Romantic Blush Fall Wedding at Quail Ranch in Simi Valley
When I begin putting together a wedding feature, I try to think of three words that describe the day, as a part of my writing process. Today, those words are warm, intimate and joy. Because these images we share on the daily are so much more than a detail that lives on a Pinterest board. It's the feeling you want to have on your very own Big Day. Thanks to Lucy Munoz, Samantha Rae Events and the entire vendor team, we can feel the beauty of this day and it's true meaning, with every capture.
Before you head into the full gallery of awesomeness from Lucy, you really should take 40 sec's to watch this teaser of Channing & Conor's send-off from Cotton Love Studios! (What a cool name is that!)
From the Bride... When I was a junior at Pepperdine, Conor was just starting his freshman year. Everyone knew him as the nicest guy around, and to be honest, I didn't quite think we would hit it off. On one of the first nights we met, I found out he had lived in London, and I jokingly started talking to him in a British accent. To my surprise, he gave it right back to me throughout a full conversation. I look back at that moment as the beginning of a lifetime of him making me laugh no matter what anyone around us thinks.
Tell us about your proposal!
Before we officially started dating, I had a trip planned to New York. Conor's family lives a train ride away from the city so he met up with me to explore one of my favorite places in the world. Every winter, my best friend and I would take a trip to New York, and we'd always go to this one rock in Central Park near The Plaza Hotel where you have this incredible view of the city. I decided to take Conor there, and we've made a stop at that rock every winter since. Last December, we were taking our annual visit into the city while visiting his family for Christmas. We missed our intended train ride due to my habit of hitting snooze a few too many times. When we arrived, I had to stop to take the same pictures of Grand Central Station that I've taken a dozen times already. Our plan was to go to "the rock" and then to breakfast at one of my favorite places, Sarabeth's. However, I just "had" to have a hot tea to carry on our walk there. While waiting for my drink, I looked over to see Conor helping an elderly man put on his coat - OH BOY DO I LOVE HIM! When we made it to the rock, we took the same selfie we take every year, and Conor asked a stranger to take a picture of us. After handing him my phone, I turned around to see all of my dreams coming true - Conor on one knee asking me a question I'd already known the answer to three years prior. I then turned to see my parents standing there in 12 degree weather when I thought they were still enjoying the California sunshine at home. Little did I know, our missed train and my stops caused them to wait in the frigid weather for an hour more than expected, but I will forever be grateful they were there during one of the most special moments of my life.
What was the inspiration behind your wedding style?
I wasn't the little girl who dreamed of her wedding all her life. In fact, I didn't start thinking about how the actual wedding would look until we got engaged. All I could picture was seeing Conor at the end of the aisle. I wanted our wedding to feel romantic and intimate because I wanted it to be about our love and our loved ones.
What was the most memorable moment?
All of my nerves and stress over the day were washed away the minute I rounded the corner and saw Conor from the top of the stairs. Seeing the emotion on his face as I walked down the aisle to become his wife will forever be my favorite moment.
The week leading up to the wedding, our venue was in danger with the surrounding, devastating fires. Everyone continually commented on how calm I was considering the situation. At the end of the day, lives and homes were at stake, and that was way more important than our day going as planned. I was going to marry my best friend whether it was in a park or my own backyard. We were overwhelmed by people reaching out to us to help in any they could could. Everything did end up going as planned, but it wasn't without the last-minute help of our friends and family. From my maids of honor and Conor's groomsmen coming up with a solution to not having a sparkler exit to our friends and family driving countless miles for things I had forgotten, the day could not have happened without everyone around us. As I look back on our wedding, I see all of the physical details, but what I see more are the loved ones and vendors who made all of those details possible.
Tell us about your proposal!
Before we officially started dating, I had a trip planned to New York. Conor's family lives a train ride away from the city so he met up with me to explore one of my favorite places in the world. Every winter, my best friend and I would take a trip to New York, and we'd always go to this one rock in Central Park near The Plaza Hotel where you have this incredible view of the city. I decided to take Conor there, and we've made a stop at that rock every winter since. Last December, we were taking our annual visit into the city while visiting his family for Christmas. We missed our intended train ride due to my habit of hitting snooze a few too many times. When we arrived, I had to stop to take the same pictures of Grand Central Station that I've taken a dozen times already. Our plan was to go to "the rock" and then to breakfast at one of my favorite places, Sarabeth's. However, I just "had" to have a hot tea to carry on our walk there. While waiting for my drink, I looked over to see Conor helping an elderly man put on his coat - OH BOY DO I LOVE HIM! When we made it to the rock, we took the same selfie we take every year, and Conor asked a stranger to take a picture of us. After handing him my phone, I turned around to see all of my dreams coming true - Conor on one knee asking me a question I'd already known the answer to three years prior. I then turned to see my parents standing there in 12 degree weather when I thought they were still enjoying the California sunshine at home. Little did I know, our missed train and my stops caused them to wait in the frigid weather for an hour more than expected, but I will forever be grateful they were there during one of the most special moments of my life.
What was the inspiration behind your wedding style?
I wasn't the little girl who dreamed of her wedding all her life. In fact, I didn't start thinking about how the actual wedding would look until we got engaged. All I could picture was seeing Conor at the end of the aisle. I wanted our wedding to feel romantic and intimate because I wanted it to be about our love and our loved ones.
What was the most memorable moment?
All of my nerves and stress over the day were washed away the minute I rounded the corner and saw Conor from the top of the stairs. Seeing the emotion on his face as I walked down the aisle to become his wife will forever be my favorite moment.
The week leading up to the wedding, our venue was in danger with the surrounding, devastating fires. Everyone continually commented on how calm I was considering the situation. At the end of the day, lives and homes were at stake, and that was way more important than our day going as planned. I was going to marry my best friend whether it was in a park or my own backyard. We were overwhelmed by people reaching out to us to help in any they could could. Everything did end up going as planned, but it wasn't without the last-minute help of our friends and family. From my maids of honor and Conor's groomsmen coming up with a solution to not having a sparkler exit to our friends and family driving countless miles for things I had forgotten, the day could not have happened without everyone around us. As I look back on our wedding, I see all of the physical details, but what I see more are the loved ones and vendors who made all of those details possible.