Whitney + Taylor
(April 19, 2019 in Caspar, CA)
If you're looking for a nontraditional wedding that celebrates love, family, and positive energy, this blog post is for you! The author wanted an intimate wedding weekend with minimal flowers, tons of candles, and a bonfire on the beach. And let's just say, the day-of was absolutely perfect! From the moody lighting to the intention-setting ceremony and the family dinner overlooking the ocean, every moment was filled with love and emotion. So what's the author's #1 tip for future brides? Leave your phone at home and rely on a couple of people to make decisions for you so you can enjoy every moment without stress.
Whitney looked absolutely stunning in our Alexa gown by Willowby. This gown is a gorgeous A-line fit with a stunning titanium-colored liner with soft layers of tulle over the top of it. The skirt has gorgeous, bold dahlia motifs with sequin details scattered throughout for a little bit of sparkle. The bodice is a gorgeous deep-v plunge with a stunning double waistband made of delicate velvet ribbon. The ribbon ties into a dainty bow in the back and a baby train complete this boho, whimsical gown.
By our real bride, Whitney:
What was the vision for your wedding?
We wanted an intimate wedding weekend that celebrated our relationship and the joining of two families. People arrived Wednesday and left Sunday, giving us all the opportunity to become one family. We wanted the ceremony itself to be very nontraditional! Minimal flowers, positive energy, and loving vibes. After the ceremony, we planned a sit-down family dinner with tons of candles (umm... three dinner tables and over 300 candles...). Instead of dancing after dinner, we did a massive bonfire on the beach. As I said, nontraditional!
How did it go the day-of?
Oh my gosh. The day-of was absolutely perfect. The weather held out and gave us super moody lighting for our photos, something that Kat (best photographer/now friend EVER) and I had been hoping for since I told her the color of my dress! We had a backyard ceremony that included intention setting for our marriage from all of our family members - they held crystals from Priest Lake (my hometown) and sea glass from Mendocino/Caspar/Fort Bragg (where Taylor grew up) during our ceremony and then dropped both items into a vase that we now have in our house. We had a whiskey barrel unity ceremony followed by a toast before we were pronounced Mr. and Mrs. After the ceremony we all loaded up into a shuttle bus that took us to a big family dinner overlooking the ocean. Later that night we went to a public beach and continued the party with a huge bonfire... and lots of whiskey! It. Was. The. BEST!!!!
What is your #1 tip to future brides?
Leave your phone at home. I didn't have my phone all day and it was incredible being able to take in all of the love and emotion the day was filled with. Rely on a couple of people to make decisions for you so that you don't have to have your phone - the day goes so quickly and it was so amazing to just go with the flow and enjoy every moment as it came, without having to be the one coordinating who was doing what to make the day run smoothly. **The only oops with this was for our first look - neither of us brought our phones with us so we weren't able to contact each other. Kat and I didn't see Taylor, obviously thought he was late, so while we were waiting for him we had our own photoshoot... turns out he was on time, and thought I was standing him up!
