“The golden sunsets, relaxed pace, warm light, mountain views, and that timeless, artsy small-town feel.” These are the things that drew Leah + Ani to Ojai, California for their colorful, joy-filled wedding weekend. “We leaned into the charm of Southern California,” the couple says, “and everything that makes Ojai so special.”
But there was more to this wedding’s overall concept than the stunning SoCal setting. “Just as important,” Leah + Ani say, “we wanted our celebration to be about connection.”
So, like many couples these days, Leah + Ani expanded their “I do’s” beyond the typical single-day event. “We created a full weekend getaway where our favorite people could slow down, spend meaningful time together, and make memories with us,” the newlyweds say. “By hosting everything in one place and reserving all the rooms at a boutique hotel, we turned the space into our own private retreat. The weekend unfolded with our guests participating in a tennis tournament, a pool party, lawn games, trivia, yoga, and brunch — giving everyone time to bond, relax, and truly share the experience alongside us.”
Roey Mizrahi Events helped pull the whole weekend together, and we are delighted by every last bright + vibrant detail. Vintage cars, dark green tuxedos, whimsical ribbon wands, and handmade pottery? Wedding day perfection, all in the shade of a romantic palm grove.
“The Capri Hotel provided a delightful Mid Century backdrop for the weekend,” remembers wedding photography icon Mary Costa. “They curated an incredibly joyful and colorful weekend for their friends and family in the charming town of Ojai where they beautifully blended Leah’s Jewish background with Ani’s Nigerian heritage.”
“You immediately feel welcomed and a part of the family with you’re with Leah and Ani,” Mary adds about the couple and their expansive, multicultural celebration, “and their wedding radiated this same warmth.”
“Their vibrant design began with custom paper goods designed by artist Jessee Fish,” Mary says.
“For the wedding day, I wore a simple but elegant gown by KYHA, which I found at En Blanc,” bride Leah shares. “After trying on several dresses, this was the one I immediately knew was right as soon as I put it on.”
LOVING these Satin Block Heel Wedding Shoes with an All Pearl Ankle Strap from Kailee P.!
For All the Pearly Girlies Out There
Shop some of the pearl-adorned wedding shoes we’re loving 🤍
Also, we’ve got a brand new killer list of Bridal Shoes for Every Kind of “I Do” that’s not to be missed!
“The groom wore a custom dark green embroidered wedding suit from TruTailor,” says the couple, “adding a unique and personal twist.”
The First Look
The day’s hair + makeup were done by Fairytale. Love to see brides rocking their natural curls like Leah did with this chic bridal updo
“We both swiped right on the dating app, Tinder, in 2018 while living in Boston,” say the bride + groom of their East Coast meet-cute. “Fun fact is that it was both of our first Tinder dates, after several unsuccessful other dates using other apps.”
“Florist Shindig Chic set the mood with her gifted eye for color,” says photographer Mary of the day’s vibrant floral design.
Groom accessories for a sunny SoCal wedding day?? We created The Best Sunglasses For Men – A Style Guide for just such an occasion!
“They drove around Ojai in a classic 1966 olive green Mustang before getting married,” Mary remembers of how the couple spent their pre-ceremony moments together.
The Ceremony
Hot take: ribbon wands like these are the underrated wedding ceremony exit idea.
Our Favorite Memory
During our ceremony, we incorporated the traditional seven Jewish blessings, but added our own personal twist by inviting different guests to stand and recite each one during the ceremony. It transformed the ceremony into something communal and engaging. Instead of just sharing the moment between the two of us, we were able to look out and feel surrounded by the love and presence of everyone who has shaped our lives. There’s something indescribable about seeing all of your favorite people in one place, actively taking part in such a meaningful moment.
Our Musical Choices
Processional"Married Life (Instrumental)" (from "Up") by Chilled Pig || "A Million Dreams" (Piano Instrumental) by Benny MartinRecessional"Birds of a Feather" by Billie EilishFirst Dance"The Way I Am" by Ingrid Michaelson & "For My Hand" by Burna Boy ft Ed Sheeran
The Reception
“Bride Leah made a unique pottery vase for each and every guest,” Mary recalls of this seating chart table’s handmade elements.
Ceramics made by the bride herself? Talk about creative wedding favors that are quite literally one-of-a-kind!
