Ashley & Matt’s wedding is just the kind of wedding that makes us married folks want to get married all over again. It is sweet and simple, and with a magical backdrop. Beach weddings gets us every time. This first photo gets us too, because at the end of the wedding planning, this is everything, this is what it is ALL about….
Here’s a recap of the wedding from the lovely bride:
How and when you and hubby met?
We met five years ago, we worked the same part time retail job and only ever saw each other in passing. One day we started talking and the rest is history!
Describe your wedding style, and the type of bride you were?
Our wedding was intimate, dreamy and romantic! I was definitely a laid back bride, we had a very short engagement and a very small wedding. I enjoyed letting things come together and fall naturally into place, not getting overly stressed about the unnecessary details.
How did you choose/decide on the dress?
I tried on a lot of different dresses, originally I pictured myself in a very modern, clean cut dress, I almost settled on one but it just didn’t feel special enough and didn’t fit the feeling I wanted my wedding to have. I came across Dreamers and Lovers while looking for more Boho style dresses and fell in love with the Catherine backless lace dress!! I loved how elegant it was, and created just the right amount of interest in the detail in the lace and the architecture of the gown. Not to mention it has pockets, which came in very handy to carry my husband’s ring and my vows, since I didn’t have any bridesmaids! 😉
Tell us about bridesmaid dresses?
We chose not to have a wedding party. We kept our ceremony and reception very small, only about 25 people. We liked the idea of the two of us (and the officiant of course), being the only ones at the altar and allowing our closest friends and family to sit back and enjoy the day!
What was the one thing you were not willing to compromise on for the day?
The dress! And also having my family there to share the day with us!
Did you skip tradition? If yes, which ones?
In some regards we skipped a lot of tradition and in other ways our wedding was very traditional. It was very important to us to have the Pastor of our church perform our ceremony, to have my dad walk me down the aisle, and to have Matt see me for the first time in my dress when I was walking down the aisle. I suppose our wedding was non traditional in the sense that for the majority of our guests it was a “destination wedding”.
We also chose to have a very small, very intimate restaurant reception. We didn’t have a DJ at the reception or any dancing. We loved celebrating by having a big family dinner. We wanted to take advantage of the time we had with family and friends that we don’t get to see as often anymore to talk, catch up and get to know each other, as most of our families hadn’t met prior to the big day!
What advise would you give to brides to be just starting the process?
Follow your instincts on what you feel is right for your day! A huge guest list, extravagant venues, and coordinating with five bridesmaids is a dream for some but definitely wasn’t right for me. I couldn’t be happier that I remained honest with myself about what I wanted for my wedding instead of trying to fit in a checklist of things you’re supposed to do on your wedding day.
What were you best sources of inspiration while planning your wedding?
Creative and talented friends, family, a lot of pinterest and Google searches!
Best memory of your wedding day?
That’s a tough one! The whole day was so much better than I could have ever imagined! I think the best memory of the day was meeting my husband at the end of the aisle, and exchanging our vows. We chose to write our own wedding vows, I remember being focused on just my vows and my husband, and really staying present in that moment.
Wedding Vendors
Photography: Hannah Barker (@hannah_barker on Instagram)
Flowers: Ashley Pike (@arenuart_pike on Instagram)
Ceremony Music: String Duo-Melodies by Madeline
Ceremony: Cuvier Park “The Wedding Bowl” in La Jolla
Reception: Savoie Eatery in Chula Vista
