Wedding_2025

2025

Wedding Guide Coastal View News

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COASTAL VIEW NEWS

MONIQUE + JOEL

MARCH 13, 2025

Moscoso

ALL THE PRETTY THINGS WEDDING DATE: October 5, 2024

WEDDING PLANNER OR COORDINATOR: PacWest Blooms CAKE/DESSERT: Rosemary Perez

PHOTOGRAPHER/VIDEOGRAPHER: Victor Godoy (VK Photography) INVITATIONS, SIGNAGE: Zola

CEREMONY: Godric Grove at Elings Park RECEPTION: El Paseo Restaurant CATERER: El Paseo

MAKEUP: BeautybyLemon

HAIR: Julie Hernandez, hair_by_juliehernandez

DRESS SHOP: Lavender Park, Clarksville, Tennessee TUX: Men’s Warehouse

FLOWERS: PacWest Blooms

MUSIC: Victor Garcia and Marco Alarcon (dj_slicvic and marco_alarcon1) OFFICIANT: Eileen Astorga

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SPECIALTY VENDORS: Photobooth company: SayCheeseSB PhotoBooth

Q + A

How did you choose your ceremony and reception venues?

For our ceremony, we knew we wanted a view looking out to either the mountains or ocean. After looking at multiple venue spots, we visited Elings Park and saw the deck with the most beautiful view looking towards the mountains. It was a more secluded area that would not be open to the public during the ceremony which was also important to us. It was the perfect spot for our vision for our ceremony. For our reception, I have always loved El Paseo for a venue spot. It has a beautiful ambience with the lights, the trees and vines. When looking for our reception venue, once we visited El Paseo to imagine our reception there, it just felt right — a feeling that is hard to describe — but we knew it was perfect.

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Discuss your attires, colors and wedding themes.

For our wedding colors, it was very easy to decide. We wanted a natural/elegant look to our wedding, with greens, white and hints of champagne color scheme. We wanted to focus on the natural colors that represent nature that would not be too “loud.”

How did you decide on what dessert and food you were going to serve? Did your guests enjoy your choices?

We were lucky that El Paseo provides all the food/desserts, so we got to meet with the chef and look over the entire wedding menu to choose from. They had so many amazing options to choose from, and the chef went over the most popular dishes that he had made. We ended up going with a chicken dish, tri-tip and multiple appetizers.

For desserts, we knew we had to have churros, so that was a given. Then from there, we chose the desserts that stood out to us, and that we felt our families would like the most. The food and desserts were delicious, and from what we have heard from our guests, they felt the same! We decided to do a buffet style dinner so that our guests had the option on what food items they would prefer.

How did you incorporate your own personalities into the wedding day?

I feel that the simplicity of our wedding colors and decor is very me. I am very simple when it comes to my presentation, for example, my closet is mainly all neutral-colored clothes. So, I feel that the color scheme really represented me. My husband, very much the opposite, loves louder colors and more extravagant stuff. With that said, when it came to our wedding, he preferred to have the simplicity to give a more nature feel to our venues. Although, he did walk down the aisle to a metal/rock song which was very much him.

What was the most difficult part for you in planning a wedding? Were there any hiccups? If so, what were they, and how could they have been prevented?

The most difficult part for me planning the wedding was the fact I currently live in Tennessee and trying to plan it virtually with my wedding planner. Luckily, I had my family back home in Carp, and my mom would meet with our wedding planner to go over things that needed to be done in person, recorded the ceremony site to show the way our wedding party would walk, etc. I did make a few trips back home so we can get all the big decisions made in person. I was lucky I had my wedding planner to tell me exactly what needed to be done, or else I would have been lost.

Was there anything you wish you would’ve done differently?

I don’t think I would have done anything differently. Our wedding day was exactly how I dreamt it would be. I told my wedding planner from the very beginning that I wanted my wedding to be “simple, but not boring” and that I trusted her to do what she felt would look good. I was grateful that my vision displayed on our day. The first time I saw all the flowers and décor was the moment I started walking down the aisle, and it looked like a dream.

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Do you have any advice for couples planning a wedding?

