Coastal View News • Wedding Guide 2018

Wedding Guide

2018

Coastal View News Cover: Diana Joyner & Morgan Roberts

PHOTOS BY MICHELLE LAUREN PHOTOGRAPHY

B2  Thursday, February 8, 2018

Amy Bryant & Andrew Gil

Coastal View News • Carpinteria, California

JULY 22 2017

The couple’s notes on the day: Is there a moment from your wedding that stands out from all the others in your memory? Describe it and explain why it meant so much to you.

It was phenomenal seeing how much love was in the air and seeing people from all across the country come together as if they’ve known each other a lifetime. It was nonstop laughter, fun and conversation for all What did your guests say was their favorite facet of the event?

Our guests were raving how the time flew by and how delicious the food was and how the DJ kept playing hit after hit. Our ceremony began at noon and our reception ended at midnight, and everyone stayed the entire time!

Did your wedding include special details that reflected your individual personalities?

We decided to do fortune cascarones/confetti eggs. Being that our wedding was so close to Fiesta, we wanted to include the confetti eggs that each had a famous Mexican Proverb in them along with the confetti—it was Andy’s mom’s idea.

What was most stressful leading up to the wedding? How did you cope with that stress? Did you have to put out fires during the event? Looking back, could those have been prevented?

Very little stress, we had such wonderful help in both our parents, and our wedding planner Courtney with One Sweet Day Events is an absolute pro and so organized Why did you choose your ceremony and reception venues? Did they work well with your vision?

Our venue, Casa de La Guerra is a perfect summer venue! Sun is hidden by 4 p.m. and the warm breeze goes all night, no jacket needed.

What part of the meal did people enjoy most? Was there anything on the menu that you would skip if you had a redo?

Pizza is very much a part of Andy’s life, and one thing everyone loves, and we found incredible gourmet pizza, Fire and Wine Catering, who is able to crank out pizzas quickly.

We added a Santa Barbara twist with avocado and dates and fresh veggies and incredible toppings to make it wonderful. Our menu was a perfect representation of our personalities. Mexican Food and fruit and seafood as an appetizer, pizza as the main course, and churros for dessert.

Weddings can end up feeling like they’re for the guests instead of the bride and groom. What did you do to ensure that the day was wonderful for you?

We took a moment to sip champagne by ourselves and say a prayer together. We are both selfless people so seeing all the people celebrate our love meant so much to us and how many people care deeply for our us and our future.

What is your top piece of advice for couples planning a wedding?

Start early and try to accomplish one task a week. By doing that, the planning process goes easily.

It takes a village Wedding Planner: One Sweet Day Cake maker: Violette Bake Shop Photography: Kristen Hammonds Invitations: Anne’s Bridal Bargains Ceremony venue: Our Lady of Sorrows Church Reception venue: Casa De La Guerra Caterer

(main course):

Fire and Wine Catering

Caterer (appetizers): El Sitio Mexican Restaurant and El Zarape Mexican Restaurant Jeweler: Bryant & Sons Jewelers Hair: Bree Wilcox Makeup: Leah Washuta Dress shop: Lovely Bride Los Angeles Tux: Express Flowers: Fern & Foxtail Music: DJ Miggy Officiant: Deacon Antonio Trujillo, Our Lady of Sorrows Party rentals/lighting: Amigo Party Rentals Honeymoon: Moorea, Tahiti (booked through Costco travel) Rehearsal dinner: Barbecue at Alice Keck Park Memorial Gardens Haircuts for groomsmen: Montecito Barbers

Photos by Kristen hammonds

B4  Thursday, February 8, 2018

Coastal View News • Carpinteria, California

Margo Ledig & Nathon Cantrell

OCT. 28 2017

The bride’s notes on the day: Is there a moment from your wedding that stands out from all the others in your memory? Describe it and explain why it meant so much to you.

At one point during dinner, my brother sat down next to me and said, “I’ve heard that your wedding day flies by too quickly. So let’s stop to take it in. Look around, and remember this moment.”

Everyone tells you that it’s going to be such a blur, so I’m so grateful he reminded me to slow down and soak it up.

What did your guests say was their favorite facet of the event?

