If a truly stunning backdrop is a must-have on your wedding wishlist, I urge you to take a visit to Malibu Rocky Oaks. Although, I don’t think it’ll take much convincing after you get a peek at this breathtaking affair from Rebecca Yale and XOXO Weddings. The views are expansive and grand, fitting for a magnificent kind of love. Please, please visit the full gallery when you’re done scrolling below—it is packed with SO much more, my friends!
From Rebecca Yale Photography… Christina and James were married on a beautiful Summer day in Malibu, CA surrounded by their closest friends and family as well as their two adorable Corgi’s Max and Dory. The wedding date had extra special meaning as it was also their dog Max’s second birthday! The bride wore an embellished Amsale gown that blended perfectly with the white and green florals of the day. The groom wore a navy blue tux and they donned their pups in formal wear as well with a bowtie for Max and a floral wreath for Dory. They had cookies made to look like both dogs in their wedding outfits, which were placed at each seat at the reception as a favor for their guests to take home. The bridesmaids all wore sky blue and carried similar bouquets to the bride’s with a mix of white flowers and greenery. Christina says, “We wanted a classic, but still unique, wedding aesthetic and theme. We specifically did not want the typical blush / dusty rose colors, so we chose a hint of whisper blue to go with my blue Amsale dress details (along with the classic green and white flowers).”
The couple picked their venue based on the unique helipad ceremony location, the famous rock photo location, and the 270-degree views during dinner and cocktails. “No other venue was as stunning in our opinion,” said Christina. The bride and groom said their I Do’s in the late afternoon on the helipad of Malibu Rocky Oaks Private Estate, reading their own custom written vows and cracking each other up along the way. Christina says, “My favorite memory is probably our officiant’s speech / script throughout our ceremony, as well as our vows. I found our officiant’s speech was not only engaging and lighthearted, but also very personal — similar to how our vows were structured as well. This was also James’s favorite memory. It was also quite memorable how [our groomsmen] Nate had to carry our younger corgi, Max, down the aisle since the little guy was just not having it that day! “
After the ceremony guests enjoyed cocktail hour out on the terrace of the estate, enjoying cocktails and passed hors d’oeuvres before making their way to the pool area for the dinner, which was set up as two long tables under billowing pieces of white silk for shade. Guests were all also given white parasols to use during the ceremony and dinner for some extra shade on the hot summer day. Towards the end of dinner Christina and James made their way up the famous rock at MRO to take the iconic sunset photo. James said of the moment, ” my second favorite memory would actually be the ~5 minutes Christina and I had waiting for the sun to go down on the rock. It was just about the only moment we had all day, just the two of us, with nothing to do — just stand in each other’s arms and enjoy an incredible view.”
The evening ended inside the mansion with dancing, cake and an epic donut wall. The couple even surprised their pup Max with a doggy birthday cake after their first dance and then the bride made her way to the second floor to toss her bouquet down into the crowd from the balcony. Christina said, “I will have to say a close second [favorite moment] would be the bouquet toss. My friend Sonia really went for that bouquet — all I could see when I turned around after tossing it was the aftermath of multiple flying petals in the air (haha!). Funny enough, she got engaged roughly 10 days later while in Norway!” Their friends enjoyed the warm summer evening, taking advantage of the balcony once again to enjoy the view and eat some delicious late night snacks like S’mores and donuts.
Photography: Rebecca Yale Photography | Videography: Daniel Chae | Event Planning: XOXO Weddings | Florist: THE LITTLE BRANCH | Caterer: RoomForty | Hair and Makeup: Kelly Zhang | DJ: Extreme DJ | Favors: Busy Bee Sweets | Venue: Malibu Rocky Oaks | Paper Goods : Simply Stated Stationery | Rentals: A Rental Connection