Have a wedding planner/coordinator! Planning a wedding is already stressful enough, and the wedding planner tells you details that you didn’t even know you needed for a wedding. It is so helpful having someone guide you through your ideas and help make your vision come to life. I would also recommend having a day-of coordinator! The day of the wedding gets so chaotic with getting ready, making sure you are on time, entertaining guests, etc. The last thing you want to worry about is the scheduling for the day. It was such a stress relief having our wedding coordinator because they made sure everything went on schedule through ceremony and reception, for example, the first dance, bouquet toss, cake cutting, etc. Lastly, take in every moment of the day! It is unbelievable how quickly the day flies by. It is a day to celebrate your love for each other and this next chapter in your life, enjoy it with your partner! It is hard to find time throughout the day to take time for just you and your spouse, so when you have that time, cherish it. ♦

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COASTAL VIEW NEWS

MADISON

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MARCH 13, 2025

JOHNNY

Waddell + Brand

ALL THE PRETTY THINGS WEDDING DATE: September 21, 2024

WEDDING PLANNER OR COORDINATOR: Marc Borowitz, Events by Rincon

CAKE/DESSERT: Crepe Bar — Rincon Catering PHOTOGRAPHER: Sierra West

VIDEOGRAPHER: Amari Productions

INVITATIONS, SIGNAGE: Moment Maps for invite and menu art. The rest was handmade by the bride.

CEREMONY & RECEPTION VENUE: Groom’s parents’ house on Foothill Road

Q + A

How did you choose your ceremony and reception venues?

We got married at Johnny’s parents’ house that they built when Johnny was born. It is a beautiful Mediterranean-style property that holds a lot of special memories for both of us. It has a lush and large backyard and swimming pool that we knew would be the perfect place to host our guests. Since it is attached to the family business that had a large parking lot for parking, logistically we were confident and excited that this would be the perfect wedding venue for us.

Discuss your attires, colors and wedding themes.

Since our wedding venue has a Mediterranean feel, which happens to be my favorite style, our theme was along the lines of Coastal Mediterranean Garden Party.

Everything had a very organic and natural feel to blend well with the surroundings.

Our wedding was in September, so I also wanted to incorporate fall colors into our color scheme. We choose sage green and burnt orange for our main colors. It worked well with the terracotta roof tiles, orange trees and lush landscape around the property. The bridesmaids wore sage green dresses, and the flowers had a lot of greenery and a variety of orange and yellow shades. We asked the guests to wear fun colors and/or patterns but we kept the dress code semi-formal.

How did you decide on what dessert and food you were going to serve? Did your guests enjoy your choices?

Events by Rincon have catered many of my husband’s family members’ weddings and we were also big fans of their restaurant during Covid-19. My husband was actually the one who made the final decision that we should use Events by Rincon for our catering, rentals and wedding planning. It was really great to work with Marc on all the logistics. We were so happy with our decision and so were our guests. We did buffet style for dinner to give people options and a crepe station paired with espresso martini shooters for dessert and everything was amazing.

Did you incorporate your own personalities into the wedding day? If so, how?

We made sure to incorporate a lot of our personality into our wedding day. The wedding venue itself was a reflection of us and our love and closeness to our family.

My sister-in-law and I made a lot of the decor at the wedding together because I love being savvy and creative. One of my favorite things we made were the ceramic bud vases we use on the cocktail tables. We also made our own seating chart that said “Our Best Buds” at the top with custom pre-roll packs below with each guest’s name and table number, filled with Blue Dream CBD pre-rolls. My husband owns a cannabis farm and our venue was right next door to the greenhouses, so I thought the guests would get a kick out of it. Another thing was our decision to do a crepe bar for dessert instead of a traditional cake cutting since my husband used to come over and make me crepes in college. I could go on but those were some of my favorites.

What was the most difficult part for you in planning a wedding? Were there any hiccups? If so, what were they, and how could they have been prevented?

The most difficult part is having to make so many decisions pertaining to all the different aspects of the wedding. It was amazing to be able to plan such a personal and special event for us and our loved ones but man, is it time-consuming and a lot of work.

Was there anything you wish you would’ve done differently?

The only thing I wish we would have done differently was practice our first dance a lot more so we had it done and I wasn’t nervous about it all day.

Is there a moment from your wedding that stands out?

There are a lot of stand out moments, but the one that stands out the most was when I was almost to the altar and I looked up at my soon-to-be husband, glowing in his custom tan suit, and my best friend who was the officiant, looking beautiful in her silky sage green dress, under a beautiful flower arch done by PacWest Blooms, and just being in awe of the moment and how beautiful everything and everyone had come together for our wedding. Even though the wedding had just started, that moment already made all the months of planning so worth it.

g n i t a br e l e C 45 years!

Do you have any advice for couples planning a wedding?