Am I allowed to say the open bar? Nathon is a big whiskey fan, and we were able to serve one of his favorites. Besides that, we do get a lot of compliments on our late night delivery of In-N-Out burgers and fries. Nathon had that planned probably since the first day we got engaged.

PHOTOS BY MATTHEW LEVI PHOTOGRAPHY

Did your wedding include special details that reflected your individual personalities?

Nathon and I are proud cat parents to our Scottish fold, Otis, so I found these adorable small ceramic cats from an artist in Romania for our cake topper. We also forwent the traditional flavors for a funfetti sweetheart cake.

What was most stressful leading up to the wedding? How did you cope with that stress?

The most stressful was probably all of the small decisions that needed to be made. It felt like there was always another question that needed to be answered. I (tried) to cope by staying organized.

I relied on our amazing coordinator, Jessica at Bijoux, and the Aisle Planner platform she uses to make sure everything was taken care of.

Did you have to put out fires during the event? Looking back, could those have been prevented?

None! If there were fires, I had no clue! We had an amazing group supporting us, from the El Encanto staff to all of our vendors, they did a wonderful job.

Why did you choose your ceremony and reception venues? Did they work well with your vision?

We looked at several locations but every place we toured was either perfect for the ceremony, or perfect for the reception, never both. Until we went to the El Encanto. I fell in love with the arbor and lily pond immediately and the rest of the grounds did not disappoint.

We were very lucky in that we didn’t need to “transform” the space, we could allow it to speak for itself.

What part of the meal did people enjoy most? Was there anything on the menu that you would skip if you had a redo?

We had three meal options (champagne braised chicken, rib eye and mushroom ravioli) and I heard great things about all of them. But for me, the vanilla macarons were the greatest thing I have ever eaten. People always miss the dessert for some reason so if I had a redo, I wouldn’t omit anything, I would actually make sure everyone tried them.

Weddings can end up feeling like they’re for the guests instead of the bride and groom. What did you do to ensure that the day was wonderful for you?

I tried to check everything off my list and confirm all the logistics prior to the day-of so that I could relax when the time came. And if it wasn’t taken care of, then it probably wasn’t important anyways.

I also made sure to communicate as much as possible with my coordinator so we were both aligned on what I needed to ensure I enjoyed it.

What is your top piece of advice for couples planning a wedding?

You can’t have it all and you can’t please everyone, so don’t try to. Decide on the top three things most important to you both and put your time and energy toward those. Be flexible with everything else and trust that you are making the right decisions.

It takes a village Wedding Planner: Bijoux Events (month-of coordinator)

Cake maker: Belmond El Encanto Photography: Matthew Levi Photography Invitations: Vera Wang Caterer: Belmond El Encanto

Ceremony & reception venue: Belmond El Encanto Jeweler: Carol Klein Fine Jewelry Hair and makeup: TEAM Hair & Makeup Wedding gown: Marchesa from The White Dress (Corona Del Mar)

Bridesmaid dresses: Vera Wang White Label Groom’s suit: Egara

Groomsmen suits: Topman Flowers: Coco Rose Designs Music: Angel Hernandez of Elevated Pulse Officiant: Jonathon Carson Sotzing (friend) Honeymoon: Fairmont Banff Springs, Alberta Canada Rehearsal dinner: Susan Ledig Events

PacWest Blooms Events

W e d d i n g s • e v e n t s • F u l l s e rv i c e P l a n n i n g F u l l s e rv i c e F l o r a l & d e c o r

805.886.2798 pacwestblooms.com

pacwestbloomsevents@gmail.com

DG Photography

by Deborah Goulart

Weddings • Families • Portraits & More!

DG@goularts.us • 805-722-5594 deborahgoulartphotography.com

B6  Thursday, February 8, 2018

Thomas Woodard & Aimee Colomy

Coastal View News • Carpinteria, California

SEPT. 9 2017

The bride’s notes on the day: Is there a moment from your wedding that stands out from all the others in your memory? Describe it and explain why it meant so much to you.

I had two maids of honor, my best friend of 18 years and my one and only younger sister. They each gave a beautiful speech that brought me and our guests to tears. And then, as a special surprise, one of my flower girls gave a speech that she had written herself!

What did your guests say was their favorite facet of the event?

