We Think Outdoor Weddings Are Worth the Extra Work + Here's Why

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March 26, 2018

Planning an outdoor wedding can be a bit intimidating – the blank canvas of an open air space certainly calls for a lot of imagination, and there's rarely pre-existing furniture to work with! But let me tell you, ladies, it's so worth the extra effort. Take this LBB Wedding of the Week for example – A Savvy Event created a bespoke set up at Meadowood Napa Valley, curating pieces from Bright Event Rentals, Found Rentals, BBJ Linen, and Theoni for this alluring, all-white celebration. Check out the amazing spaces they created, from the romantic ceremony beneath the trees to the light and airy feel of the reception, captured by The Edges Wedding Photography and Kindlewood Films.

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Mackenzie and Cullen were college sweethearts. They met at UCLA, where Cullen played water polo. On their first date, they dressed up as Sandy and Danny from Grease for a themed fraternity date party, and the rest was history.

The bride and groom are originally from San Diego and Marin County, respectively. Mackenzie had always dreamed of getting married in Southern California, but none of the venues they toured felt quite right, so they headed north to wine country. From the moment they stepped foot on property, Mackenzie and Cullen knew that Meadowood Napa Valley was the perfect place to start their lives together, surrounded by their friends and family who came from across the State of California to witness their special day. They loved that each portion of the day had its own location, tucked away across the sprawling property. The natural beauty and understated elegance that Meadowood offered was the perfect complement to their predominantly white wedding color palette.

The first “wow” moment of the day for the guests came in the form of flowers by Chestnut and Vine. The bride’s mother worked with Svenja of Chestnut and Vine to surprise Mackenzie with the stunning ceremony flowers, including a cascading arch for the bride and groom to say their “I dos” under. The bride and groom wrote their own vows for an emotion filled ceremony. Mackenzie said they were “teary-eyed, laughing hysterically, and smiling from the happiness and sweetness” throughout the entire ceremony, and they both felt blessed to share those emotions and moments with their family and friends.

Another highlight was the signature cocktails, specifically the Manhattan. An oversized ice cube and M+C embossed monogram that was emblazoned into an orange peel really set the tone for the evening and kicked off cocktail hour with an unforgettable detail. As residents of San Francisco, Mackenzie and Cullen are seasoned foodies, and fine dining was a must-have at their wedding. The staff at Meadowood blew them away with the flavor of the cuisine, the delivery, and their attention to detail in every part of dinner service. The first course was a Maine lobster and mango salad, followed by a Dungeness crab ravioli. Finally, guests were served a beef tenderloin, which was the groom’s personal favorite.

They ended their evening dancing to mo-town style tunes from the KJ All Stars. One of the bride’s favorite moments was dancing her heart out with her closest friends to Taylor Swift’s “Shake It Off,” which was an unexpected addition to the band’s playlist. The bride and groom’s attention to every detail carried through to dancing, where they had light up tambourines, necklaces, ice cubes for the cocktails, and sunglasses! The guests got to let loose, and the dance floor was never empty.

Mackenzie and Cullen’s timeless design and classic taste created an elegant evening at Meadowood Napa Valley. Looking back, the couple said they felt so surrounded by love the entire day and blessed to have been able to share their wedding day with their closest friends and family.