Tell us a little about yourselves!
We are Alex and Shawn! We were both born and raised in Northern California and met at a picnic in San Francisco during the early days of the pandemic. Our relationship quickly deepened, as quarantine allowed us to focus on getting to know each other 1:1 – cooking at each other's apartments, taking bike rides to our favorite bakeries, long walks in the city, listening to each other's favorite music, park picnics with friends, and having our very own evening dance parties. Alex had been living in New York before meeting Shawn (which kept her in SF two years longer than she expected) and together we decided to move to New York. We’ve been living in Brooklyn for 3+ years where we live a simple yet exciting life and enjoy doing much of the same things we did during our early days. We enjoy hosting dinners with friends or trying new restaurants throughout the city and try to go to as many concerts as possible. We both played sports in college, so there’s always a basketball game to watch or a volleyball meetup in the park. Living in New York City has been the greatest experience together, but we also jump at the chance to travel any time we can.
Why did you decide to get married where you did?
We knew we wanted to get married in Santa Barbara. Shawn went to college at UCSB, Alex had loved SB ever since she was a kid, and together we spent a month there in 2021 during the pandemic. There are a ton of beautiful venues in the area, but the moment we stepped foot in the Montecito Club, we knew it was where we wanted to get married. The venue is stunning and unique, the views are unreal, and the excited+overwhelming feeling we got when we first visited the venue told us everything we needed to know.
How many guests did you have?
170 guests.
What was your budget?
We didn’t set a strict budget for our wedding but rather were thoughtful with choosing our vendors and design, meant to complement rather than overshadow the venue. What mattered most to us was staying true to our personalities and avoiding unnecessary (and expensive) details that didn’t resonate with who we are or felt like mere traditions. For example, we didn’t have any signage (guests knew they were there for our wedding!) and prioritized hand-drawn table numbers by Shawn and whimsical florals for the reception tables rather than specialty linens or dinnerware.
Tell us about your outfits.
I (Shawn) knew I wanted to work with The Armoury in Tribeca, New York City for my outfit. Suits have never worked “off the rack” for me due to my height, despite my attempts to wear them anyway, so the past few years I had worked with Alex Winchell at The Armoury to have a few suits made to fit my measurements and have always enjoyed the process. The Armoury is extremely personal, they listen, educate, recommend and care - It was an easy decision to work with them again for the wedding suit. I went with a custom suit, slightly off white with subtle pinstripes, chocolate suede loafers, and a Drake’s knit tie.
I (Alex) didn’t have a clear vision for my bridal look but I knew I wanted something traditional yet unique, with a romantic flair. I loved the idea of accessorizing throughout the night and, most importantly, wanted to find an outfit that allowed me to dance in. Mark Ingram Boutique in New York City was a fantastic experience and it’s there where I tried on the Elizabeth Fillmore eil which set the tone for the rest of the outfit. The elegant, sleek dress, also by Elizabeth Filmore, featured simple lace that beautifully complemented the lace of the veil – it evoked Italian romanticism in every sense of the phrase. The strapless dress provided the perfect opportunity to don a custom-designed neck scarf created by a friend for the reception. Which brings us to the Berta outfit. I have admired Berta for many years, and I wanted Berta to be the first celebratory stop on my wedding dress journey (I didn’t expect to actually purchase a dress from there). The moment I slipped into the Berta mini paired with dazzling hand-sewn sequin stockings, I was sold. I still can’t get over those stockings!
What was the most important aspect for you, in terms of planning your wedding?
During the planning process, our priority was to ensure a comfortable and low-stress experience on our wedding day, a day full of our love with the people we love! We didn’t have bridal parties, but we each enjoyed relaxing mornings getting ready with a few friends who helped us feel at ease. We tried to avoid clichés and focused on what truly felt essential to us, embracing a “less is more” philosophy. This approach not only kept our stress levels in check throughout the planning phase but also allowed us to spend quality time with our guests. We chose to do a first look and take photos before the ceremony, ensuring we could fully enjoy our reception with everyone who traveled near and far to celebrate with us.
Above all, we wanted our celebration to authentically reflect who we are—our tastes in food, the music we love, and the people who mean the most to us—all in a setting that holds a special place in our hearts.
Were there any elements that were important for you to incorporate?
Since we took the less is more approach, it allowed for our wedding venue to really shine. We utilized different spaces within the venue, creating distinct stages for each part of the day. Each shift in location would add an element of style reflecting our personalities, ensuring that our guests remained engaged and that the energy of the day flowed effortlessly – the ceremony took place on a lawn overlooking the ocean, sunset cocktail hour took place nearby the ceremony site, dinner was in a stunning grand room with high ceilings and wood beams, and dancing took place in the ballroom with Moroccan inspired accents and crystal chandeliers. To keep the vibes rolling, we arranged for In-N-Out burgers to be served on the trolleys as we made our way to the after-party at STUDIO Soundroom, where our friend DJ’d the night away.
