Citrus is one of those themes I don’t think I’ll ever tire of; it’s always refreshing and the colors guaranteed vibrant and fun. With that as their inspiration, Mark Padgett Wedding Design went to work on this southern California celebration and the results, via Jake and Necia Photography’s pics, are absolutely fantastic… and sure to inspire some smiles. Join in the fun right this way!
From Mark Padgett Wedding Design… When Lauren and Matt first came to me…
Lauren and Matt’s first words to me were the following: “Hi! First off, I adore your aesthetic. My fiancé and I want to get married in Southern California in the spring or summer of 2014. We really are pretty open to any venue, but we think we want it outside of L.A., where we live, so we have an excuse to keep it small. We really want it to be intimate, laid-back, and fun! I am really open about virtually all of the details, like colors, flowers and food, but I’m nervous that we’ll lose the relaxed vibe we want if we don’t have a designer to help us. Help!”
In the meetings that followed, it was clear to us that both bride and groom were trying to find a balance. Something really special and fun which would wow her parents, be elegant enough for the groom’s parents, and still be laid back enough to make them happy.
We started out by sending the bride a few images and see what she is attracted to. Lauren loved a vintage handkerchief that featured citrus, leaves, and the word California, written on it in a font right out of the 40’s. The design was sparked. California Citrus is fun, has a history steeped in tradition, and could be dressed up or down. Perfect!
We showed them several venues in Santa Barbara and we chose the Butterfly Lane Estate because it was stunning and lush but felt like you were having a wedding in a friend’s backyard. (A fairly wealthy friend, we joked, but still welcoming)!
Lauren loved the citrus palette when we sent her the first design page, but wanted pink to be incorporated as well. She asked if that was OK (bless her!), we said, “pink grapefruit!” Of course! We knew the palette was bold so we chose a very neutral farm-style table (totally helped with the laid back attitude), then a neutral runner, but added a patterned napkin that had all the colors of the flowers and fruit to bump up the fun.
A ceremony chuppah for a Jewish wedding is typically either super plain or very lush with mountains of flowers. We wanted to keep it simple but also have something about it that subtly popped if you really looked at it. That’s when the “floating” chuppah idea came into Mark’s head. We constructed a 10-foot square out of metal piping and attached it into the canopy of a tree on the property. I used lemon leaf garlands suspended from the structure and attached a few flowers as well as the citrus. When you first approached it looked simple enough, but as guests were sitting down you could see them smile and tilt their heads in wonder. We also attached the groom’s family tallit at the top. It was a beautiful tallit owned and used by Matt’s great grandfather. Matt’s parents were very pleased. Lauren and Matt adored the Chuppah!
The centerpieces combined tradition and fun as well. Each guest table had six to seven vintage milk glass pieces including compotes, wine glasses, fruit bowls and cake stands. The colorful flower arrangements featured “sunset” and “prospero” dahlia and “juliet” and “pink piano” garden roses. The look was completed with limes, key limes, meyer lemons, grapefruit, tangerines and kumquats.
While Lauren and Matt wanted a DJ, “to keep it laid back,” Lauren’s parents wanted “a big ‘ol party band.” We had both! PartyPosh and Malik Miko worked seamlessly together offering both experiences in equal measure. Honestly, I want to do that with all my weddings now.
To design the wedding cuisine, we started by having the bride and groom send us a list of ALL their favorite foods, from what they would order in a romantic restaurant to what they grab to sit down in front of the TV. We discussed favorite appetizers, snacks, desserts, salads, veggies, as well as their best loved beverages including wines, beers, and preferred mixed drinks of theirs, their parents and close friends. I send all that information to the caterer and that was how the menu was created. Pure Joy did an outrageous job with all of it. Buttermilk Fried Chicken was the main entree and guests could not get enough of it. The dessert bar, featuring the bride and groom’s favorite sweets, and Matt’s Whiskey Tasting bar were big hits as well.
On the Butterfly Lane property, as soon as you walk in, there is a professional sized tennis court. It was in good shape but we felt the painted cement and net were not inviting. We transformed it by covering it all with a wood dance floor. In the first section (as guests arrived) we set up a lounge area with vintage furniture, cocktail tables and a welcome bar. On the other half we set up a stage for the band and a lovely space to dance the night away. String lights were zigzagged across the whole space for a soft glow after the sun set.
We were confident at the end of the night that we had given everyone what they wanted. It was confirmed by the bride and groom in a lovely thank you note a few weeks later:
Thank you for the spectacular job you did with our wedding. You managed to take our vague and contradictory ideas and execute them into something so beautiful, coherent, sweet and personalized to us as a couple. There is no way anyone else could have done such a fantastic job. It was just perfect!
Honestly, this note cannot convey our gratitude.
Lauren & Matt
Any wedding designer and planner will tell you, a note like that makes it all so, so sweet.
Photography: Jake And Necia Photography | Event Design: Mark Padgett Wedding Design | Floral Design: Mark Padgett Wedding Design | Wedding Dress: Leanne Marshall | Cake: Your Cake Baker | Invitations: Umbrella Tree Design | Bride's Shoes: Tory Burch | Bridesmaids' Dresses: Trina Turk | Catering: Pure Joy Catering | Hair and Makeup: The Queens Bees | DJ: La Cuesta Ranch | Band: Gig Masters - PartyPosh | Groom's Attire: FitWel Custom Clothes | Groomsmen's Attire: FitWel Custom Clothes | Ceremony Music: Justin Martinez, Guitarist | Wedding Venue: Rancho Dos Pueblos | Guest Transportation: Santa Barbara Airbus | Linen: BBJ La Tavola | Paper Details & Whiskey Sign: Umbrella Tree Design | Rentals: The Tent Merchant | Vintage Rentals: Embellish