Anika and Jonathan’s Santa Cruz wedding was a friend and family affair. Held on the property of close family friends, the day was filled with gorgeous garden party details and florals all designed by the couple’s friend and florist Joann Moritz. Anika’s father built the ceremony arch that was decked out in stunning florals, friends decorated the pool area with floating candles that stunned after dusk, and the ceremony music was also performed by a couple dear to the bride and groom. Anika had this piece of advice “…allow the people who love you to help you.” The help of all the couple’s talented friends and family, as well as their love for eachother is all captured beautifully in these images by onelove photography.
We wanted our wedding to be relaxed, and not too scheduled. Part of what made it feel so special was that it was put on with our friends and family. All the event and floral design were done by our wonderful family friend Joann, and the venue was actually the home of our close family friends–somewhere that we really grew up together. We went to elementary school and high school together and now work for the same company, so the wedding felt like a coming together of our community in Santa Cruz. So many of our friends came early to help set out decorations and tables–we couldn’t have done it without everyone!
My college roommate and her husband played and sang for our ceremony music. I was in her wedding 6 weeks before ours–having somebody to go through the planning process with was amazing.
The arch was built by my father, with a lot of help from friends and neighbors. He’s a physicist and can’t help over-engineering everything he does–he built several prototypes before settling on the final form of 3 nested arches made of willow branches cut from our friend’s farm. Some of my parents’ neighbors came to help him execute, and our event designer filled it all in with the most beautiful floral.
We focused on creating different spaces with the lighting–the cafe lights over the main dancing area and another set over the dinner tables tied everything together and made it feel more intimate.
One of my bridesmaids took charge of decorating the pool area–she figured out a way to put floating candles in the pool, and it was so magical when it got dark! We even had little candles floating in hurricanes along the pathways.
Our stationery was a collaborative effort–Joann drew the main house at the venue, my Bridesmaid Maggie designed the invitations, and we put a little of our own handwriting on.
A fantastic piece of advice I received far too late in the process was to allow the people who love you to help you. Not necessarily because of the burden it removes from you, but because they want to be a part of bringing the day together. I was so afraid of asking too much of people, but they were so happy when I gave them a way to contribute and bring the day together (and it helped with my stress too!)
We had pizza delivered at 9pm–this was a lifesaver. We were luckily able to find ONE pizza place in Santa Cruz that would deliver to the venue. Not the fanciest late night snack but at that point nobody really minds.
None of the groomsmen knew how to tie a bowtie. I should have suspected, but they were pretty much stuck! Luckily, the 21-year-old son of our friends who own the venue knew how, and he tied 6 bowties in quick succession and saved the day!
Photography: onelove photography // Day of Coordination: Sonia Gosline, E Events Co. // Event Designer: Joann Moritz // Florals: Joann Moritz, Juliet’s Garden // Stationery Design: Maggie Bignell and Joann Moritz // Stationery Printing: Sentinel Printers // Venue: Private Residence, Santa Cruz CA // Dress Designer: Willoby by Watters for BHLDN // Makeup: Jillian Wilkey // Hair: Tara Murphy, Salon on the Square // Dessert Bar: Kelly’s Bakery // Caterer: Jorden Richardson, Savory Events // Videography: Per Jerner // DJ: Joe Williams, Santa Cruz DJ // Groom’s Attire: Theory // Lighting: Woodworm // Rentals: Alexis Party Rental