CVN 2024 Wedding Guide

Just Married!

Mike Scott &

NOTES ON THE DAY ...

IS THERE A MOMENT FROM YOUR WEDDING THAT STANDS OUT?

Our first look was one of the best parts of the day. We weren’t sure whether we were going to do a first look or not and, in the end, it was the best decision! It was a special moment for just the two of us and gave us time to be together and share our excitement and happiness with each other.

HOW DID YOU CHOOSE YOUR CEREMONY AND RECEPTION VENUES?

We knew we wanted to be outside and living near the beach seemed like an easy decision to have our ceremony on the beach. Everyone was seated facing the ocean, and it was absolutely beautiful. The reception was at my parent’s house. We wanted it to be really intimate since we had such a small group, so we set up tables and had a catered reception in their backyard.

HOW DID YOU DECIDE ON WHAT CAKE AND FOOD YOU WERE GOING TO SERVE? DID YOUR GUESTS ENJOY YOUR CHOICES?

Our cake and food we wanted to be delicious and things everyone would enjoy. We didn’t want anything too fussy, and we needed kid-friendly options as well as foods for the adults. Catering was a great choice because we could pick and choose exactly what we wanted served.

DID YOU INCORPORATE YOUR OWN PERSONALITIES INTO THE WEDDING DAY? IF SO, HOW?

There were a few things that made it very personal. We wrote our own vows, my son walked my down the aisle and my sister officiated our ceremony.

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 of the day was the music not working correctly and after our ceremony people didn’t really know what to do so it was silent.

HOW DID YOU SET A BUDGET?

We thought about how much money we really wanted to spend on one day and if we’d rather spend that on the day, or a honeymoon, and budgeted from there.

DO YOU HAVE ANY ADVICE FOR COUPLES PLANNING A WEDDING?

It’s only one day. It’s not about the dress, the location, the food, the flowers or anything else other than the two of you. Remember what the day is all about.

THE MAGIC MAKERS ...

Wedding planner/coordinator: PacWest Blooms

Cake/dessert: Lilac Patisserie

Photographer: We Are Matt and Jess

Ceremony & reception venue: Third Beach, Carpinteria

Caterer: Nicky Daley at Heat Culinary

Dress shop: Reformation

Flowers: PacWest Blooms

Officiant: Bride’s sister

Decorative furniture/rentals: PacWest Blooms

Honeymoon: Hawaii

The beautiful sanctuary of Carpinteria Community Church, adorned with stained glass windows and intimate lighting, is the perfect place for family and friends to gather on your big day. The rose garden creates a colorful backdrop for wedding photos. Stay & celebrate in the Parish Hall for your reception, with a seating capacity of 105 people (champagne, beer and wine acceptable). High beam ceilings, french doors, hardwood floor, and adjacent patio sets the stage for lasting memories.

The beautiful sanctuary of Carpinteria Community Church, adorned with stained glass windows and intimate lighting, is the perfect place for family and friends to gather on your big day. The rose garden creates a colorful backdrop for wedding photos. Stay and celebrate in the Parish Hall for your reception, with a seating capacity of 105 people indoors, an additional 50 on the patio available (champagne, beer and wine acceptable). High beam ceilings, french doors, hardwood floor, and adjacent patio sets the stage for lasting memories. Newly added sound system, carpeting and LED video wall keep this classic venue state of the art.

Tempting your

Delight your guests with delicious hand made French chocolate favors.

Choose from our 36 different flavors or custom made just for you !

What a fabulous way to say “Thank you for sharing our special occasion”! Lets talk!

Alyssa Matthew&Kliewer

NOTES ON THE DAY ...

IS THERE A MOMENT FROM YOUR WEDDING THAT STANDS OUT?

During our reception, we held a traditional Chinese/Vietnamese tea ceremony to honor Alyssa’s father’s side of the family. For this ceremony, we were dressed in Ao Dais and served tea to all of our grandparents, grandaunts/uncles, parents, aunts/uncles and older siblings. It was a nice way for Matt’s side of the family to learn about Alyssa’s family’s culture.