I would tell other couples that all the time, money and stress really does pay off in the end. The wedding planning process is a long one with a lot of ups and downs but seeing all your hard work pay off in the end, surrounded by all your favorite people to celebrate finding your person is a very special and unique experience that you will be so happy you got to experience. ♦

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Linden Ave. @ 9th St. • Downtown Carpinteria

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COASTAL VIEW NEWS

KA R I N A

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MARCH 13, 2025

CONNOR

Dayka + Van Wingerden

ALL THE PRETTY THINGS WEDDING DATE: October 19, 2024

WEDDING PLANNER OR COORDINATOR: Suzie Schneider CAKE/DESSERT: The Little Things Bakery, Cherie Dayka PHOTOGRAPHER: Deborah Greene

INVITATIONS, SIGNAGE: Rockwell Printing

CEREMONY & RECEPTION VENUE: Carpinteria Lions Club CATERER: Thom & Lise Main HAIR: Christi Colson MAKEUP: Bride

DRESS SHOP: Baltic Born

FLOWERS: PacWest Blooms & Myriad Flowers Inc. MUSIC: Bouquet Sound

OFFICIANT: Bryan Rodriguez

RENTALS: Backdrop Boutique Santa Barbara

REHEARSAL DINNER LOCATION: Van Wingerden family home

COASTAL VIEW NEWS

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MARCH 13, 2025

Q + A

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So my mother and sister took the lead on planning.

There were things I didn’t care about at all and just let them do what they felt was best/easiest! We had caterers, Tom & Lise Main, do barbecue for dinner and my momma ended up making all of our cookies and cupcakes! Over 300 cookies and 200 cupcakes!

Everything was a major hit!

How did you choose your ceremony and reception venues?

We chose Lions Park! We both have many family and community connections to the Lions Club of Carpinteria! Connor’s grandfather, Harry, is a Lion, and I was in FFA and worked very closely with the Lions and park! So it felt fitting to gather at a place we both frequented to celebrate.

Did you incorporate your own personalities into the wedding day? If so, how?

Yes! We are very easy-going, laid-back people and wanted the day to feel as such. We didn’t want the day to feel like a big production. We wanted to focus on us but to also treasure all the people that made us who we are today and brought us together!

Discuss your attires, colors and wedding themes.

We are western, ranchy people so we went with that kinda dressed up vibe. The boys wore jeans, boots, a long sleeve dress shirt and tie to match the girls’ dress colors. My dress was very simple, comfortable, with boho vibes. I am not a girly girl. If it was up to me I’d wear jeans, so being comfortable was very important to me. We chose a very nice blue/green color for our wedding. We wanted something that would complement our features and complexions.

Plus, it’s just a color we both kept coming back to and loved. It’s all over our house too, so it felt fitting to use as our wedding color.

What was the most difficult part for you in planning a wedding? Were there any hiccups? If so, what were they, and how could they have been prevented?

For me, wedding planning was easy breezy. Again, since being on the other side of the United States makes it a little challenging, I took a lot of hands off and let my mom and sister take the lead and just make sure to voice my desires only if it was really important to me. The small things, as long as it looked nice, I really didn’t have too much of a desire to decide.

When you were planning your wedding, did you spot any trends? What’s in, what’s out?

Huge cakes aren’t as big of a thing anymore. A lot of people do a small cake for the couple and then cookies, cupcakes or other easier smaller handheld desserts. Generally speaking, a lot of things just aren’t as traditional as they used to be! We didn’t do a garter toss, which I am seeing less and less of too.

Was there anything you wish you would’ve done differently?

Not at all, it was the absolute most perfect day, filled with so much love.

Do you have any advice for couples planning a wedding?

How did you decide on what dessert and food you were going to serve? Did your guests enjoy your choices?

Smaller is better! It’s one day of your life. Don’t focus so much on the perfection of every detail, instead focus on the reason why you are doing it in the first place — to celebrate your love and the start of your own little family! ♦

We weren’t too picky! We currently live in Jacksonville, Florida but came back home to Carp to wed in front of our closest family and friends.

Weddings & Receptions Boutique Events LIONS PARK

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COASTAL VIEW NEWS

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MARCH 13, 2025

D’Amico + Garcia SA RA H

DA N I E L

ALL THE PRETTY THINGS WEDDING DATE: August 31, 2024

WEDDING PLANNER OR COORDINATOR: Kimberley Garcia CAKE/DESSERT: Lucca Truck

PHOTOGRAPHER: Marik Photo Co.