We had the idea of “Retro Italian Riviera” as a general guiding theme in the planning process, paying homage to Alex’s Italian roots. We sent vintage postcards as save the dates to our guests and our invitations (created by One Mimosa Please) depicted a Slim Aarons-esque custom illustration which set the tone of what guests could expect on wedding day. Inspired by this timeless, retro atmosphere we designed our cocktail hour fit with scalloped umbrellas, pops of yellow, and vintage glassware to transport guests to a glamorous era of leisure and sophistication. To embrace the retro vibe, we parked Alex’s red convertible Bug at the entrance complete with a custom “That’s Amoore” license plate and cans of tomato sauce strung with lace—our last name being Moore made this theme a natural fit. One of the highlights of the evening was cutting our unconventional “cheese cake”: an entire parmesan wheel that we sliced open on the dance floor. These moments were so fun to share with our friends and family!
Any tips for couples getting married?
Listen to your heart! This is your moment to be selfish and is your one, and hopefully only, opportunity to design a celebration that is truly about YOU. Resist the pressure to conform to expectations or do what others may suggest you “should” do. Instead, be authentic and true to yourself—this is the most beautiful way to embark on your marriage with unwavering honesty and sincerity.
Are there any vendors that you would like to tell us a little more about?
Our planner, Megan Macias of Festive Event Planning, just got us. She made us feel confident in our choices throughout the planning process and we had no doubt that things would run smoothly the day of. She has such a calm and cool energy about her that made both of us feel extremely at ease throughout the wedding weekend, allowing us to truly be present and focus on each other and our guests. She's a true Superwoman, expertly juggling the planning for our weekend, a full-time job, kids, and dogs—all while training for a marathon!
Our photographer Corinna Keiser was a blessing to work with and we are so lucky to have found her through Anti-Bride! From the start, she was accommodating to our needs, thorough, and a wealth of knowledge. She was eager to have Zoom meetings leading up to the big day, discussing our vision, seeking her recommendations, and finalizing the timeline. Her professionalism and warm and approachable demeanor, made us feel like we were in the best of hands. Two months before the wedding, she sent us a little gift (a card game for couples to connect) to help keep us focused on what this is really about while we were getting closer to our big day. She also brought in a second-shooter, Lindsay Smith, who is just as talented and made us feel seen and valued. Having both of these ladies give us gentle guidance and fun encouragement, it resulted in organic photographs that truly captured the essence of the celebration. Our guests loved them too which made for even better candid pics!
Music was provided by Dart Collective, and Jason was so dialed in to timing, flow of the entire day, and of course the music. He mixed records live, and there wasn’t a single lull on the dancefloor the entire evening.
Our florals! Sharon Lopez of Knot Just Flowers is a true artist. She has a keen eye for detail, blending colors and textures to create deeply expressive florals that perfectly fit with our “Retro-Italian Riviera” theme. Each design, whether that be the altar centerpiece, the boutonnieres, or the table arrangements, were one-of-a-kind masterpieces that left a lasting impression. She graciously offered her creative guidance when we were designing other aspects of the wedding as well, a testament to her creativity and passion for the craft.
In-N-Out Burger came in clutch. Megan worked out having In-N-Out burgers & fries on the trolly buses waiting for our guests to take us all to the after party.
We originally found One Mimosa Please through Instagram, and we were a bit hesitant to work with a company based in Australia due to such drastic time differences, but we quickly forgot ever being hesitant in the first place. They were a dream to work with on invitations, bar menus, and table menus. Alexandra Collins is a super talented artist and business owner, and we feel lucky to have such unique work on display for the celebration. We received a ton of compliments, so all credit to the entire team at One Mimosa Please!
Photographer: Corinna Keiser @corinnakeiser | Planning: Festive Event Planning @festiveeventplanning
| Second Shooter: Lindsey Smith Lindsey Smith @lindseynicolesmith | Flora: Knot Just Flowers
@knotjustflowers | Videographer: Paper Bird Weddings @paperbirdweddings | Ceremony Location:Montecito Club @montecitoclub | Reception Location: Montecito Club @montecitoclub | Celebrant: Friend | Hire: Found Rental Archive Rental @foundrentalc @archiverentals | Makeup Artist: 805 Makeup @805makeup | Hair Stylist: Andrea Villa @andreavilla_hair | Catering & Beverages: Montecito Club Montecito Club @montecitoclub | Cake: Parmesan Cheese Wheel | Stationery: One Mimosa Please @onemimosaplease_ | Entertainment: Dart DJ’s @dart_djs | Dress: Elizabeth Fillmore @efbridal | Suit: The Armoury, New York @thearmourynyc | Veil: Elizabeth Fillmore @efbridal | Bride’s Neck Strap: Margaret Kwon @margaretkwon | Tights: BERTA @berta | Engagement Ring: Sofia Kaman @sofiakaman | Wedding Rings: Lumeniri @lumeniri | Shoes: Badgley Mischka @badgleymischka | Bride's Jewellery: Heirloom from her grandmother | Wedding Party Attire: Elizabeth Fillmore @efbrida