HOW DID YOU CHOOSE YOUR CEREMONY AND RECEPTION VENUES?

We wanted to get married at a church, and we picked Santa Barbara Community Church because it was a very special place for Matt’s family. Matt’s parents also got married there!

HOW DID YOU DECIDE ON WHAT CAKE AND FOOD YOU WERE GOING TO SERVE? DID YOUR GUESTS ENJOY YOUR CHOICES?

Alyssa wanted Chinese food to be served at our wedding, and so we decided to go with the best in town – Uncle Chen Restaurant in Carpinteria. They were so nice to work with and they helped us craft a menu that would feed all of our guests. The orange chicken was a hit!

For the cake, we knew that we wanted to go with cupcakes so that it would be easier to serve, and we also wanted a small cake for us to cut. Alyssa’s talented little sister made us a small vegan Star Wars-themed cake – complete with a mini–Millennium Falcon and X-Wing Starfighters. Then, Alyssa’s family friend, Diana Salzer, gifted us with cupcakes for our wedding.

DID YOU INCORPORATE YOUR OWN PERSONALITIES INTO THE WEDDING DAY? IF SO, HOW?

We had a Star Wars-themed wedding reception because we’re both huge fans and it gave both sides of our family something fun to bond over. Alyssa’s dad also made a rare public appearance as Darth Vader!

HOW DID YOU SET A BUDGET?

We created a very detailed Excel spreadsheet and compared pricing between vendors before selecting our vendors and adding the estimated costs for the essential things – venue, food, rentals, photographer/videographer. We looked at the costs for elective items, like a photo booth, and we decided to prioritize what we actually needed.

DO YOU HAVE ANY ADVICE FOR COUPLES PLANNING A WEDDING?

In addition to/in place of traditional invitations, consider creating a website to make the event details more accessible to your wedding guests. There’s only so much information that you can print on a card, and so the website helped us communicate the details with our guests. We looked into all of the most popular wedding websites, but in the end, we chose to use WithJoy.com

IS THERE ANYTHING ELSE YOU WOULD LIKE TO MENTION?

Since Alyssa works at Westerlay Orchids, it was inevitable that we were going to have orchids at our wedding. We placed orchids at each table instead of cut flower arrangements, and then we placed one special chair at each table for a lucky winner to bring home an orchid! It was so special because the orchids lasted months after our wedding and they still remind our guests about our special day!

For the bouquets, Alyssa also had to have Dahlias in her bouquets because they remind her of Carpinteria. She picked her favorite flowers at Maximum Flowers and then the PacWest Blooms team took care of the rest.

THE MAGIC MAKERS ...

Wedding planner/coordinator: PacWest Blooms

Cake/dessert: Salzer’s Pies and Pastries and Alyssa’s little sister

Photographer/videographer: Gold Coast Weddings

Invitations, signage designer: Alyssa, the bride

Ceremony & reception venue: Santa Barbara Community Church

Caterer: Uncle Chen Restaurant in Carpinteria

Dress shop: David’s Bridal, Confete, Etsy

Tux: Stych Inc.

Flowers: PacWest Blooms, Westerlay Orchids, Maximum Flowers

Music: DJ Jose Rabelo, AMS Events

Officiant: Nick Tortorici

Decorative furniture/rentals: Bright Rentals

Honeymoon: Catalina Island and Yosemite

Rehearsal dinner location: Padaro Beach Grill

Wedding rings: George Thompson Diamond Company

Other: Fruit table, created and gifted by the bride’s mom’s family

ELEVATE

THROUGH THE POWER OF MUSIC AND MEMORIES

Natalie Durtche

&

Christian Baker

JUNE 10, 2023

NOTES ON THE DAY ... TELL US ABOUT YOURSELVES.

There are many ways two individuals may come together to find their one true love. In Christian and Natalie’s case, their love story began with some family-crafted matchmaking.