VIDEOGRAPHER: West Willow Films

INVITATIONS, SIGNAGE: Truly Inspired Paper Co. for wedding & welcome dinner; handmade save the date cards CEREMONY & RECEPTION VENUE: Regina at Rincon CATERER: Lucca Woodfired Pizza HAIR: Katie May

MAKEUP: Madison Vail

DRESS SHOP: Gown Boutique of Charleston, South Carolina TUX: Men’s Warehouse

FLOWERS: Sam’s Club — we assembled ourselves MUSIC: DJ A-line

OFFICIANT: Joe Costa

RENTALS: Bear Creak (bathrooms); KRU Fotobox (photobooth); Bright Event Rental (chairs); Rockstar (shuttles) HONEYMOON: LeBlanc Resort in Los Cabos

REHEARSAL DINNER LOCATION: Rincon Beach

COASTAL VIEW NEWS

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MARCH 13, 2025

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Q + A

How did you choose your ceremony and reception venues?

Daniel grew up in Carpinteria, while I spent much of my childhood in Indiana, Michigan and Pennsylvania. From a guest travel perspective, hosting our wedding in his hometown made the most sense. That said, I wanted my guests to feel like they were traveling to a true destination wedding. The moment we saw Regina Ranch (now rebranded as Regina at Rincon), I couldn’t stop picturing our special day there. It was absolutely stunning — expansive oceanfront views, lush greenery, and a tropical feel that made it feel like an escape. And with so many loved ones traveling to California for our wedding, I also wanted to keep things convenient by having both the ceremony and reception at the same location, minimizing additional travel.

Discuss your attires, colors and wedding themes.

I’m not sure how to sum up our theme in just one word, but if I had to choose a few, I’d say sophisticated tropical or boho chic. I wanted it to feel light and airy yet neutral and warm, so we chose a color palette of black and beige with pops of white and warm wood tones accented by the greenery on the property. We also had a few western elements as well to pair with Daniel’s décor tastes by having a dark and moody cigar lounge with a black velvet couch, cowhide rug and dark leather chairs. Another theme could be “resourceful,” as a lot of our wedding décor was DIY, thanks to my in-laws. For example, my father-in-law, Soupy Garcia, crafted the bar and keg station for our drink offerings, along with the cocktail tables spread throughout the venue. My mother-in-law, Kim Garcia, sourced all the disco balls, flowers and lounge furniture to tie everything together for a beautifully designed look.

How did you decide on what dessert and food you were going to serve?

Did your guests enjoy your choices?

I’ve always loved the idea of food trucks at weddings, so we went with Lucca Truck Woodfired Pizza — and it was a hit! The cost was similar to a plated meal from the caterers we spoke with, but pizza felt like a safe bet, and the food truck made it feel unique. For happy hour, we had a giant grazing table. I’m a charcuterie girl through and through, so this was a no-brainer. It simplified the appetizer process, was aesthetically pleasing, and gave guests plenty of meats, cheeses, fruits, veggies and more to snack on while enjoying our ‘his, hers, and ours’ signature cocktails. Plus, it was a great way to save money compared to passed hors d’oeuvres — an added bonus! For dessert, we had a s’mores station, which was such a fun, summer wedding touch. And for our late-night snack, we went with In-N-Out — because you really can’t go wrong with burgers and fries to keep the party going! We were told everything was a hit!

How did you incorporate your own personalities into the wedding day?

For our attire, I wanted two dresses that each told a story. One was a timeless, classic gown with a long train, because we both love a dress with a little drama. The other, for the reception, was a sparkly masterpiece with straps so I could dance the night away, while still giving that touch of glamour with lace and beading. I absolutely adored my reception dress — it was everything I dreamed of. I’m also a huge fan of anything coconut-flavored, so our seating chart was crafted from branded coconuts, each with the guest’s name and table location tied to the straw. We ordered a custom band from Etsy with our initials and branded each coconut. It added the perfect tropical and boho vibe, which truly reflected my personal style. On the flip side, the cigar bar, with its dark western ambiance, mirrored Daniel’s laid-back California cowboy vibe. Daniel made a bold choice with his black ostrich cowboy boots from Tecova and a bolo tie, which captured that rugged, California cowboy side of his personality. Our wedding playlist was such a perfect mix of our personalities. Daniel’s love for country and 90s/2000s R&B came through, while I added my own 2000s hip hop and rap flair. We made sure to include plenty of pop hits you could sing along to and dance to all night long. It was a blend of everything we love, and the energy was contagious. Everyone loved our DJ! I also do graphic design in my day job, so I had a ton of fun demonstrating my creativity, and my personality came through on the invitations, Save The Dates, and newspaper-style wedding programs that also served as handheld fans.

