This is without a doubt, the hardest post(s) I’ve ever had to write! How does a gal sum up her wedding? How does a wedding blogger sum up her wedding? We were so beyond overwhelmed with such an incredibly beautiful day, without a doubt possibly only because of the talented and generous community of wedding friends that contributed to making it happen. Are you ready for our story all shot so beautifully by Jen Huang?
To start, after the whirlwind of engagement and our engagement party died down, the first item on the to do list was find a location. Our good friends over at Roomforty introduced us to Sunstone Vineyards & Winery and we immediately fell in love. Bryan and I went up to Santa Ynez for the weekend to visit and were completely overwhelmed with the beauty of Sunstone and the charm of the surrounding area. We immediately said yes! The area was a perfect spot to invite guests up for a “destination” style wedding, that was only a few hours drive from most of our family and friends.
Because I had a close circle of talented friends, it was easier for me than most brides to decide on our vendors. My dear friend Megan of MaeMae & Co. and I had already been hatching plans and dreams for the big day. Her designs were a significant part of the overall look of the day. My other dearest friends, Cortnie Purdy Fausner of The Venue Report and Lauryl Lane were on board for design and florals, respectively. Along with LVL Weddings & Events as my coordinators, we began what felt like a very daunting process to plan Bryan’s and my wedding. But oh the fun we had!
The vision began with our stationery, which included a custom crest that Megan created for us. I’m absolutely obsessed with crests and being the English Literature buff that I am, I even did some research on our family mottos! Bryan’s last name, Ball, which is of Old English origination, had the family motto “Coelum Qui Tueri” which means, “Heaven to those who dare.” The words struck a chord for me! We chose the lion to represent Bryan, and the swan for myself, and used these themes throughout the entire day! Because we felt like the venue had a french feel to it (particularly because much of the stone that makes up Sunstone is from France!!) we decided to add small french details and wording throughout the day. All of our gorgeous day of paper was letterpressed by Gus & Ruby Letterpress. The paper was so beyond gorgeous and overwhelmingly lovely! Our invites arrived in 8″x10″ green envelopes with dramatic gold calligraphy by Victoria Hoke Lane.
That’s an original Mrs. Box! It was the first one we had created!
When it comes to flowers, I’m an absolute snob. I was so beyond lucky to entrust my dear friend, Lauryl Lane with the task of adorning the day with fresh blooms. We ended up with a July wedding date, and I had known going into it that my favorite flower, peonies, would never be available! July is the worst possible month for these beauties. On the day of the wedding, Lauryl brought my bouquet to me and I literally burst into tears! Not only was it beyond what I could possibly have imagined, but she somehow managed to find peonies! Apparently she called growers all over the world (literally–that’s no joke) and found a few bunches that were flown out for the occasion!
My dear friend Amy Clarke did my makeup for the big day Amy Clarke and I couldn’t have felt more beautiful! My bridesmaids were gifted with the striped bow bags that I commissioned from a designer on Etsy. I filled the bags with robes from Plum Pretty Sugar and homemade bath products (one of my few DIY projects!).
My dress and veil were designed by Kirstie Kelly and I had two pairs of shoes because at the last minute, I couldn’t resist nabbing the green striped ones!
Me with my beautiful sisters.
I had a large but gorgeous bridal party! Ten beautiful women to be exact: two from high school, one from college days, two from “work”, two new sisters-in-law, and three sisters! My three sisters and my dear friend Megan stood in as my matrons of honor!
My bridesmaids each chose their own dress! They were given the direction to find something blush, grey, metallic, or neutral. I had a chance to shop (either online, via text message, facetime, or in person) with each of them and it make the dress process super fun!
