BIG SUR WEDDING
This enchanting bride celebrated her wedding in Big Sur, California amongst big trees and idyllic ocean views. She knew her wedding dress had to be bold to make a statement against the natural backdrop, Galia Lahav had just the one for her.
LOVE STORY
Geoff and I met at a New Years weekend with some old friends in the Santa Cruz mountains. We were the 9th and 10th wheels, and I had already been there for a day. He came in with a box of produce, and I noticed him immediately because he had such high energy, happily making introductions, asking everybody’s spiciness tolerance level, and immediately started roasting tomatoes and peppers to make homemade salsa for everybody. I told myself, “there’s something about this guy…I’ll get a sign if there’s something to explore here.”
Later that night, after basically treating him like he was any other guy, I got a sign. The first thing he ever said to me directly that wasn’t an introduction was, “Have you ever had a ghost encounter?” As weird as that sounds, a ghost encounter I had when I was 6 ended up being one of the most defining moments of my life. From there, we talked all night.
On New Years Day 2019, he was leaving to go spearfishing so I thanked him for the memorable weekend and told him I was not going to call him as I was returning to L.A. He responded with, “Well, if it’s alright, I’m going to call you and if it goes well, I’m going to visit you in L.A.” 10 days later, he was visiting me in L.A., and we’ve been together ever since.
HOW DID YOU KNOW THE GALIA LAHAV DRESS WAS THE ONE?
I saw it on-line, and I just knew. There was only one other one that was in the running, when I went to New York to do all my try-ons, it came down to those two, even after trying on about 30 others. Because I was getting married in Big Sur amongst big ocean and big trees, I needed a big dress, so Galia Lahav’s ‘Bellina’ won out.
ABOUT GALIA LAHAV’S ‘BELLINA’ GOWN
This ballerina ballgown is crafted from layers of pleated silk tulle in soft ivory and blush for weightless flow, ‘Bellina’ features an embroidered chest embellishment and delicate wrap-around off-the-shoulder poet sleeves. The corseted bust sculpts the feminine silhouette, accentuating the décolleté with an off-the-shoulder neckline. The full ballerina skirt flows from the waist in layers gracefully. This gown is from Galia Lahav’s Heritage collection.
WORKING WITH THE GALIA LAHAV TEAM
I so enjoyed working with Galia, especially knowing that I was probably going to choose their dress. They made everything pretty easy. I also have some really fun pictures of the staff reactions to some of my try-ons. Fabulous studio, great vibes, stunning gowns.
HOW MANY DRESSES DID YOU TRY BEFORE YOU FOUND “BELLINA”
I think I tried on something like 15 gowns before I tried on the ‘Bellina’ at Galia Lahav’s flagship in New York and probably about the same amount, if not more, afterwards. We went to high-end places like Elie Saab as well as more trendy, youthful places like Bella Brides and Bridal Reflections. I wanted to give every style a shot, and because it was a trip for Mom and I, I didn’t want to leave any stone unturned.
THE FEELING OF WEARING YOUR GALIA LAHAV DRESS & EVERYONE’S REACTION
It felt natural! I knew it was perfect years in advance and that’s exactly what it felt like — elegant, ethereal, the right amount of sexy and impactful. People were definitely surprised and enamoured, especially by the fact that I got all the pieces to be made convertibly so I could remove the sleeves and demi-sleeves. They kept saying they’d never seen a dress like that, which was definitely the point!
FAVOURITE PART OF PLANNING YOUR WEDDING
My favorite part of the wedding to plan was all of the art design! I so enjoyed working with our stationer and unintentionally coming up with what would be our whole theme — it came out very “fairytale in the woods” without being too on the nose. I loved how much her work informed the vibe of the event.
DETAILS THAT MADE YOUR WEDDING SO SPECIAL
I loved the work of our stationer, Li Ward, so we included her art/designs EVERYWHERE. She designed our invitation suite, bar menu, table numbers, seating chart and thank you notes, so there was a cohesive aesthetic from the time our guests got their invitations, attended the wedding and received their thank you notes.
MOST MEMORABLE MOMENT
I will never forget the look on my husband’s face when he saw me walking towards the aisle — I didn’t enter from the same place as everyone else, so I got to see him be surprised when I entered from up the hill. It was really gratifying to surprise him like that, and to get to see him see me.
BRIDE’S ADVICE
Go with your gut. Things are happening for you, not to you. Set your boundaries early and stick to them. Use Google Docs/Forms for your planning/bridesmaid coordination. There are inexpensive/practical ways to make an impact, not everything has to be “designed” to the hilt, ie nature, lighting features, etc.
WOULD YOU HAVE DONE SOMETHING DIFFERENT?
I wouldn’t have done anything differently, except maybe been more organized when it came to my bridesmaids. I didn’t want to be too overbearing or demanding, but I think it worked against our common goals a little bit. Structure is a tool of release, and I would have been a bit more structured when it came to their roles, expectations and attire. Otherwise everything turned out perfectly, even when things went haywire. The landslides on Highway 1 forced us to pivot our ceremony/reception to a hotel in Big Sur 2 months beforehand rather than the cliffside in Lucia, and logistically it worked out better for everyone. I trusted the process and chose to be fluid, which really paid off. I am extremely happy with how everything worked out.
BRIDE’S NOTES
When we first started planning, we set the intention for everything to be enjoyable for our guests. All was going perfectly, except I had minor anxiety about the long bus rides from the hotels to the somewhat remote venue. As somebody who gets car sick, I worried about our guests shuttling there and back along a winding highway. Just 2 months before the ceremony, the landslide construction that was supposed to be completed on Highway 1 failed, forcing us to pivot our ceremony/reception to a hotel in Big Sur, rather than the cliffside in Lucia we had been planning for. But, it logistically it worked out better for everyone! No long bus rides, everyone was able to party longer and more safely, and we didn’t have to send our vendors too far down the remote highway! Our intention was honoured. Sometimes the Universe has better plans for you.
SEE MORE INSPIRING IMAGES IN THIS GALLERY, click or tap left or right on the arrows.
VENDORS
Wedding dress GALIA LAHAV
Photographer JORDAN VOTH
Florals & Décor KATE HEALY, BIG SUR FLOWERS
Venue BIG SUR RIVER INN
Stationery LI WARD
Jewelry SOFIA ZAKINA
Hair & Makeup RHONDA JOHNSON
