It’s not every day that a Sam + Sam get married! Yup, Samantha and Samuel said their vows in the coolest + quirkiest way at the Alamo Motel in Los Alamos, California, planned perfectly by Wild Heart Events. They took over the motel for the weekend and turned the day into a big BBQ and dance party with all of their friends — so fun!
As the two love to travel and wanted to incorporate tons of color and all things California into their day, they integrated brightly colored rugs, vintage glassware (collected while on road trips), and a seriously vibrant confetti exit. The Sams share: When we were picking music for the ceremony, we read a review of The Beach Boys that described their music as a “a delicate and joyful art pop unique to California” and we basically used that as a compass for planning our day! We were married in the parking lot of a refurbished motor-inn, and we thought so much about how we wanted it to feel. That meant creating an experience that kind of suspended everyday life, that was both fancy and fun, through combining Hollywood Regency-inspired details with the carefree feelings of California.
California, here we come! Let’s take a tour of the motel party in the photos by Jenn Emerling:
The First Look
Walking down the aisle (my husband picked this moment!). We did a first look, so to add a little magic, I surprised Sam with the processional song. We'd told the DJ to use the classic wedding march, but I changed it that morning to Nico's "These Days." It's a song that plays in his favorite movie (The Royal Tenenbaums) when two of the characters see each other for the first time in a long time. So much has happened between them and the world just stops.
Isn’t Sam’s strapless sweetheart neckline dress by Nicole Miller the quintessence of romance? She found it at The English Dept..
The Wedding Party
Aren’t these neutral-hued looks for the ladies positively STUNNING?!
Here are a few pieces to achieve a similar look:
Carousel
Carousel
Ella & Louie absolutely NAILED the floral design with the silver dollar eucalyptus and rounding out the palette with peachy pinks.
How fun is Sam’s colorful tie from Liberty of London? He found his sharp get-up at Paul Smith.
The Ceremony Space
So, we definitely want to check out The Alamo Motel — not only does it look like a fun + quirky place to get married… but we’re thinking a weekend vacay!
Processional: If She Wants Me by Belle & Sebastian; These Days by Nico
Recessional: Wouldn't It Be Nice by The Beach Boys
First Dance: Come Pick Me Up by Ryan Adams
LOVIN’ all those colorful rugs, especially how the colors are picked up in the florals surrounding them!
YES, YES, YES, to this confetti exit!
The Quirky Reception
One piece of advice that everyone gave me was, "Things WILL go wrong, so don't worry about the small things." That's probably good advice, but that's just not who I am! Love is in the details, we both really believe that. And, throughout the planning process we thought of small things — like the champagne toast in vintage coups when guests arrived — as a way to communicate and return the love everyone was showing us. So, my advice would be: if something is important to you both, make it happen!
It was only fitting to have hotel key tags serve as the escort cards, since they were staying at a motel. Right? So clever. :)
This is proof that you can turn ANYWHERE into a magical celebration. The way the dressed up the parking lot with these tablescapes definitely changes the atmosphere.
Congratulations, Sam + Sam!
photography: Jenn Emerling // venue name: The Alamo, Los Alamos, Califronia, USA // planning: Wild Heart Events // florals: Ella & Louie // wedding dress: Nicole Miller // wedding dress boutique: The English Dept. // hairpiece: Twigs & Honey // bride's shoes: J. Crew // hair stylist: Dreamcatcher // makeup artist: Dreamcatcher // groom attire: Paul Smith // paper goods: Helen Tseng // catering: Ayda Robana // desserts: Si Paletas // tabletop rentals: tables from Elite Rentals // furniture rentals: vintage rentals from Otis & Pearl // music: Darla Bea // ties: Liberty of London // catering: Big Tom's BBQ // transportation: Jump on the School Bus
What a beautiful wedding !
Gorgeous couple !
♥♥