country Club | Bride: Shelby Scudder | Bride: Shelby Scudder | Hair & Make Up: Vittorio Masecchia | Table Numbers & Dinner Menus: Sweet Carolina Collective | Wedding Planner & Design: Donna Romani Events