How delicious does this Southeast Asian menu from Sama Sama sound?!
How cool is it that Leah + Ani featured all of their many wedding colors and created an evolving, gradient effect on the reception banquet tables by moving from one color-concentrated tablescape design to the next!
This place setting was looking oh-so-lovely in lavender, and if you’re loving it as much as we are, you should check out this Lavender Haze wedding, this peach + lavender wedding, or this eclectic + romantic LA wedding 💜
Ventura Rental outfitted the palm grove with all of its airy, modern furniture.
Our Advice
1. If a quality planner is within your budget, we can’t recommend it enough. Having someone who understood the venue, vendors, and even family dynamics made everything run seamlessly. It allowed us to be fully present and soak in the day without worrying about logistics. Shoutout to our incredible planner, Roey Mizrahi.
2. We also recommend investing in ways to capture the moments. The day itself goes by so quickly, and so much of it can feel like a blur. We’re incredibly grateful we prioritized a high-quality photographer (we’ve since turned our favorite photos into a beautiful book), a videographer — we chose a Super 8 style to match the look and feel of our wedding — and a voice-message guest book so we can listen back to notes from our loved ones. Those pieces have become so meaningful in helping us relive the weekend.
3. Finally, make it your own. The details that felt the most special were the ones that reflected us as a couple — from the bride’s handmade bud vases as favors (check out the photos!), to having guests recite blessings during the ceremony, to writing our own ketubah and displaying it during the celebration. Those personal touches are what made the day feel truly ours.
“One of our close friends surprised us with a flash mob to kick off the dancing,” the couple remembers of the reception. “A group of our friends took over the dance floor with a fully choreographed routine (unbeknownst to us), and it was absolutely amazing. The bride, especially, loves a good musical moment, so it felt incredibly personal, joyful, and so much fun — the perfect way to start the celebration.”
Some valuable words of wisdom from the happy couple: “Life is too short not to throw a great party!”
BTW, yes we are obsessed with Leah’s short + fluttery reception dress. Check out new roundup of 38 Dresses For Your Second Look that recently made a splash on Instagram!
For a cute little wedding dessert moment, Leah + Ani went with cones from Ojai Ice Cream 🍦
A Look Back At The Welcome Party
“We put a lot of thought into our attire across the entire weekend,” Leah + Ani say, “really using it as an opportunity to honor family, culture, and personal history.”
“For the welcome party on Friday, we wanted to incorporate the groom’s Nigerian heritage.”
“Many family members wore traditional coral-orange beads — often seen at Nigerian weddings — symbolizing wealth, celebration, and cultural pride.”
“The bride also embraced this tradition by wearing a Nigerian headwrap and jewelry, and shared a special moment with her mother-in-law as she helped tie the headwrap.”
“Both the bride and groom finished their looks with fun shoes that represented their unique personalities.” (These Betsey Johnson sandals 😍)
“Ani’s family wore traditional Nigerian attire, with his parents bringing pieces from home.”
“The bride wore her mother’s wedding dress for the welcome party, which she had thoughtfully restyled — removing the shoulder pads and adding a low back to create a more modern, slip-style silhouette. Since her mother passed away when she was in high school, it was a symbolic way to feel her presence throughout the weekend.”
Color, culture, connection, and stunning Mary Costa photos 🥰 Leah + Ani, we loved everything about your joyful Ojai wedding weekend. Congratulations from all of us at GWS!
GWS Preferred Wedding Artists
Love our partner’s work featured in this post? See more of it by visiting their Artist Guide profile.
Shindig Chic
Mary Costa Photography
Featured in This Wedding
Ventura Rental
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Other Vendors in This Wedding
Venue: Capri Hotel // Wedding Planner: Roey Mizrahi Events // Wedding Dress: KYHA Studios // Dress Boutique: En Blanc Bride // Hair Stylist: Fairytale Hair & Makeup // Makeup Artist: Fairytale Hair & Makeup // Groom Attire: TruTailor // Paper Goods: Jessee Fish // Handmade Details: Bride Leah // Catering: Sama Sama // Desserts: Ojai Ice Cream // Specialty Rentals: After The Tone Phone Guest Book // Cocktails: Stay Wild Cocktail Cart by Sophia Miles
