Tell us a little about yourselves!
How we met and started dating is a series of events the two of us would've never guessed but thank God they did!
We met via Instagram. At our first face to face meeting, we both brought our best friends as back-up in case things didn't go to plan. Little did we know that those friends would end up dating and getting married two weeks before us!
We are completely blown away by God's grace throughout our relationship. The past three years have been filled with some of the sweetest memories, from virtual movie nights and trips to our favorite cities around the US, to what seems like endless trips to the San Francisco airport and back.
After three years of long distance, we are so excited to finally start our lives together.
Why did you decide to get married where you did?
Northern Cal is a place Chandler, and I loved to get away to when I was in town, even if it was just for a day. San Francisco, Bodega Bay, Sea Ranch, and Santa Rosa are places we spend so much time at, so it seemed perfect to have it there. Our family friends have a beautiful home in Santa Rosa and were so kind to offer their home as our venue. It was so perfect for what we were picturing for the day.
How many guests did you have?
We had around 70-80 guests and Tom Irwin captured our day.
What was your budget?
$25,000.
Tell us about your outfits.
From the very beginning I knew I wanted to have three looks and I wanted to source as many vintage or thrifted items as I could. My getting ready look was a beautiful, thrifted silk slip from Victoria's Secret. When it came to my veil, I wanted it to be very ornate with lace detailing and a cathedral length. After endless scrolling on Pinterest, I found Jane Bourvis bridal boutique based in London. We had a few zoom calls and tried a few veils, and we finally landed on the Persephone hand embroidered veil. The veil was by far my most coveted piece from my ceremony look.
Timeless is the word I kept using when searching for my wedding dress. It didn’t take me long to find my dress. I knew I didn’t want a bright white, and that I wanted sleeves and a corseted renaissance look. So, the Forsythia gown from Alexandra Grecco was perfect!
My reception dress was gifted to me by my mother-in-law! It’s the most timeless stunning dress I have ever tried on. It was in near perfect condition, with detachable sleeves and a detachable train. Once I tried it on, I knew I wanted to get it altered, so I found When We Were Young, a custom bridal alteration shop in Atlanta. She was the most amazing person to work with. I still love to walk around the house in this dress sometimes!
Lastly my exit outfit was a vintage lace top I got from a thrift store in Dallas called 2nd Street. I paired it with a mini skirt, but the real showstopper were the shoes. My sister-in-law, Abby gets all the credit for those.
What was the most important aspect for you, in terms of planning your wedding?
I am a very visual person and I also enjoy curating a vision/concept. That being said, Pinterest was my best friend when it came to understanding the wedding vision. I made boards for every detail you can think of when it comes to a wedding. I wanted to make it easy for anyone to understand what we wanted for our wedding.
Were there any elements that were important for you to incorporate?
The most important thing I wanted to incorporate was the in loving memory seats for my Dad and older sister. My dad and sister passed away in a car accident when I was 5 and she was 6. So being able to have them a part of the day meant so much to me.
Any tips for couples getting married?
Enjoy every moment of every season. Wedding planning can become so stressful if you aren’t careful to remind yourselves what it’s truly about. For us, reminding ourselves of the beautiful covenant we're making kept us from getting too stressed and allowed us to enjoy all the engagement season memories!
Photographer: Tom Irwin @tomirwin.co | Planning & Design: This Modern Bride @thismodernbride_ | Wedding Coordinator: Leslie White @leslienotwhite | Flora: Harvest Floral @harvestfloralcompany | Videographer: Caleb Vu @caleb_vu | Ceremony & Reception Location: Private Estate Santa Rosa, California | Celebrant: Charles Metcalf | Rentals: Encore Rentals @encoreeventrentals | Makeup: Faced By Brooke @faced_by_brooke | Hair: Jennifer Santamaria @jen_beauty_mua_ | Catering + Beverages: Chandos Tacos @chandostacos | Stationery: Designed by the groom | Entertainment: Grant Peterson @dj_grant_petersen | Ceremony Dress: Alexandra Grecco @alexandragrecco from Lovely Bride Dallas @lovelybridedallas | Reception Dress: Wedding Gown of Mother of the Groom, altered by When We Were Young, Atlanta @wwwyoung__ | Suit: The Black Tux @theblacktux | Veil: Jane Bourvis @janebourvis | Exit Outfit: Vintage Lace Top, Shoes by Lauryn's sister-in-law Abby | Engagement Ring: Frank Darling @frankdarling | Wedding Rings: Pandora @theofficialpandora (Lauryn) & Maison Margiela (Chandler) @maisonmargiela | Shoes: Dolce Vita @dolcevita | Wedding Party Attire: The Black Tux @theblacktux