Thomas and I wrote the ceremony ourselves, and many of our guests told us it was “one for the books.” It was personal and had just the right amount of humor. Our good family friend Sam Shrout officiated the ceremony, which only made it that much more special.

Did your wedding include special details that reflected your individual personalities?

One very memorable detail was our father/daughter dance. We started our dance to a cover of the song “Somewhere Over the Rainbow” and about two minutes in, the song cut to “I Feel Good” by James Brown, to which we had choreographed our own (hilarious) dance number. It was a huge hit.

What was most stressful leading up to the wedding? How did you cope with that stress?

I sent the invitations without the correct amount of postage, and we had no way of knowing which guests received their invites. It was mortifying. It ended up being something we laughed about later, but it was definitely stressful at the time!

Did you have to put out fires during the event? Looking back, could those have been prevented?

None whatsoever. We chose to not sweat the small stuff, and everything came together and flowed perfectly. The only blooper was that the cake tipped over on its way to the venue! It was a little lopsided for the photos, but I thought it was hilarious.

Why did you choose your ceremony and reception venues? Did they work well with your vision?

As soon as I saw the very top of Elings Park (Godric Grove) I knew it was the perfect spot. It was important to me that both the ceremony and reception be held in one location so that the evening would flow seamlessly and none of our guests would have to travel from one place to another.

What part of the meal did people enjoy most? Was there anything on the menu that you would skip if you had a redo?

For our dinner we served chicken, tri-tip, beans and salad, which everyone seemed to enjoy! I’m glad we kept it simple.

Weddings can end up feeling like they’re for the guests instead of the bride and groom. What did you do to ensure that the day was wonderful for you?

We made sure to eat as much as we could when dinner was served!

The entire evening was nonstop visiting with our guests, which is definitely more enjoyable when you aren’t starving.

What is your top piece of advice for couples planning a wedding?

Before you even begin planning, figure out the top two or three wedding aspects that are most important to you as the bride and groom.

Prioritize them in your budget! Then find time to sit down with whoever is helping you plan/finance your wedding, and communicate those priorities and expectations. Everyone stays on the same page and it makes for less stress later!

PHOTOS BY BRIAN LOVELACE PHOTOGRAPHY

INSPIRE YOUR WEDDING

Monday-Friday 9-4:30 • Saturday 1O-4 3504 Via Real, Carpinteria, CA 93O13 From the 101 Freeway N. or S. Exit at Santa Claus Lane

It takes a village

we s te r l ayo rch i d s. c o m • 8 O 5 . 6 8 4 . 5 4 1 1 x 2

Wedding Coordinator: Dulce Dia Events

Dress shop: Panache Bridal in Santa Barbara

Cake maker: Albertsons in Carpinteria

Tux rental: Generation Tux

Photography: Brian Lovelace Photography

Flowers: Nina Osborne Music: DJ Zeke

Invitations: Minted

Officiant: Sam Shrout

Ceremony & reception venue: Godric Grove at Elings Park

Lighting: Bella Vista Lighting

Caterer: Tinkers Jeweler: James Allen Hair and makeup: Blair Dessert

Party rentals: Discount Party Rentals Honeymoon: Aston Kaanapali Villas, Maui Rehearsal dinner: Cafe Stella

B8  Thursday, February 8, 2018

Coastal View News • Carpinteria, California

Diana Joyner & Morgan Roberts

NOV. 11 2017

The couple’s notes on the day: Is there a moment from your wedding that stands out from all the others in your memory? Describe it and explain why it meant so much to you.

Diana: Hearing the music come on and knowing it was my turn to walk down the aisle with my dad. I had tunnel vision and was only looking at Morgan. In the middle of our ceremony we were able to pause, turn and lock eyes with all of our family and friends and thank them for being there to celebrate with us. This was incredibly special and humbling knowing everyone was there for us and there to support our next step as husband and wife.

Morgan: The weather was absolutely perfect as I was standing under the arbor. Hearing the music come on and seeing Diana for the first time as she was coming down the aisle is a memory that stands out from the rest. It was surreal and better than I could have ever imagined. It signified the realness of what was to come, the beginning of our journey as husband and wife.

What did your guests say was their favorite facet of the event?