It was the end of 2020 when Natalie’s uncle and aunt, Brian and Tina, had their first taste of wine at Rincon Mountain Winery. They fell in love with not just the wine, but the one serving it as well. It was then that the trail of love began. Rob and Michelle Durtche, Natalie’s parents, joined as guests at a wine event at the top of Rincon Mountain. Just as much as they fell in love with the view of their beloved Carpinteria, they too were very fond of Christian.

When Michelle asked Christian’s sister, Jill, if he was single, her answer came with three points of criteria: she had to love Disney, love German Shepherds and be preferably Mexican. For those who know the Durtche family, you will understand why jaws dropped when hearing this answer.

It was March 21 when Natalie joined her family for a tasting at the winery, completely unaware of the behind-the-scenes matchmaking. While many dread the thought of a family setup, Natalie and Christian are forever grateful for it.

They went on their first date a few days later and have been inseparable ever since. Fast forward to the 28th of December in 2022, Christian got down on one knee and asked Natalie to spend the rest of their lives together. Natalie is a fifth generation Carpinterian. Her and Christian are expecting their first child in May 2024 – a baby girl.

IS THERE A MOMENT FROM YOUR WEDDING THAT STANDS OUT?

The whole thing. How do you pick from such a magical day?

HOW DID YOU CHOOSE YOUR CEREMONY AND RECEPTION VENUES?

We chose Mt. Carmel because I went to school and taught there. We chose El Paseo because it’s very beautiful inside and super convenient for wedding receptions.

HOW DID YOU DECIDE ON WHAT CAKE AND FOOD YOU WERE GOING TO SERVE? DID YOUR GUESTS ENJOY YOUR CHOICES?

The chef from El Paseo told us about the bakery right down the street called Alessia Bakery. It was fantastic!

DID YOU INCORPORATE YOUR OWN PERSONALITIES INTO THE WEDDING DAY? IF SO, HOW?

We picked a family DJ that knows the music we like and made our own playlist for dinner. Suzie Schneider from PacWest Blooms made the most beautiful arrangements with the flowers we picked.

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?

Thankfully, with the help of Suzie, the whole day went smoothly. We were able to just show up and enjoy the day.

HOW DID YOU SET A BUDGET?

We kept our budget at a reasonable amount by having it at a restaurant that provided everything we needed, except flowers, a planner and music.

DO YOU HAVE ANY ADVICE FOR COUPLES PLANNING A WEDDING?

The best advice I would give is that it is so important to have a planner. We felt as if we were guests at our own wedding. Suzie took care of everything.

IS THERE ANYTHING ELSE YOU’D LIKE TO MENTION?

Our wedding day was the most beautiful, magical day, surrounded by the people we love the most. I wish we could do it all over again.

THE MAGIC MAKERS ...

Wedding planner/coordinator: Suzie Schneider, PacWest Blooms

Cake/dessert: Alessia Bakery, Santa Barbara

Photographer: Ryan Morris

Videographer: Danny Carrera

Invitations, signage designer: The bride’s mom, Michelle Durtche

Ceremony & reception venue:

Our Lady of Mt. Carmel Church and El Paseo Restaurant

Caterer: El Paseo Restaurant

Makeup: Emily Durtche

Hair: Gabriella Salazar at Amari Salon

Dress shop: Ana Maria Bridal Santa Barbara

Tux: Men’s Wearhouse

Flowers: PacWest Blooms

Music: DJ John Olivares

Officiant: Father Martini

Altar: Church

Honeymoon: Delayed, due to baby on the way!

Rehearsal dinner location: Rincon Mountain Winery

Wedding rings: Jewelry Couture

Other:

Rockstar Trolley, for transportation from church to reception

JJ Koski &

NOTES ON THE DAY ...

TELL US ABOUT YOURSELVES.

JJ: I grew up in South Reno, Nev. and spent a lot of my youth up at Lake Tahoe in all the seasons and loved to ski. I left Reno in my early 20s and made my way to the Central Coast and lived in Arroyo Grande for a few years before making my way to Santa Barbara. There I made a fantastic group of friends and quickly fell in love with everything here. As I explored the area, I fell even more in love with Carpinteria, finding myself spending days off in town and surfing Rincon, often.

