Rustic California Estate Wedding

Exactly two months ago I said “I do” to my best friend. That day was hands down the most surreal day of my life, and quite honestly exceeded any expectations I had. I admit, I wasn’t the girl who had my entire wedding planned out years in advance. Quite honestly, it’s something I rarely thought about…that is until I met my husband. And once that ring was on my finger, I had a blast planning all of the details.

We chose to get married at The Secluded Garden Estate in Pala, CA. The minute we found this venue, my husband and I knew it was where we wanted to start our forever. The one thing I knew I wanted from the beginning was to get married outdoors with tons of trees! And this venue did not disappoint. It felt so magical and fitting for my husband and me since we have a shared love for the outdoors.

One thing I always wanted was for my father to marry me. And I got my wish…

The entire day was quite honestly a bit of a blur, but in the best way possible. I made the crazy decision not to hire a wedding planner because I love design, florals, and any opportunity to be creative. And even though it was stressful leading up to the big day, I am so glad I did it. But I was also so thankful for my Day of Coordinator, Kayla of Jane West Events, who implemented my vision and kept every thing on point the day of the wedding, so that I could relax and just enjoy the day.

When it came to music I wanted the entire wedding to feel classy and romantic, so we chose to hire a harpist. She did a phenomenal job playing a mix of some classical more traditional pieces, as well as some contemporary songs that my husband and I love. In addition to her beautiful music, I chose to walk down the isle to the song, Turning Page, and we chose to do our first dance to the song Dear True Love, both by one of our favorite bands, Sleeping At Last. The rest of the music for our dance was a mix of classics.

The entire day was more than I could have ever hoped for it to be. But quite honestly, more than anything, I am thankful for what this day represented and the man that I got to commit my forever to. As much as I wanted every detail, from the flowers to the cake, to feel and look beautiful…even more, I wanted everyone to see Christ in my union with Micah. Our desire for our day ultimately was for people to feel the presence of God and to walk away knowing that He was the reason for it all.

“The glory of God is man fully alive” – St. Irenaeous

A huge thanks to all of the vendors who helped make our day a reality
Venue: THE SECLUDED GARDEN ESTATE // Photographer: UNOS PHOTOGRAPHY
Day of Coordinator: JANE WEST EVENTS  //  Caterer: PRIME CUTS CATERING
Vintage Rentals: TOUCHED BY TIME VINTAGE  //  Videographer: NOBLE VISION FILMS
Florals: MANDY BLACK & SPRIG & SPRING  //  Calligraphy Signage: ABBYCO. DESIGN
Bride’s Gown: BELLA BRIDAL BOUTIQUE   //  Bridesmaid’s Dresses: AZAZIE
Harpist: LAUREN ARASIM  //  Cake & Desserts: WHOLE FOODS BAKERY