Diana: The ceremony, hands down. Almost everyone said it was one of the best ceremonies they’ve ever attended and that our friend Danny did an amazing job officiating and capturing who we are as individuals, as well as the love and connection between us. They also said it was perfect weather and a beautiful venue which really helped set the mood for the entire day.

Did your wedding include special details that reflected your individual personalities?

Diana: Both Morgan and I love to be outdoors (especially at the beach or hiking) and travel and love our dogs. We are also obsessed with sunsets. One of our favorite places to go is Hawaii. We incorporated these things by placing pictures of our travels at the guest sign in table, used a Hawaiian/beachy theme throughout our wedding (can be seen in the bouquets, men’s leis, table settings and arbor), and picked green as our color to represent our love for nature. We also had my 12-year-old black lab, Pongo, as our ring bearer.

What was most stressful leading up to the wedding? How did you cope with that stress?

Diana: Finding a dress! I am already an indecisive person as it, but I was in the middle of studying for my Physical Therapy Board Exam and finding a dress was not a priority. Finally I found one less than two months from our wedding day.

Did you have to put out fires during the event? Looking back, could those have been prevented?

Diana: No! Everything was so smooth and fell into place perfectly.

Our day-of coordinator did an amazing job!

Why did you choose your ceremony and reception venues? Did they work well with your vision?

Diana: We have both ran, hiked and taken our dogs to Elings Park for the last 10 years and felt that this was a perfect place to represent us both as a couple and as individuals and our love for Santa Barbara County (where we met). Not only that, it has amazing views of both the ocean and mountains, our two favorite things, and a place we could watch the sunset!

PHOTOS BY MICHELLE LAUREN PHOTOGRAPHY

What part of the meal did people enjoy most? Was there anything on the menu that you would skip if you had a redo?

Diana: DJ’s California Catering killed it! The entire meal was amazing.

Their bartenders did a fantastic job preparing our requested signature cocktails and serving at our open bar. They were also the set-up and clean-up crew and were so professional. Everyone commented on how great the service was. And it was so cool to hear the staff say that this was one of the best groups of people they’ve been able to serve and that there was such a great vibe; they could really feel the love and connection between everyone.

Weddings can end up feeling like they’re for the guests instead of the bride and groom. What did you do to ensure that the day was wonderful for you?

Diana: For starters we planned the entire wedding ourselves. The venue, food, florals, décor, etc. were all things that we loved and felt represented us. Secondly, we told each other to stop every so often to make sure we were present in the moment and take everything in.

What is your top piece of advice for couples planning a wedding?

Diana: Take your time, there is no rush and start talking to your family and friends who have already planned a wedding! I had plenty of time to plan (a year), and that’s probably why I didn’t feel stressed. And my friends and family were a great help. Start by prioritizing (venue, food, photography, etc) what is most important to have at your wedding; this will immensely help you to stay within your budget, as well as focus on what will make the day perfect for you.

Get a day-of coordinator so you can actually enjoy your special day! I enjoyed planning all the details leading up to the wedding; however, if this is something that is stressful for you, hire a coordinator to do all the planning as well.

It takes a village Wedding Planner: Katherine Brocke (day of coordinator)

Cake maker: Christine Dahl Pastries Photography: Michelle Lauren Photography

Invitations: Diana Joyner-Roberts

Ha Ol

Ceremony venue: Elings ParkGodric Grove, Santa Barbara

Da

(bride) & Wendy Gomez (sister of the bride)

Reception venue: Same as ceremony Caterer: DJ’s California Catering Officiant: Danny Nigro

Dr

Tu

Flo

ChristinaWelch Floral

Blossom with us at your wedding

christinawelchfloral.com 805.451.1327

air and makeup: Brianna Stewartlcese, Owner of Studio B

Centerpieces/Table number holders: Rose Joyner (mother of the bride)

ay of prep: The Ritz Carlton, Bacara

Party rentals: DJ’s California Catering

ress shop: The Dress

ux rental: Mission Tuxedo

owers: Christina Welch Floral

Honeymoon: South Island, New Zealand Rehearsal dinner: Los Agaves, De la Vina

B10  Thursday, February 8, 2018

Coastal View News • Carpinteria, California

Angelina Assereto & John-Arthur Barbieri The bride’s notes on the day: Is there a moment from your wedding that stands out from all the others in your memory? Describe it and explain why it meant so much to you.