Was there anything you wish you would’ve done differently?

I wish we had a longer happy hour so we could have spent more time interacting with our guests. Even with a smaller wedding of about 100 people, the time flew by — especially with pictures in between. It felt like we didn’t get to chat with as many guests as I would have liked. Our ceremony started at 4 p.m., and the reception went until 10 p.m., but in hindsight, I would have started the ceremony earlier to allow for more wiggle room in the schedule. A little extra time to mingle would have made the evening feel even more relaxed and enjoyable. I also became the classic cliché of not really eating at my own wedding. Everyone said the pizza was amazing, and I totally believe them — but I wish I had grabbed a slice of each to at least take a bite! With everything going on, it’s so easy to get caught up in the moment and forget to eat, but looking back, I definitely would have made it a priority.

Is there a moment from your wedding that stands out?

I think when we sat down to dinner and looked out at all our friends and family, with the sun slowly setting in the background, that’s an image ingrained in my memory. Surrounded by our favorite people, simply enjoying themselves with the beautiful ocean as the backdrop. ♦

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COASTAL VIEW NEWS

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Graf + Peña LAUREN

ALL THE PRETTY THINGS WEDDING DATE: August 24, 2024

WEDDING PLANNER OR COORDINATOR: Montana Wilcox; Karen Graf also helped with planning CAKE/DESSERT: Crushcakes & Cafe

PHOTOGRAPHER: Laura Burns Photography VIDEOGRAPHER: Laura Burns Photography

INVITATIONS, SIGNAGE: Lauren Graf Peña

CEREMONY & RECEPTION VENUE: Lions Park CATERER: DJ’s California Catering HAIR: Yudith Salon

MAKEUP: War Paint Aesthetics DRESS SHOP: Anthropologie TUX: Indochino

FLOWERS: Hilltop Flowers Inc., Louloudi Design and PacWest Blooms

OFFICIANTS: Rev. Hazel Salazar-Davidson & Rev. Drew Stever RENTALS: DJ’s California Catering HONEYMOON: Catalina Island

REHEARSAL DINNER LOCATION: Lions Park

SPECIALTY VENDORS: Mint favors by Robitaille’s Fine Candies RINGS: Fox Fine Jewelry and Ben Bridge Jeweler

MARCH 13, 2025

WILLIAM

COASTAL VIEW NEWS

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MARCH 13, 2025

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Q + A

How did you choose your ceremony and reception venues?

We wanted to choose a location that was accessible for both the groom’s Santa Maria-based family and our Los Angeles friends, and it was especially convenient that the bride grew up in Carpinteria, a perfect midway point. Lauren had a special connection to the Lions Park growing up, as her family attends weekly meetings there for the Rotary Club of Carpinteria, and she has fond childhood memories attending barbecues and church services in the park, which also included her pretending to solve a murder mystery at the gazebo and hunting the venue for clues.

Discuss your attires, colors and wedding themes.

Lauren went with a nontraditional wedding dress with pink lace, velvet trim and rosettes that made her feel like something between a vintage birthday cake and fairy princess, her fashion goal on most days. Will wore his first custom suit, a navy blue ensemble with orange and blue paisley lining. He chose a tie that matched the florals of the wedding while resembling the style of a medieval tapestry. The color palette for the wedding was a summery rainbow, partly because we couldn’t pick just two colors for the whole event. We did a combined wedding party of our six best friends rather than splitting between bridesmaids and groomsmen, which gave the group the opportunity to choose whatever outfit they’d like, with each person selecting a color from the palette.

It allowed for self-expression while still having a cohesive look, and giving the chance for our friends to choose clothes that they’d definitely wear again after this one day. While not going with a specific theme, the sheer amount of flowers and color everywhere gave the venue a sense of visual harmony. Lions Park was covered in flowers at the bride’s request, thanks to her family’s flower business and help from family friends from Germany. She specifically wanted as much baby’s breath as possible, which lined the aisle and the dance floor like clouds, and her hair as well. Her bouquet was made by her grandmother, and her family helped assemble the centerpieces, designed by her mother.

When you were planning your wedding, did you spot any trends?

What’s in, what’s out?

Lauren did the majority of the planning with her mom, who has done dozens of weddings over the past years working in the flower business.

She looked largely at Pinterest for inspiration and loved the colorful, flower-filled, maximalist weddings that she saw other couples throwing.

She rarely sought out blogs with lists of the trends of the season, and instead followed her gut for what made her and Will happy. We wanted to have a timeless day that instead spoke to what brought us joy rather than whatever trend was happening that might fade in a few months.

