Wedding Date on Jun 23, 2018

Oh my gosh. Where do I even begin. First and foremost, this day was absolutely breathtaking -- and if you took all the design aspects away -- it would still be just as breathtaking. That's because aside from all the stunning florals, pretty dresses, and unbelievable view on top of that rolling hill overlooking the ocean and Big Sur, it was about a marriage. The uniting of two completely unique individuals in God's unconditional love. Man, my absolute favorite part, and I will tell any bride to focus on this, was seeing Matt's face at the end of the aisle. The man I had fallen in love with at first sight during our freshman year in college. The man that selflessly loved me through all the ups and downs of growing eight years together before he got down on his knee and said his life wouldn't be complete if I didn't spend mine with him. After capturing weddings for 4 years now in the industry, Matt & I finally got to feel all the wonderful moments that we've watched my brides feel through our camera lenses, and it couldn't have been more real to feel. The anticipation of our wedding celebration for us was incredible: we kept thinking, in 3 days, it's going to be US! His tears, the way he held me during our first dance, and his gaze said it all. I can't thank God enough for making this man my forever best friend. We could not believe how many people cried and shed tears during the ceremony & reception. It was by far the best day of my life, and I could do it over and over again. Being in the industry for four amazing years had a beautiful influence on the design of our wedding day! I couldn't have done it without my incredible planner & designer Dani from Couture Events! I knew I wanted to commit my life to Matt on top of a mountain or hill, and when I found Lekai Ranch's beautiful white house, italian-style pool & terrace, and un-fenced reception space overlooking the rolling hills in Paso Robles towards the back side of Big Sur, I knew it was the perfect place to have a beautiful, raw, floral-filled wedding. Matt & I met at Cal Poly San Luis Obispo, so getting married on the central coast meant so much to us and our families. My colour palette came from the inspiration of timeless neutrals & my favorite colour, blue, which ties closely to the ocean. I grew up swimming & surfing down in Southern California, and Matt grew up mountain biking. Needless to say, we both love the outdoors and exploring new hikes, surf spots, and any fun activity outdoors! Neutrals swept the property -- with white & creme flower petals organically lining the aisle, white & creme bouquets with stunning roses, and the cleanest white getting ready rooms & house backdrop! I designed my dress from scratch, and surprised my mother & new mother in law by creating it out of both of their wedding dresses. My cap sleeves were in fact the beaded wristlets from Matt's mother's dress, and the lace florals were from my mom's. It had a plundging V in both the back and front, with a tight skirt & slit to show off a little leg, with a flowy layer over the skirt to add the ethereal illusion. It was so special to show both moms the finished product when we were all getting ready! My shoes were from Bella Belle Shoes, one of my favorite wedding heel designers! Matt had a dusty blue suit, complimented by a floral patterned shirt & grey tie. He's always been a little artistic, playing guitar & piano, & dappling in art, so he wanted something a little different with the wedding shirt. One of my favorite moments of the day was watching through the upstairs window Matt & his groomsmen take photos down below on the yard. I couldn't believe I was going to get to marry him in less than 2 hours! My girls and I danced and twirled our dresses to music before heading down to line up for the ceremony, and it might have also been one of the most memorable moments! Your best friends really do help calm your nerves on the biggest & most spectacular day of your life! Walking down the aisle to my best friend was a dream. It felt like our story had come full circle, to the most peaceful place. The largest & most exciting commitment in 2 people's lives. And when Matt became my husband, my protector, my supporter, my partner -- I couldn't believe the joy that exuded from my soul! The central coast has a magical feel about it, with gorgeous miles of golden grass, stunning oak trees, and blue skies, it set the tone for our natural & simply elegant wedding. Seeing as our life together started in San Luis Obispo, our seating chart distinguished each table by a different town, hiking trail, or beach in the central coast. Our head table, of course, was where it all started: "San Luis Obispo." Our reception was inspired by Italian family style dinners, with long wooden tables, silk runners, and natural floral arrangements filled with light colored garden roses. We tied the blue into the dusty sky blue napkins, folded organically on each plate. We surprised our guests with handwritten "love you" cards that we placed on each plate, as well as with a surprise photo underneath their plate. Some photos dated back to when Matt or I were toddlers, sitting on the lap of our guest. So many tears! We had a sign at our bar that read, "Drinking Life to the Lees." It is a quote from Ulysses, meaning, "living life to the fullest." We couldn't have wished for a better life-phrase that tied to our new last name (Lee). We also had a specialty "boba drink" dessert cart that Matt's father created (I am in love with boba), with the prettiest glasses along with yummy finger treats. For our first dance, we had the slow song "Speechless" by Dan & Shay fade into the fun, upbeat classic "Somebody Like You" by Keith Urban. I'll never forget spinning, twirling, and embracing to these two songs with the love of my life on top of Lekai's mountain hill with the most surreal backdrop. The dance party flew by as the sun set into the most beautiful orange and purple sky. Of course, like any event, it was not perfect, but what we were celebrating -- Matt & I getting married -- that is what made it special beyond words. We were on top of the world, living real life, celebrating one of the most beautiful gifts life can give you with all of our favorite people. I did not want it to stop, and I recall looking back on the reception space as Matt & I walked away from the celebration holding hands, and I thought to myself with the largest smile & fullest heart I have ever had, "this was truly, hands down, the absolute best day of my life thus far." I wouldn't have it any other way.