The moment that stood out the most was walking down the aisle after they pronounced us husband and wife. Our family surprised us with throwing confetti poppers. The amount of joy and love that was felt is something we will never forget.

What did your guests say was their favorite facet of the event?

Our guests had a great time through the whole event. What I think everyone loved the most was being able to spend a lot of time together before and after the wedding date. Those are the perks of having a destination wedding—more quality time.

Did your wedding include special details that reflected your individual personalities?

Yes, we wanted something laid back and to have an authentic beach vibe. We were able to pull that in with the colors we used—white, baby blue and sand. White roses and seashells tied everything together.

What was most stressful leading up to the wedding? How did you cope with that stress?

When we arrived at the resort, the venue was still under construction. The staff worked around the clock for three days straight to get it done on time. The best way to cope with that stress was to enjoy the time we had with our family and know that no matter what it would work out.

Did you have to put out fires during the event? Looking back, could those have been prevented?

We had to postpone the ceremony and reception a couple hours and it actually worked out for the best. We got married during a beautiful sunset and cool breeze.

Why did you choose your ceremony and reception venues? Did they work well with your vision?

Bocas Del Toro, Panama worked beautifully for our vision. John and I had traveled to Panama to visit my family and go to Bocas for winter vacation and thought it was a wonderful location that fit our personalities perfectly.

What part of the meal did people enjoy most? Was there anything on the menu that you would skip if you had a redo?

People loved the authentic Spanish meal that was served. Since we got married in a tropical location, I would have skipped serving coffee with dessert. It was too hot for the weather.

Weddings can end up feeling like they’re for the guests instead of the bride and groom. What did you do to ensure that the day was wonderful for you?

To let go of the tiny details and enjoy the day with friends, family and be in gratitude for marrying the man of my dreams.

It takes a village Wedding planner: Jarisa Garcia & Jottie Taylor (Angelina’s mom)

Photography: Alvaro Ching Photography (Panama City, Panama)

Invitations: Wedding Paper Divas Ceremony & reception venue: Red Frog Beach Resort (Bocas Del Toro, Panama)

PHOTOS BY ALVARO CHING PHOTOGRAPHY

SEPT. 21 2017

CelebraTe by The beaCh…

privaTe parTy room available For evenTS, rehearSalS and reCepTionS

Taproom open: monday-Thursday 12-9pm Friday 12-10pm Saturday 11am-10pm Sunday 11am-9pm 5049 6th Street - Carpinteria islandbrewingcompany.com

805-745-8272

B12  Thursday, February 8, 2018

Coastal View News • Carpinteria, California

Lyca Greenfield-Smith & Ryan Morrill

SEPT. 2 2017

The couple’s notes on the day: Is there a moment from your wedding that stands out from all the others in your memory?

Describe it and explain why it meant so much to you.

Lyca: My step-brother Ilo was there on the day we met each other over eight years ago. We tasked him with performing our wedding ceremony, but he didn’t share his script with us until the wedding day. He really exceeded our expectations with his prose, and we received multiple compliments from our guests. It was very special to us that he was the one to marry us, as he was one of the people who has known us together the longest and has always embraced us as a couple.

D i d yo u r we d d i n g i n c l u d e special details that reflected your individual personalities?

Lyca: It was important to us that we supported local businesses, so we worked with our friends from the community: DJ Hecktik, Reynaldo’s Bakery, Bloom Floral & Foliage, Fire and Wine Catering and Gina with Jose Eber Salon.

Ryan: We planned everything ourselves, so every aspect of the night really reflected our personalities. We are both pretty meticulous, and I think that showed in the cohesive look we achieved, down to the smallest detail, as our son Owen was decked to the nines with the rest of the wedding party. -

PHOTOS BY LAVENDER AND TWINE PHOTOGRAPHY

W hy d i d yo u c h o o s e yo u r ceremony and reception venues? Did they work well with your vision?

Ryan: We chose to have the ceremony locally to share with our family and friends. We fell in love with the University Club because of the indoor and outdoor spaces, the cozy bar, the decor and the ample room for our guests. Breanna and Eli at the club worked with us to realize our vision of the day.

Weddings can end up feeling like they’re for the guests instead of the bride and groom. What did you do to ensure that the day was wonderful for you?

