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Real Weddings:

Kate and Danny’s wedding at Collins Ranch

featuring Sarah Ellefson Photography

Kate and Danny’s California wedding reception was celebrated at Collins Ranch, a private estate on the west side of Ojai. The venue had all the elements of Ojai that Kate grew up loving including “the weaving road through golden fields leading up to the barn and mountainside landscape with massive boulders mounted throughout.” The couple enlisted the brides sister Hilary to plan the event and Gallup & Stribling to create the vibrant autumn-hued florals. Kate had this to say about the reception “the barn opened up on every side so you felt like you were dining in nature but with the comfort of a nice seat and well dressed table!” It’s all beautiful and luck for us Sarah Ellefson Photography was on hand to capture it all.

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What made the wedding special and unique?

The whole day was so special and unbelievably stress free, which I have my generous family and sister Hilary to thank. Other than the fact that it was ‘our’ wedding (which made it the most special) what made it seem unique and different was our location we were lucky to find. We heard of Collins Ranch on the west side of Ojai through a friend who connected us with the owner. His property had all the elements of Ojai I have grown up loving. The weaving road through golden fields leading up to the barn and mountainside landscape with massive boulders mounted throughout. His barn type warehouse opened up on every side so you felt like you were dining in nature but with the comfort of a nice seat and well dressed table! The whole venue was something so familiar and dear to me but that I had never really seen as a wedding venue, so it felt unique and personal at the same time.

Danny’s family and many of our guests were flying in from out of state and a good number of them had never seen California before. From our ceremony at San Buenaventura Mission with the ocean breeze flowing through the tropical gardens, to the golden Chaparral mountain side of Collins Ranch, we could share what we love about California with all of them.

Tell us about the gown and where/how you found it!

I had no idea what type of dress I wanted which it made it both fun and frustrating. Fun because I was open to any style, frustrating because there were too many styles! After trying on many gowns and visiting quite a few shops my mom and I finally went down to Pasadena to visit Lovely Bride, where I found my dress! There so many beautiful gowns that were in what i had narrowed down to be what I was looking for, long sleeve with bold lace. I found exactly that in the North Gown by Lovers Society. The design and texture of the lace was so unique from what I had seen, and I knew it was my dress! I also don’t think my mom would have let me leave without it, she bawled when I came out it in!

What were some touches added to make the wedding personal? 

I am from a family of gifted artists and I wanted them to be a have a hand in the decor.  One of my beautiful sisters, Monica, painted an abstract map view of the coast and mountain range that guests would be driving on from ceremony to reception. Guest loved it and I have it framed in my apartment now! My brother John sketched out a paint by numbers of the mission where the ceremony took place, and guests could pick up a paint brush and add to it while enjoying their cocktails. I am always in awe of their talent and was happy to show them off!

What was the most memorable part of the day?

It is hard to pick one moment that was most memorable because really the whole day felt like a dream. However, one that sticks out among others would have to be after the speeches took place, my brother, sister and I sang one of our favorite folk songs for our parents (and guests). We have always sang together with my brother on the guitar and since I would be moving to Virginia immediately after the wedding, I wanted to give my parents one last show of us singing together! I’ll always remember that moment.

Tell us how you met and became engaged.

We met each other in college sophomore year 2014 at Franciscan University, in Steubenville Ohio. We shared a lot of the same friend groups and happened to always be in the same social setting, all the while having deeper interest in one another (but never showing it!). End of senior year, Danny finally asked me out for our first date, and it didn’t take long for us to realize we wanted to continue what we started. Soon after dating we graduated and moved to opposite ends of the country (VA and CA) and thus began our journey of FaceTime and expensive flights to spend short visits, sometimes not even a full 48 hours. Again, it didn’t take long for us discover that we wanted to be with one another for the rest our lives; some might call it falling in love! To make this happen Danny and my sister (thanks Hilary!) planned a surprise visit and flew across the country to get on one knee, however the surprise was ruined by me curiously checking his location to figure out why my messages weren’t being delivered during his four hour flight! When I saw he was at LAX, I knew what this meant! He met me at my favorite winery and put some sparkle on my left hand!

Photography: Sarah Ellefson Photography // Planning + Coordination: Hilary Loughman // Florals: Gallup & Stribling // Venue: Ventura Mission + Collins Ranch (Private Estate) Ojai CA // Dress: Lovers Society from Lovely Bride // HMU: Hey Beautiful // DJ: DJ Mike Bruel // Rentals: Spark Creative Events / Otis & Pearl // Catering: DJ’s California Catering

 

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Real Weddings:

Gena and Jake’s Colorado Wedding

featuring Michele with one L Photography

Gena and Jake’s family and friends travelled across the country to celebrate in Colorado—the state in which the couple met and call home. Planet Bluegrass offered a beautiful backdrop of mature Cottonwoods and redstone cliffs and the couple enlisted the skills of florist Living Arts Floral to produce fall-inspired creating like a cascading bouquet, ceremony arbor and gathered arrangements. During their vows, Gena produced a list she had written at church camp in seventh grade, where she names the qualities she hoped to find in her future husband. Not surprisingly, Jake fit the bill. Read on for Michele with one L Photography‘s take on the lovely day and enjoy the details in her photos.