How did you decide on what dessert and food you were going to serve?

Did your guests enjoy your choices?

We considered a few options for food, but when we looked into DJ’s California Catering after recommendations from friends, it helped our decision that they also provided venue rentals. And after Lauren and her mom went to the tasting, it was no competition at all — we had to go with DJ’s. The dinner was the one thing we got the most compliments on, the standout being their decadent mac and cheese. As for cakes, Lauren knew she wanted to have Crushcakes do her wedding cake ever since she used to watch bakers frost cakes at the long-closed Carp location. We got a small red velvet cake for us and our wedding party, then assorted flavors of mini cupcakes for the guests. It was also important that the meal and dessert both had vegan and gluten free options, and it was so easy to work with both vendors to ensure we had something for everyone.

Did you incorporate your own personalities into the wedding day?

If so, how?

The whole wedding felt like Will and Lauren through and through, with our nerdiness, creativity and silliness wholly present. Lauren created all of the art, everything from the illustrated save the dates, the hand-painted canvas at the venue to which guests added their own flower doodles, to her thank you cards that incorporated the guests’ flowers in the design.

We set up a board game table with souvenir Dungeons & Dragons dice in the wedding’s rainbow color palette. We even worked with our friends to develop a secret scavenger hunt that went on throughout the venue, many guests hardly knowing what was going on. There were hidden QR codes, passwords, planted friends who would accept secret codes, web pages with puzzles, riddles, anything and everything all across Lions Park, and twelve guests completed the quest! The prize was custom watercolor illustrations from Lauren. And while we hardly rehearsed our first dance, Lauren spent several hours memorizing the complex routine for “Rasputin” from the Just Dance Wii games, just to impress guests at the end of the night.

Is there a moment from your wedding that stands out?

We had the most delightful photoshoot with our wedding party on the playground of the venue. We felt like kids again, full of joy from the big ceremony that just happened and so happy to share this love with our closest friends. Laura Burns Photography’s team was so fun to work with and helped capture this chaotic exuberance perfectly. Of course, the actual children in our families kept trying to get into the shots because they wanted to play on the playground, so we had to time things just right. ♦

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E RY N N + J OS H

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COASTAL VIEW NEWS

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MARCH 13, 2025

Escalante

ALL THE PRETTY THINGS WEDDING DATE: October 26, 2024

WEDDING PLANNER OR COORDINATOR: Bride DAY OF COORDINATOR: Montana Wilcox CAKE/DESSERT: Rori’s Artisanal Creamery

PHOTOGRAPHER: Brian Lovelace / Lovelace Photo Co. VIDEOGRAPHER: Carlo Provencio

INVITATIONS, SIGNAGE: Zola / Canva / Rockwell Printing CEREMONY & RECEPTION VENUE: Carpinteria Lions Park CATERER: Lions Club members

HAIR AND MAKEUP: Rebecca Michel Beauty DRESS SHOP: Bella Bridal Couture TUX: Hugo Boss

FLOWERS: PacWest Blooms and family friend Patty Martinez MUSIC: the Moondawgz

OFFICIANT: Kevon Thompson

RENTALS: Backdrop Boutique SB and Amigos Rentals HONEYMOON: Brazil

REHEARSAL DINNER: brewLAB and tacos by Cali Gente Catering WEDDING DRESS ALTERNATIONS: Maria Zeigler EMCEE: Chris Riley

AFTER PARTY LOCATION: Brew & Cue

GUEST TRANSPORTATION: Jump on the Schoolbus

COCKTAIL HOUR MUSIC: Rosa de Oxnard Mariachi Band WINE DONATIONS: 4Js Wine (Jim and Jolene Colomy)

COASTAL VIEW NEWS

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MARCH 13, 2025

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13

Q + A

How did you choose your ceremony and reception venues?

We chose the Carpinteria Lions Park for both our ceremony and reception. Since Erynn was born and raised in Carpinteria and her dad, Gene, is a member of the Lions Club, it just felt like the perfect place — especially since it’s where we met! The outdoor picnic area was ideal for our reception, and we arranged the long tables into community-style seating to make it easy for our guests to mingle and enjoy the night together.

Discuss your attires, colors and wedding themes.