Lyca & Ryan: To make sure our day was wonderful for us, we chose the venue that was going to make that possible. We had an awesome team that made sure our needs were met. A tap takeover with Island Brewing Company beer poured into customized wedding favor glassware also made it pretty special for us.

What is your top piece of advice for couples planning a wedding?

Lyca & Ryan: Realize what you want out of your wedding day.

Each of you would benefit from picking your top three things that are important and focus on making those things a priority during the planning process. Our top three: date of wedding, venue, dress/ attire. And book early! It feels good to check things off the list and get that much closer to your day!

It takes a village Wedding Coordinator: Events by M & M (week-of coordination) Cake maker: Reynaldo’s Bakery Photography: Lavender and Twine Photography Invitations: Paper Source Ceremony and reception venue: University Club Santa Barbara

Caterer: University Club Santa Barbara Jeweler: Bryant & Sons Hair: Gina at Jose Eber Salon Make-up: Krista Belle at Jose Eber Salon Dress shop: Bella Bridal Couture in Thousand Oaks

Flowers: Bloom Floral & Foliage Music and lighting: DJ Hectick Officiant: Ilo Kratins (Lyca’s Brother) Party rentals: Classic Party Rental Honeymoon: Maui, Hawaii Rehearsal dinner: Fire & Wine Catering at Island Brewing Co.

CustomandWeddi n g Cakes Catering 805-684-4981

Linden Ave. @ 9th St. • Downtown Carpinteria

Lions Park OPeN HOuse

sunday, FeBRuaRy 18, 2018 • 4-7 PM Grab a glass of champagne and take a tour of our beautiful park and lodge. Meet some of our amazing vendors, listen to some great music, taste mouth watering samples by local caterers and bakers, and see gorgeous photography, lighting, floral and design ideas! to see a full list of participants or to RsVP, visit us at

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Heather Nelson Photography

B14  Thursday, February 8, 2018

Andrea De Alba & Scott Chapman

Coastal View News • Carpinteria, California

NOV. 25 2017

The bride’s notes on the day: Is there a moment from your wedding that stands out from all the others in your memory? Describe it and explain why it meant so much to you.

During our grand entrance, my husband attempted an impromptu backflip. The last time he did one was in high school. It was something I will never forget.

What did your guests say was their favorite facet of the event?

The churro and cotton candy stations.

Did your wedding include special details that reflected your individual personalities?

For us it was very important to not only have an open seat but also a cigar bar to honor our cousin Elena Shelton, who was smiling down from above.

What was most stressful leading up to the wedding? How did you cope with that stress?

The original venue we had in Los Olivos canceled six weeks prior to our wedding. We were lucky enough to have our DJ and photographer assist us in finding a new venue.

Why did you choose your ceremony and reception venue? Did they work well with your vision?

Santa Barbara Woman’s Club is such a beautiful place. Once plans changed and we were given the opportunity to have our wedding at this venue, we were very excited. They went above and beyond to help us create the wedding of our dreams.

Weddings can end up feeling like they’re for the guests instead of the bride and groom. What did you do to ensure that the day was wonderful for you?

Fortunately for us, our wedding went just as planned. We really made sure to enjoy the day and soak up as much as we could.

What is your top piece of advice for couples planning a wedding?

Really focus on what pictures you want with all of your loved ones and the various locations within the venue. Everything happens so fast that it’s easy to miss those moments if you’re not careful.

It takes a village Wedding Planner: Janette Reynoso Cake maker: Reynaldos Photography: Brittany Taylor Photography Videographer: Gage Allen Ceremony and reception venue: Santa Barbara Woman’s Club Caterer: Tollhouse BBQ Catering Jeweler: CB Hood Diamond Co. Makeup: Leah Washuta Hair: Lindsey Colson & Gabriella Salazar Tux rental: Mission Tuxedo Flowers: Alyssa Gonzalez Music and lighting: DJ Hecktik Officiant: Joseph Bisoglio Party rentals: Classic Party Rental, Figueroa Mountain Brewing Co., Top Shelf Event Staffing Photo booth, cotton candy & churro cart station: Grand Celebration!