I had an opportunity to move to Carpinteria and I jumped on it. As I became a resident in town I began to make more friends, some of them mutual friends with Miranda. We got introduced to each other while I was home for the holidays. We were talking on FaceTime one day and I asked her when I could take her on a date. She said tomorrow! (At the time I was eight hours away.) I drove eight hours from Reno to Carpinteria the very next morning, arriving back in Carp just 15 minutes before I was supposed to meet her at Delgado’s for dinner. We spent every single day after that first date with each other in a relationship. Inseparable. Now she is my wife!

Miranda: I have been lucky enough to call Carpinteria home for the past 30 years! I’ve spent the last 10 years working in Hospitality and Tech Sales. JJ and I look forward to growing our family in Carp – I am lucky that most all of my relatives still live here. We love spending our weekends riding our bikes around town, walking our dog Bruce on the beach and listening to live music at local breweries!

IS THERE A MOMENT FROM YOUR WEDDING THAT STANDS OUT?

JJ: The minute that I saw my wife for the first time start walking down the aisle is a feeling I’ll never forget. Having both of our families together was per-

fect. The whole day was perfect. Having my best friend be our officiant was awesome.

Miranda: I don’t think there was just one moment. The magic of the whole day was unforgettable. Looking back, I think we were surrounded by so much love from our families and friends we were really able to fully be present and enjoy all of the special moments. Having a first look with my dad was really special and great way to kick off the ceremony.

HOW DID YOU CHOOSE YOUR VENUES?

Bodega has been a special part of our relationship. We went there on our third date and both of us said how great of a place it would make for a wedding. Little did we know two years later we would be standing under the trees saying, “I do.” We both really wanted an intimate venue that felt comfortable. There was also a guest house on the property where we got to stay all weekend, and that’s where I got ready with my girls the morning of. We had a lot of people coming from out of town that stayed at Airbnbs or the Alamo Motel down the street and our venue was walkable to everyone.

HOW DID YOU DECIDE ON WHAT CAKE AND FOOD YOU WERE GOING TO SERVE?

We knew we wanted to do something different and non-traditional, so instead of a cake cutting, we did a champagne tower and toast to our guests. My aunt Pam made homemade shortbread cookies for a sweet treat that were passed out after dinner. The day after our wedding we had brunch with our families and my other aunt Gogi made a delicious cake from scratch, and we had an intimate cake cutting for the photo op.

DID YOU INCORPORATE YOUR OWN PERSONALITIES INTO THE WEDDING DAY?

Definitely! We both have a love for nature/being outdoors, so I think our venue showcased that. We had personalized rustic touches but also incorporated sentimental decor pieces from our grandparents while keeping the theme minimal.

WHAT WAS THE MOST DIFFICULT PART FOR YOU IN PLANNING A WEDDING? WERE THERE ANY HICCUPS?

Miranda: Honestly nothing was too difficult thankfully! Start planning early and have a vision. We created Pinterest boards to help us with inspiration.

JJ: Wedding planning is easy… when your wife does all of it! She was really good at including me in the process and we made decisions as a team, but all credit goes to her for planning a wonderful day.

HOW DID YOU SET A BUDGET?

We built our budget around what was most important to us: food, music, location. We were able to curate exactly what we wanted within budget by creating a lot of the decor, bud vases/flowers and signage ourselves. Our venue included tables and chairs, so we didn’t have to spend a lot on rentals.

DO YOU HAVE ANY ADVICE FOR COUPLES PLANNING A WEDDING?

Miranda: I think the main thing is to stay true to who you are as a couple and have your day reflect that – don’t get caught up in other people’s opinions. We really wanted a fun, relaxed day filled with love and laughter and looking back, I think we achieved just that!

JJ: Find a photographer who you vibe with and who makes you feel comfortable! Let go and enjoy being in the moment!

THE MAGIC MAKERS ...