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What made the wedding special and unique?

from the photographer: Gena and Jake had no bridal party, so the focus of the ceremony was completely on the two of them and their relationship. They were both in awe that Steve, their officiant and long-time friend, told the story of their relationship exactly as it happened. They were awed to realize someone else knew them and their love story as well as they did, and to be able to share it so flawlessly with their friends and family, many of whom were meeting Gena or Jake for the first time.

One of the things I appreciated most about Gena and Jake’s wedding was they wanted to have 15 minutes alone after the ceremony to just be together, and they even built it into their timeline. It is so easy to get caught up in the business of the wedding day, and this was one way they were able to stop and savor the meaning of the day, and each other.

What were some touches added to make the wedding personal?

Gena and Jake both live in Colorado, but their guests traveled from different places, so they wanted to feature some really amazing things about Colorado for their guests. They chose October because fall is their favorite season in Colorado, and Planet Bluegrass featured a river and that dramatic rock backdrop for their ceremony.

Their caterer created uniquely Colorado, true-to-season dishes featuring Colorado peaches and Colorado lamb. For their wedding “cake,” they treated guests to Voodoo Doughnuts.

The music they chose for their day was also unique: Because Judah & the Lion is their favorite band, Gina walked down to aisle to the orchestra version of “Take It All Back,” and they walked back down the aisle, married, to the pop version. Their first and last dances were also Judah & the Lion songs.

 

 

What was the most memorable part of the day?

Gena told me that walking down the aisle and seeing Jake waiting for her was a moment she’ll never forget. She loved how she could actually feel the enthusiasm and excitement he had to marry her. Jake also loved seeing Gena walk down the aisle on the arm of her dad, her number one fan, getting ready to pass that torch along to Jake.

They both loved holding hands in the middle of their gorgeous ceremony site with the river and the dramatic rock wall in the background as they read their hand-written vows.

During their vows, Gena produced a list she had written at church camp in seventh grade, where she names the qualities she hoped to find in her future husband. Not surprisingly, Jake fit the bill. Gena told Jake she knew he might be the one before they even started dating, because “I was never more myself than when I was with you.”

Tell us how you met and became engaged.

Gena and Jake had both recently moved to Colorado and ended up meeting one night at Punch Bowl Social. It wasn’t long before they were watching hockey together, going to brunch, playing on the same kickball team, and seeing each other on a regular basis. After just a short time, Jake was pretty sure they were going to be together for a long time. Three and a half years later, they got engaged in Moab, and the rest is history.

Gena + Jake | Wedding Hightlight Film from Christian DaCosta on Vimeo.

Photographer: Michele with one L Photography // Wedding planner: Kathy Miller // Florals: Living Arts Floral // Venue: Planet Bluegrass Lyons, Colorado // Video: Christian Dacosta // Hair and makeup: Jordan Brittany // Bridal shop: Luv Bridal Denver // Bridal gown: Madi Lane Bridal // Groom’s attire: Tom James // Music: DJ Connection // Catering: Under the Sun // Bakery: Voodoo Doughnut // Invitation: Vista Print // Rentals: All Events Rentals

 

Real Weddings:

Chloe and Phillip’s Lake Geneva Wedding

photography by Studio This Is

Does anything scream summer quite like huge, blooming hydrangeas? Chloe and Phillip’s wedding day at the grooms’ parents home on Lake Geneva is filled with the fluffy blooms, along with bright citrus accents and large pink peonies. The bride envisioned the day and enlisted the skills of Birch Design Studio  to make her vision a reality. A watercolor crest, hand-painted by the bride, established the bright color palette and the details followed suite. Florals are by Rishi Patel of HMR Designs, quirky floral cake is by Alliance Bakery, the bride’s detachable-sleeve lace gown is Caroline Herrera from Ultimate Bride. Nancy Beale of Studio This Is was behind the lens capturing all the beauty in these joyful images.

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What made the wedding special and unique?

We got married at my husband’s grandfather’s home on Lake Geneva. He grew up going here which made it very special for both of us.

Tell us about the gown and where/how you found it!

I found the dress at Ultimate Bride. It was designed by Carolina Herrera. The intricate lace was beautiful and both my mom and my husband’s mom loved it as soon as I put it on. The removable sleeve was a nice bonus!

What were some touches added to make the wedding personal? 

We did our best to make the wedding personal to us. I came up with the color story and I painted the water color crest we used on our stationery. We worked with Kirstin at Smitten Boutique. She was amazing at helping bring my ideas to fruition and fine tuning all the details. My husband’s family dog (Owsley) was the ring bearer. He walked down the aisle with my sister. He had a custom pillow made out of my wedding dress material with our bands tied to it. My best friend from high school sang during the ceremony.

What was the most memorable part of the day?

