Says Courtney, "I was so excited when I got engaged that I promptly demanded we jump into the sea to celebrate. That was easy to do since my husband proposed to me on a boat off the coast of Italy (and my ring was secure). The dive into engagement territory was effortless, but when faced with the very real elements of wedding planning we quickly became slightly overwhelmed by all of the different styles and options available. I am from a small beach town in Southern California – San Clemente – and I always knew that I wanted to be married there. However, Jon and I live in London and he is British, so we knew we wanted to incorporate elements from both of our cultures in our wedding day.
I decided that my gown would be from a UK designer. When I first tried on my Jenny Packham dress I realized that it was perfect for me. My dress had the glamour of the old Hollywood movies that I love and which always remind me of California, and it moved like a dream which was important as I knew I wanted to dance the night away. Jon opted for his groomsmen to go for the classic Bond look; both British and timeless, and my bridesmaids wore aubergine twobirds dresses which I liked for their drape and versatility.
We decided to hold the ceremony in my family’s garden. It’s my favorite view of the ocean and I love being home when I have the chance so it was a special place for us to be wed. My cousin was the officiant and our flowers were soft pinks and creams – I loved them!
After the ceremony we had a champagne toast in the courtyard. Jon and I stood on the balcony for the toasts and I loved seeing all of our guests toasting Jon’s and my future together. It felt so special. Following the toasts and bouquet toss we were showered by petals and cheers from our guests and then headed to the Casa Romantica for our reception.
Our wedding was an absolute dream. From the cocktail hour to dinner and then to dancing, the day could not have been more fun. It was exactly what we wanted and felt perfect for us! It’s prolonged through our recollections of the day; in essence the feeling of being surrounded by so many people from all over the world who came to help us celebrate our wedding is probably one of the most special memories of all."
Thanks so much to Courtney and Jonathan for sharing their beautifully cool California wedding with us! And to Henry + Mac for sharing such gorge photos! xx.
Courtney leaves us with some parting advice, "I would recommend not being afraid to do something different on your wedding. Weddings are inspired by so many dreams. Make sure that your day is perfect for you and your husband-to-be but also realize that with so many different people and parties involved there is absolutely nothing that you can control at the end of the day. So with that in mind, soak it in, enjoy being with your friends and family, relish the feeling of your fiance’s eyes on you while walking down the aisle and remember the romantic exuberance of your first dance. These are the aspects of the day that will feel like punctuation points; that make you remember laughing or dancing or trying your delicious first bite of your wedding cake."
Credits: Photography: HENRY + MAC / Venue: CASA ROMANTICA / Coordinator: Melody Walker / Dress: JENNY PACKHAM / Bridesmaid dresses: TWO BIRDS / Groom suit: HACKETT LONDON / Catering: 24 CARROTS CATERING & EVENTS / Florist: COLLECTED WITH LOVE
Tags :
CALIF
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CLASSIC
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ESTATE WEDDING
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real wedding
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SAN CLEMENTE
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