Wedding planner/coordinator: Miranda Duffield and Brian Schneider

Cake/dessert: Lemon custard and raspberry shortbread cookies made by the bride’s aunt

Photographer: Cambria Shelley

Invitations, signage designer: Designed on Etsy and printed signage from Rockwell Printing in Carpinteria

Ceremony & reception venue: Bodega Los Alamos

Caterer: Lucca Woodfired Pizza Truck

Hair: Gabbi Salazar

Makeup: Rose Jones

Dress shop: Moondance Bridal Boutique

Tux: The Wharf

Flowers: Roses and greenery from Trader Joe’s; bride’s bouquet done by Brian at PacWest Blooms

Music: DJ Marco Alvaro

Officiant: Micheal Morrison

Altar: Designed by bride

Honeymoon: Spain and Portugal

Rehearsal dinner location: Eagle Creek Ranch

Wedding rings: Jared Jewelers

Suzie Chris S &chneider

NOTES ON THE DAY ... TELL US ABOUT YOURSELVES

WEDDING MARCH 20, 1993

VOW RENEWAL MARCH 20, 2023

Chris and I have lived in Carpinteria all our lives and have three adult children: David, Brian and Elena. We own a wedding and event business in Carpinteria and support our community through volunteering and coaching. I am active in Carpinteria Women for Agriculture and the Rotary Club of Carpinteria Morning.

IS THERE A MOMENT FROM YOUR DAY THAT STANDS OUT?

A moment I will not forget is that as I was walking towards Chris, I felt my body start to run. I could not get to him fast enough. It was as if the 30 years that had passed and all the moments and emotions of those years pulled me towards him in a single moment.

HOW DID YOU CHOOSE YOUR VENUES?

Chris and I spent hours during the summer at the beach when we were younger. At the sand, standing at the end of Linden, is one of my favorite locations.

HOW DID YOU DECIDE ON WHAT CAKE AND FOOD YOU WERE GOING TO SERVE? DID YOUR GUESTS ENJOY YOUR CHOICES?

Events By Rincon was our number one choice to have our reception. As a floral designer, I have designed at the Gardens and I couldn’t think of a more fitting venue to have it at. I wanted to treat myself and my family to Rincon’s impeccable service and food, especially their dessert menu. That may have been the hardest part of planning the renewal – selecting from so many great and delicious menu options!

DID YOU INCORPORATE YOUR OWN PERSONALITIES INTO THE DAY? IF SO, HOW?

Family is everything to us. Having only our immediate family with an intimate reception was important. It was also important to me to have my original bridesmaids there and they were able to make it! We remember looking out at our family and our hearts were so full, especially seeing our three children stand near us. We had family members fly in from Montana and that meant the world to us!

WHAT WAS THE MOST DIFFICULT PART FOR YOU IN PLANNING?

WERE THERE ANY HICCUPS? IF SO, WHAT WERE THEY, AND HOW COULD THEY HAVE BEEN PREVENTED?

Nothing was difficult, but it was so cold and windy. Props to my entire family and friends for sticking out the wind. It started to rain the moment the ceremony was over. We did have a plan B in place, but thankfully the rain waited.

HOW DID YOU SET A BUDGET?

Well... let’s say I saved for a while. I didn’t want to have to compromise on my venue choice.

DO YOU HAVE ANY ADVICE FOR COUPLES PLANNING THEIR DAY?

For us, it was a vow renewal, so whatever the event – and this is advice I give my own clients – stay true to yourself. It’s the first big decision many couples make and it’s important to discuss budget and what you do not want to compromise on. Additionally, hire professionals and allow your family to enjoy themselves the day of.

THE MAGIC MAKERS ... Wedding planner/coordinator: Self, Suzie Schneider

Cake/dessert: Events By Rincon

Photographer: Mark Ruiz

Videographer: Family

Ceremony & reception venue: Rincon Beach Club

Caterer: Events By Rincon

Hair: Christie Colson

Makeup: Kylie Barber

Dress shop: Lulus

Flowers: Brian Schneider / PacWest Blooms

Music: Xenia Flores

Officiant: Gerald “G” Torres

Honeymoon: Maui