Classic Beachside Wedding at Four Seasons Resort The Biltmore Santa Barbara

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June 4, 2019

For Brooke and Nick, there was nothing more important than infusing them into their Big Day, "...the memories and pieces of (our) wedding that stood out the most were the ones that were unique to us." That meant a non-traditional bridal party, a campus-style feel for their guests and a day that was true California romance with a splash of elegance. Lauren Perry Events brought that vision to life, while Rebecca Yale captured those moments for forever safekeeping. See it all unfold below!

From Rebecca Yale Photography... Brooke and Nick were married on a beautiful Spring day at the Four Seasons Resort in Santa Barbara. Brooke and Nick knew they wanted to have a destination wedding. Finding a location that allowed their guests to bump into each other getting coffee or meet for an impromptu drink was important to them. "We wanted a 'campus feel'. When we finally narrowed in on the state of California (where we live), Santa Barbara and ultimately the Four Seasons there were easy choices to make." Brooke says. The day was planned to perfection by the incredible Lauren Perry Events who in Brooke's own words, "literally did everything." Lauren worked with Marks Garden to bring the outside in creating a green and white garden within the ballroom next to the ocean, the perfect mix of the bride and her mother's styles. "The team from Mark's Garden really took the design / aesthetic ideas we had to the next level. I never had a Pinterest board but if I had, I think it would have read 'romantic, California, elegant'. I had specific ideas and preferences for some of the focal points (big bar and trees) but Mark's team filled in all of the blanks and made the design into much. much more."

Brooke's favorite memory from the wedding day was walking into the reception for their first dance. "Our first dance song was playing—I Feel It Comin' by the Weeknd - a song that brings us right back to when Nick and I first started dating. Our families and friends were all out of their seats singing and dancing a long. The room was just beautiful and literally buzzing. The amount of excitement in that moment was definitely the high for me!" Brooke and Nick opted not to do a first look before their church ceremony and Nick's favorite memory is when Brooke walked down the aisle. Brooke says, "I think he had a similar experience in that moment of just seeing everything and everyone coming together!"

Brooke and Nick chose to break tradition and not have a formal wedding party. Brooke said, "This was a tough decision for us - but when Nick and I talked about it, we realized that our goal for our wedding party was to make sure they had so much fun that weekend. For Nick, it was all about hosting a golf outing. For me, it was all about the day of wedding logistics. Having the girls wear their own dresses, get ready on their own terms (and timeline), and then getting together for champagne and lunch before all going to the church together worked out perfectly for us. We had a really laid back and fun morning." A pro tip from Rebecca Yale: for this approach, still welcome your friends to get ready with you and take photographs with them like Brooke and Nick did. You'll want those memories, but they definitely don't need to be in matching dresses!

Brooke and Nick's best piece of advice to brides and grooms planning their dream day: "Make your wedding your own! Don't worry about the wedding norms so much. I think the memories and pieces of the wedding that stand out the most are the ones that were unique to us."