This wedding by Kenzie Kate Photography is sweet perfection. A rustic location with a touch of elegance, we could just live in this wedding! The bride wore a beautiful Claire Pettibone gown that was adorned with many pretty details. Our favorite part of this wedding? The last image - all those lovely string lights.. we're smitten!
About their wedding: Family is one of the most important things to my husband and me, so we of course brought this value into our wedding. Everything we did had a touch of family. Family members sacrificed and gave so much for our wedding. My mom and I planned the wedding together in its entirety. Many people told us we were insane to plan a wedding in such a remote location with little "professional" help, but we were determined to do it because of what it meant to the both of us. I got to plan one of the most sacred days of my life with my mom, and it was everything I could have dreamed of. Now this does not mean that it was not tough. But it does mean that there is no one else I could imagine doing the planning with. Our styles are so similar, making many things effortless. She also was willing to adapt to the nontraditional style that Steve and I wanted for our special day. You see, we had a mixed wedding party with bride's men and groom's women mainly because we wanted to truly represent those that helped us become the people we are today. We also wanted to make sure that the people who were standing up at the alter with us would hold us accountable. The only way we could see this happening was if my friends, whatever their gender, stood on my side, and his friends did the same. Most of the people in our wedding party were family. The others were life-long friends. Also, we had one of our dear friends as the officiate. He made it so the ceremony was a personal one that told our story specific to us. When I look back at my wedding, one of the things that I will always cherish most is the musicians. My brother, Blake, and (fake) sister, Amanda played the music for the ceremony accompanied by Jeff, a close friend of my husband's family. Having these close ones play the music meant so much to me. Amanda learned two new instruments so that she could play the songs with depth. Blake and Amanda even adapted the words of "Ho Hey" so they would be appropriate for a wedding. They led the wedding party back down the aisle after the ceremony was over and really helped to cultivate a vibe of celebration- a vibe that was so important to us. Blake also played a very special song for the wedding party dance. It brought tears to my eyes and reminded me that family is the reason that special occasions become so special. There were a few people that gave toasts, but none of the toasts could beat the one given by my new niece who is 10 "I am just so excited my Uncle Stevie is married, and I can finally call you Aunt Cassie because it was really difficult to explain to people who you were to me and why you were so important. I love you guys" Needless to say, no one wanted to say anything after her. My husband and I have catered hundreds of weddings, and one thing we noticed is that the bride and groom rarely get to be apart of ALL the celebration. Typically they spend about an hour or two away from their guests taking photographs so that they are sure to have some documentation of how joyous, loving, and special their wedding day was. Steve and I did not want this type of wedding. We wanted to be a part of all the memories. When my mom and I were planning the wedding, this idea of being present in the wedding celebration was always at the foundation. I really did not want a photographer because I hated how much time was always wasted on pictures. However, my mom convinced me I needed one and that I would regret not having one. The search for one was very daunting because many did not want to sacrifice that hour or two, claiming they needed us to be away from our guests because we NEEDED those photos. It was not until we met Kenzie that our dream of celebrating with our guests started to look like a reality. On the day of the wedding, I can honestly say that Steve and I participated fully in the entire day. We were present and celebrating at the ceremony and reception. We missed nothing, and thank God because look at the pictures. It was beautiful and full of love, and we had a photographer who captured this without separating us from our loved ones. Kenzie and Lauren did a stunning job, and I truly would have deeply regretted their absence. The venue was breath-taking, and it enhanced the mood and the energy of the day. However, it did require that we bring in most things in ways of décor. Our wedding was the wedding of our dreams. Much of that is due to the fact that the planning was my mom's labor of love. Also, the set up and take down was completed by family and close friends. It was so much more than one day. It was a whole year of working with loved ones to plan a day to celebrate the rest of mine and Steve's lives. And oh what a beautiful celebration it was.
Wedding planning advice: My advice to people who are planning a wedding is make sure that the day you are planning is about the two of you celebrating with those you love.
Photography: Kenzie Kate Photography // Venue: Zaca Lake in Los Olivos, CA // Wedding Gown: Claire Pettibone // Florist: Amanda at Terra Bella Florals // Hair stylist: Bessy Signorelli at Dulce Vista Salon // Invitations: Printed by Natalie Guliver at Bespoken Letter Press // Decor: Much of the decor was rented from Sweet Repeats in Lompoc. The rest was purchased at Picket Fences and other home decor and thrift shops in the area // Rentals: Amigo's Party Rentals and Discount Party Rentals // Wedding Cupcakes: Enjoy Cupcakes // Bridesmaids dresses: Forever 21