It was so wonderful to share such a special part of our lives with all our closest family and friends in a very special place. Everyone had the best time and we could feel everyone’s love surround us.

Tell us how you met and became engaged.

We met through our best friends who are now engaged! After 3 years of dating Phil asked me to marry him while we were hiking in Palm Springs, CA.

Photographer: Nancy Beale: Studio This Is // Planning + Design: Marina Birch: Birch Design Studio  // Florals & Decor: Rishi Patel, HMR Designs // Paper Suite: Hand painted by the bride, collaborated with Kirstin at Smitten Boutique   // Venue: Private Residence // Video: Wholehearted Wedding Films  // Wedding Gown: Caroline Herrera at Ultimate Bride  // Cake: Alliance Bakery // Makeup: Jo Levy Makeup // Hair: Gia Leone // Caterer: Food for Thought // Band: Gold Coast All Stars // Linens: BBJ Linens

 

Real Weddings:

Danielle and Sam’s wedding at Biltwell Event Center

featuring

Romantic details like lace, a palette of pink and mauve and voluminous gathered bouquets shine in Danielle and Sam’s hometown Indianapolis wedding. They couple were married at Roberts Park United Methodist Church followed by a reception at Biltwell Event Center—a venue they had stumbled upon years prior and joked “we should get married there.” Well, they did, and it’s lovely. Wedding planning by Emily Ventura Designs  with floral design by Grounded Weddings , invitations by Jen Simpson Design, cake by Cake Bake Shop and beautiful images by Chloe Luka Photography.

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What made the wedding special and unique?

Our wedding was so special to us because it brought all of our favorite people together! We are so grateful to all of our friends and family who traveled from near and far to celebrate with us. It was the day that we were able to stand in front of the most important people in our lives and share a lifelong commitment to each other. We had our reception at an event space that we accidentally stumbled upon years before we were engaged, and jokingly mentioned that we should get married there, so it was special that we were able to make that happen! We also had our two golden retrievers come for a few pictures, and that was also really special for us!

Tell us about the gown and where/how you found it!

I had an idea of what I wanted when we went shopping for a gown, but was open to trying other styles. However, when I put this one on, I knew it was the one! It was what I always imagined myself in. It was the first one I tried on and I instantly fell in love. It is a Pronovias gown from Marie Gabriel Couture in Indianapolis.

What were some touches added to make the wedding personal?

All of our guest place cards were in little succulents that they could take home to remember the day! We also did a floral tie for the guys which was fun!

What was the most memorable part of the day?

The whole day was a dream and so memorable! The part that sticks out to us most is the first look, because we were finally seeing each other on our big day after all of the anticipation leading up to the wedding. At that point, everything felt so real and hit us that this was finally happening!

Tell us how you met and became engaged.

We met in school at Purdue University, and began dating after graduation after years of friendship. Two years later we were engaged on our first camping trip!

Photography: Chloe Luka Photography // Wedding Planner: Emily Ventura Designs // Floral Design: Grounded Weddings // Invitation Design: Jen Simpson Design // Ceremony Venue: Roberts Park United Methodist Church // Reception Venue: Biltwell Event Center // Videographer: Blushing Films // Wedding Gown: Pronovias from Marie Gabriel Couture // Hair: Salon Honey // Makeup: Kate Shaw // Cake: Cake Bake Shop // Catering: Hoaglin // Bridesmaids Gowns: Azazie // Groomsmen Attire: The Black Tux // Ring Box: The Mrs. Box // Entertainment Services: DJ Sound Solution

 

Real Weddings:

Lisa and Lee’s wedding at Il Salviatino

featuring Ben Yew Photography

Lisa and Lee’s wanted an intimate wedding, but the bride had never attended a small wedding and had a few reservations about it so she enlisted the expertise of Millie at Matthew Oliver Weddings and never looked back. Their big day was filled with beautiful surprises—including Il Salviatino, their Florentine Villa venue which they never even set eyes on prior to their wedding day! With complete trust in their planner, the couple celebrated on the meticulous historic grounds of the property with a garden ceremony and delightful courtyard reception. Fabulous garden floral arrangements are by Fluida Design with stationery by Meticulous Ink and menu by Papier. Lucky for us, Ben Yew Photography was on hand to capture the beautiful day in these stunning film images.

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What made the wedding special and unique? 

It was a mixture of so many things. We wanted a small intimate wedding but I had never been to a small wedding before – so I had some reservations of what it would be like. On the day it was perfect, utterly romantic, intimate & beautiful. This was due to a mixture of the venue, the setting and what our wedding planner, Millie, had put together, it was totally unique to us as a couple and captured the essence of our relationship. It couldn’t have been more perfect! What also made it unique was the fact we didn’t view the venue until our wedding day! I love surprises and I totally trusted Millie; everyone thought we were nuts, but it was the best decision I’ve ever made, other than marrying my husband!

Tell us about the gown and where/how you found it!

I found the gown at a shop called Tilly Mint in Fleet, Hampshire. It was the first gown I tried on and my Mum cried, I knew right then it was the one! I bought it that day without going to any other shops!