Rehearsal dinner: Big Joe’s Tacos PHOTOS BY BRITTANY TAYLOR PHOTOGRAPHY

www.coastalview.com

B16  Thursday, February 8, 2018

Chloe Kuba & Stevie Morin

Coastal View News • Carpinteria, California

AUG. 5 2017

The groom’s notes on the day: Is there a moment from your wedding that stands out from all the others in your memory? Describe it and explain why it meant so much to you.

I have a son from a previous relationship. He was 2 at the wedding and was going to be walked down the aisle with my dad just before Chloe. After I began the procession, my son soiled his diaper. Thinking fast, Chloe, in her wedding dress, changed my son’s messy diaper just in time for him to walk down. (This is the moment that stands out for Chloe as well.)

What did you guests say was their favorite facet of the event?

The top two things that guests seemed to rave about were our vows that we wrote ourselves, and the beauty of our venue. A lot of people also said it was just different than any other wedding they have gone to. We had people sitting on picnic blankets and hanging out. We wanted to focus on our wedding, not the fancy things, and I think people felt included in our holy and special day.

Did your wedding include special details that reflected your individual personalities?

All the music that was playing in the background throughout the day was handpicked and had significance to us and our relationship. Many of the elements used at the wedding were used in our home after the wedding, like the rug we got married on, the macrame hanging at the altar, and the chairs we sat in during the reception. Though we spent money on decorative items, we knew we were going to use them after the wedding. We also wanted people to feel included, both of us loving our family and friends, so everything that we did had the intention of loving and including everyone! People like to love you and bring food or help decorate, it makes them feel special!

What was most stressful leading up to the wedding? How did you cope with that stress?

Since we did not have a wedding planner, it was overwhelming thinking through all the small, important details like: Who would press play on the iPhone, change out the trash bags once they were filled, what if we run out of ice, etc.? We spent hours walking through every detail, and we had a lot of friends and family that we asked in advance to be on-call and ready to help with small tasks that might have come up. I think people were happy that they could help and be a part of what was going on.

Did you have to put out fires during the event? Looking back, could those have been prevented?

Thankfully there was nothing that we could consider fires at our wedding, only minor transitional glitches that came from not having a DJ, MC or wedding planner.

Why did you choose your ceremony and reception venues? Did they work well with your vision?

Our venue was a beautiful backyard that had a large grassy slope and a stage surrounded by a lush green tree canopy backdrop, a tree house and trampoline!

We were extremely happy with the fact that it needed minimal floral decorations because it was naturally so beautiful. Instead of renting chairs, we encouraged people to bring their own blanket or camping chair. People seemed to love sitting on the grass.

It takes a village Wedding planner: Bride and groom with friend Cassady Trish Photography: Montana Dennis

What part of the meal did people enjoy most? Was there anything on the menu that you would skip if you had a redo?

We took a risk and decided to have a potluck. We were nervous there wouldn’t be enough food, but people participated and we had more than enough food.

There were so many delicious—often homemade—options, so everyone was able to have something they liked. In order to prevent everyone from bringing the same thing, we divvied up who would bring main dishes, sides, drinks or desserts based on last name.

Invitations: Friend Rachel Artime filmed an invitation video that was emailed to guests Ceremony & reception venue: Dancing Oaks Ranch Caterer: The guests (it was a

Weddings can end up feeling like they’re for the guests instead of the bride and groom. What did you do to ensure that the day was wonderful for you?

We relieved ourselves of the burden of having to entertain all our guests. We both wanted everyone who was there to feel valued, noticed and loved, but it was impossible for us to do that with close to 200 guests. We greeted and hugged as many people as we could, but more than anything, we tried to focus on enjoying each other.

What is your top piece of advice for couples planning a wedding?

Comparison is the thief of joy.

potluck!)

Makeup: Brooke Hankins (bridesmaid)

Hair: Taylor Radford (friend) Dress shop: Moondance Bridal in San Luis Obispo PHOTOS BY MONTANA DENNIS

Tux: Indochino.com Flowers: Rachel Hadidian (friend)

Music: The couple created playlists for pre-ceremony, reception and dancing. For the ceremony a collection of friends played a song live.

Officiant: Gerald Torres (friend) Honeymoon: Playa Del Carmen, Mexico Rehearsal dinner: Home of Tammy Graham (friend)