The colors we chose were drawn from the native plants and wildflowers we’d find during our hikes in the Carpinteria foothills: soft sage greens, earthy terracotta and deep ocean blues, a nod to our love for the ocean. Our “theme” wasn’t so much a theme as it was a reflection of who we are. We kept things laid-back with a relaxed dress code for our guests, had a Mariachi band during our cocktail hour to honor Josh’s heritage, and set our table with wildflowers in terracotta pots that were beautifully made by our close family friend, Patty Martinez, and each place setting included a locally grown avocado and a packet of California native wildflower seeds.

When you were planning your wedding, did you spot any trends?

What’s in, what’s out?

One trend we loved was skipping the traditional cake cutting.

Instead, we teamed up with Rori’s Artisanal Creamery to bring in a cart full of mini ice cream sandwiches in a variety of flavors. We ordered 275 sandwiches and our 120 guests devoured them!

How did you decide on what dessert and food you were going to serve? Did your guests enjoy your choices?

With our venue choice and Erynn’s dad being a proud Lion, it only felt right to go with a classic Lions barbecue (Carp locals will know…)

— tri-tip, chicken, beans, salad, and fresh salsa made by Josh. For dessert, our good friend Karl Metzger, part of the Rori’s team, helped us come up with the perfect treat of mini ice cream sandwiches.

One of the sweetest moments of the night? When everyone gave the volunteer cooking crew a big round of applause!

Did you incorporate your personality into the wedding day?

If so, how?

We were incredibly lucky to have so many family and friends step up to help make our big day special. Every detail felt like a reflection of us, right down to the people we chose to work with! Our emcee Chris Riley and his band, the Moondawgz, kept the energy alive through the night. Our beautiful archway and ceremony chairs were rented from Backdrop Boutique SB, owned by Sherry Berkowitz, aka Erynn’s bonus mom. We sourced our flowers from PacWest Blooms — who’ve known Erynn since her elementary school days — and poured our hearts into plenty of DIY projects. Josh crafted keychains from old whiskey corks and even barrel-aged a special batch of wedding whiskey for our wedding party. We upcycled longboard surfboards for signage and spent hours treasure-hunting at vintage markets for one-of-a-kind pieces to bring our vision to life.

What was the most difficult part for you in planning a wedding?

Were there any hiccups? If so, what were they, and how could they have been prevented?

DIY-ing a wedding means taking on a whole lot more than just the fun stuff — it’s a juggling act of details you never even see coming.

The setup and cleanup alone had way more moving parts than we anticipated, and looking back, having a full-time coordinator from start to finish would have been a game-changer. Another curveball?

Figuring out transportation for our guests. Thankfully, Darin, Sierra, and their team at Jump on the School Bus came to the rescue, making sure everyone got to the venue and the afterparty safely.

Was there anything you wish you would’ve done differently?

Honestly, no. The day happened exactly how it was supposed to and the entire weekend was a dream come true for both of us. If anything didn’t go as planned, it has made for some great stories and good laughs.

Is there a moment from your wedding that stands out?

Our first look, without a doubt! We were full of nerves, excitement and anticipation, but the moment we saw each other, all of that disappeared. Sharing our vows privately before the ceremony made it even more special and gave us extra time together before the celebration kicked off.

Do you have any advice for couples planning a wedding?

Keep your planning as simple as possible so you can actually enjoy it!

It’s easy to get caught up in social media trends, but time flies, and if you try to squeeze in too much, you might miss the little moments that matter most. ♦

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COASTAL VIEW NEWS

C A RA

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MARCH 13, 2025

DY L A N

Terlep + Smith

ALL THE PRETTY THINGS WEDDING DATE: July 20, 2024

WEDDING PLANNER OR COORDINATOR: Brenda Cali with Gatherings for Good Events CAKE/DESSERT: Reynaldo’s Bakery

PHOTOGRAPHER: Hugo & Aaron with The Indi Collective VIDEOGRAPHER: Jeremiah with The Indi Collective INVITATIONS, SIGNAGE: Canva

CEREMONY & RECEPTION VENUE: Cate School & Carpinteria Lions Park CATERER: Catering Connection HAIR: Andrea Villa

MAKEUP: Shanie Crosby

DRESS SHOP: Fleurish LA TUX: Etsy

FLOWERS: PacWest Blooms

MUSIC: DJ Bonnie with Music by Bonnie OFFICIANT: Charles Scott

RENTALS: Ventura Party Rentals

HONEYMOON: South Island, New Zealand

REHEARSAL DINNER LOCATION: brewLAB AUDIO GUESTBOOK: After The Tone FLORALS: Yamaoka Flowers

TRANSPORTATION: SB Limos

BRIDAL SUITE: Inn on Summer Hill

AFTERPARTY BARTENDING: Ruben from Brew & Cue

COASTAL VIEW NEWS

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MARCH 13, 2025

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15

Q + A

How did you choose your ceremony and reception venues?

