Gorgeous Nature Inspired Big Sur Wedding: Robin + Shah

big sur cliffside

If you’ve never been to Big Sur (California), we highly recommend moving it up near the top of your list of places to see. With nothing but beauty for as far as the eye can see, it’s truly a breathtaking + otherworldly experience. So we obvs didn’t question for a second why Robin + Shah would choose it to be the backdrop for their big day. With the styling help of the ladies at Hello Gem + the incredible floral design eye of Honey & Poppies, it’s safe to say this celebration is one for the books. Without distracting from one bit of Big Sur’s natural beauty, the team was able to create a setting that was detailed, beautiful, and perfectly Robin + Shah…

From the bride, The first trip we ever took together was to visit Big Sur and, ever since then, it has always held a special place in our hearts. We took many vacations there over the last few years and made some amazing memories. So when we got engaged, we knew that there was no other place that we would consider getting married. It is such a naturally beautiful place and we wanted that beauty to shine through by keeping things simple. Everything about the wedding stayed true to our style and our love for nature. Throughout the whole process we made sure to not give into any pressure from anyone else about what the day should look like. It was exactly what we wanted our wedding to be.

Thanks so much to Benj Haisch for the gorgeous images + big congrats to R + S on a beautiful day!

big sur landscape

cabin in the woods

punchy floral invitation

Robin’s Jenny Packham dress is total perfection.

wedding dress in the woods

first look in the woods

first look in the woods

redwoods

redwoods

bride in the woods

dark and berry colored bouquet

Wild, in the best of ways, this woodland-esque bouquet is filled with gorge dahlias + garden roses and lots of interesting, textural greens.

woodland bride

greenery boutonniere

woodland bride and groom

striped tie

jenny packham wedding dress

bride and groom on the beach

whimsical woodland arbor

big sur ceremony

Our Musical Choices

Processional: Perpetuum Mobile – Penguin Cafe Orchestra

Recessional: Miss You – The Rolling Stones

First Dance: To Build a Home – The Cinematic Orchestra

big sur ceremony

big sur ceremony

big sur ceremony

big sur ceremony

big sur ceremony

big sur ceremony

big sur ceremony

jenny packham wedding dress

big sur bride and groom

Serious swooning happening right now – over the scenery AND those rings!

engagement ring

big sur cliffside

berry tablescape reception

calligraphy seating charty

bud vases

woodland plate setting

table numbers

geode name plate settings

geode name plate settings

blanket seating

We brought up our own furniture, rugs, pillows, chairs, and tables for the vignettes and small details. This brought a sense of comfort by seeing so many pieces from our home on our wedding day. And the crystal candle holders and geode name plates fit right in with the warmth of the redwoods and greenery.

woodland lounge

staghorn

big sur reception

woodland lounge

cheers

woodland cake table

first dance

dancing

Shah, who is an engineer and a National Geographic Explorer (currently on location in Africa), compiled hours of scientific video footage to project on the screen. How amazing is that?!

movie projector

big sur starry night

Our Advice To Those Planning Now

It is difficult to give advice because, honestly the entire planning process really stressed me out. I would love for other brides to know that if they feel this way too, they are not alone! But it felt like, in the end, all that stress and drama was worth it to have the day we ended up having. I would say that you should stay true to what you want and stick to that decision! It was so important that our wedding stayed small and we sure had to fight to keep it that way. I would also suggest that you hire people that can give you the look and design that you are looking for. Knowing that my florist was on the same page and having planners that could execute the design allowed me to let go of my worries on the day of the wedding and trust in them. When Shah and I first saw the venue after everything was set up, we were blown away at the perfection of the job the planners and florist had done.

photography: Benj Haisch // venue name: Henry Miller Library, Big Sur, California // event design: Hello Gem // planning: Hello Gem // florals: Honey & Poppies // bride's shoes: J.Crew // bridesmaid dresses: Shareen Vintage // hair stylist: Lori Huitron // makeup artist: Rhonda Johnson // paper goods: Hello Gem // catering: Paradise Catering // music: Morgan Kalakosky Mkmobilesound // bride's dress: Jenny Packham // groom: J.Crew // best man suit: J.Crew

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