Wedding Guide
MONIQUE + JOEL
Moscoso
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
SPECIALTY VENDORS: Photobooth company: SayCheeseSB PhotoBooth
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.
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.
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. ♦
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.
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. ♦
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
D’Amico + Garcia DANIEL SARAH
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. ♦
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. ♦
Terlep + Smith DYLAN CARA
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
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! ♦
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Tastings are available so that couples can choose the dishes that delight their taste buds.
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and CANS available for the event