Our ceremony was at Cate School, which was where Cara was employed at the time and is such a naturally beautiful campus. We chose Lions Park for our reception not only because of the beauty and charm of the venue and its team, but also its close location in relation to our ceremony site. Dylan grew up in Carpinteria, and has celebrated many events at Lions Park. We couldn’t think of a better way to grow our love for this town than by making our own special memories there.

Discuss your attires, colors and wedding themes.

The theme of our wedding festivities and weekend celebrations was an overall homage to California. Dylan and Cara both grew up in California and have grown to deeply love the land, sea, natural beauty and energy of the people they’ve met here. All of our tables were associated with a plant, tree or flower native to California! The color palette could best be described as a retro summer rainbow to tie funky elements of disco-era fun into the simplicity of a warm summer day on the Central Coast. Dylan and the groomsmen all wore sage green linen suits handmade by an Etsy shop seamstress with Red Wing boots. Cara wore Chic Nostalgia’s Reveka gown — a stunning, intricately-laced dress. Her blue velvet Sam Edelman chunky heels were a fun addition to her ceremony look, but she quickly changed into Croc Siren heels once she reached Lions Park for the reception so she could move and groove with ease!

How did you decide on what dessert and food you were going to serve? Did your guests enjoy your choices?

Food is very important to us as a couple, and we wanted to showcase some of our favorite foods to our out-of-town guests, as well as give our local guests something we knew they’d enjoy. Catering Connection offered the most beautiful Santa Maria barbecue selection. We served grilled tri tip with chimichurri sauce, rosemary chicken breast with roasted red pepper sauce, roasted potatoes tossed in fresh herbs and garlic, a seasonal vegetable medley, a California baby field greens salad and freshly baked artisan rolls with butter. Our guests could not stop raving about the food, and we were thrilled with it ourselves. As for dessert, our dear friends and community members, the Cardenas Family, own the best bakery in Carpinteria. Asking Reynaldo’s Bakery to make our wedding cake and desserts was a no-brainer when we knew we needed something our guests would all love.

Did you incorporate your own personalities into the wedding day?

If so, how?

We absolutely did! Cara was able to express herself creatively by creating all kinds of signage and decorative elements through Canva and crafting. Dylan’s love for surfing was highlighted in our welcome signage for our ceremony which was a surfboard of his! To showcase our love for music, we carefully curated playlists together for hours at home for our ceremony, cocktail hour and reception with the help of DJ Bonnie — the best in the biz!

What was the most difficult part for you in planning a wedding?

Were there any hiccups? If so, what were they, and how could they have been prevented?

The two most challenging things were securing vendors early (and I mean early), and keeping track of all… the… things. Cara is a very organized person and she was still swimming in all the appointments, guest requests, accommodation needs, decor storage and closing communication loops. While these things were challenging, they completely paid off!

Was there anything you wish you would’ve done differently?

Honestly, there isn’t anything from our entire weekend that we would change. We feel so lucky to have had the most perfect weekend.

Is there a moment from your wedding that stands out?

For Dylan, one of his favorite moments was when we got to come out and greet our guests table by table after our private dinner together.

This allowed us to actually enjoy our awesome food together and hug/thank all of our guests individually. There was a moment for Cara during the reception where the photographer, Hugo, came up to her and said “I don’t know if I have ever seen this many people on the dance floor at a wedding…” She then turned around and was able to take a moment to look at all these people that she and Dylan loved so much laughing, dancing, smiling and just being together. It was so beautiful, and will be something she remembers for the rest of her life. Dylan and Cara also both loved the Thursday night out they planned together to kick off the weekend in style with late-night karaoke at Old Kings Road with their friends and family that had already arrived into town for the wedding weekend. We could go on and on and on, but these are just a few examples of stand out moments! ♦

Discover a unique wine selection!

Our locally-owned business has proudly served the community for over 20 years, providing exceptional quality wines from California and around the world. We’re known for our extensive and diverse selection, catering to a wide range of palates.

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Knowledgeable staff to help you select wines for all occasions.

Monday-Friday 10-6pm • Saturday 10-5pm

805-684-7440 • 4193-1 Carpinteria Ave. Located just off the Carpinteria Avenue exit from 101 South, you’ll find us in the 4th building on the right.

CARP KITCHEN & GROCERY Tel: (805) 318-9400 carpkitchen.com • stcatering.com

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