“We wanted our wedding to be a kaleidoscopic reflection of our hobbies, interests, and backgrounds,” says couple Alex + Jack about the creative + intentional approach they took when planning their “surreal but elevated” California wedding. Eager to recreate the magic of music festivals and other unforgettable outdoor experiences, Alex + Jack hosted a visually stunning weekend-long celebration along the Mendocino Coast.
“Jack always loved the idea of getting married in a large outdoor setting where we could set up glamping tents to host a festival-style weekend event,” says bride Alex, “And we went from there!” Historic coastal ranch venue Cuffey’s Cove proved to be the perfect location, and Alex + Jack worked with Jenni Grubba Events to make the gorgeous seaside spot their own with a wedding aesthetic they dubbed “acid floral, western victorian, occult folk.”
To arrive at this unique look + feel, Alex + Jack drew inspiration from a rich + eclectic list of sources including: 70s rock concert posters, Mexican folk art, Victorian botanical prints and florals, Art nouveau, artists such as Bosch, Hilma af Klint, and Dalí, Milagro charms, pagan rituals, and May Queens.
We can’t get enough of Love Tribe Weddings’ photos and the way they showcased every unforgettable detail of Alex + Jack’s day.
Let’s take a look!
Kathryn Green was tasked with creating paper goods that would prepare guests for the vibe + scope of this immersive weekend, and these bright watercolor designs absolutely did the trick.
Alex + Jack’s luxury mini-festival experience was comprised of glamping tents from Wayward Glamping, a coffee cart courtesy of Subconscious Coffee, outdoor bathrooms from Fancy Flush, a sauna from Driftwood Saunas, and showers from Oasis Express.
“My wedding day look came together around a custom embroidered Nudie suit designed and expertly made by the incomparable team at Ft. Lonesome, a chainstitch embroidery studio based in Austin, Texas,” says groom Jack of his one-of-a-kind wedding suit. “They were able to incorporate many elements that had special meaning to me, including portraits of our two cats, Harvey and Dolores. The cut of the suit was inspired by the Bunad, a traditional folk costume from Norway, where my family has roots.”
How romantic is this Maufrais hat branded with Alex + Jack’s wedding date and innitials?
Alex rocked a fabulously floral set of wedding nails, and we are obsessed.
This breathtaking gold sunburst bridal crown was a total show stopper.
SO into this all-white bridal party palette!
The special ladies in Alex’s life brought so much fierce floral energy! Check out our collections of beautiful mother of the bride dresses and chic mother of the groom dresses to find a look your own MOB + MOG might love.
Not only did Ft. Lonesome create Jack’s untouchable embroidered groom look—they also made a matching vest for Jacks dad and added those gold celestial details to the groomsmen’s collars!
A Coastal Ceremony
We can’t get enough of the arched guest seating setup!
Dream up your own unique ceremony layout with our guide to creative wedding ceremony seating.
“We were married on a bluff at Cuffey’s Cove Ranch in Elk, overlooking the Northern California coast,” say Alex + Jack of their colorful, sculptural ocean view ceremony. “The landscape and climate there are very dramatic, whether draped in rain, fog, or sunshine, so we knew the natural landscape would be a stunning backdrop no matter what. Lucky for us, it was a clear and sunny day. The result of that vision was an incredible blue and magenta circular platform topped with a ring of bright-hued flowers.”
Plenty of parasols to keep guests shady in the California sun!
This Humble Abode created the day’s wild + vibrant florals. Loving all the vivid pinks and blues!
Our Musical Choices Processional: "All You Need Is Love" by The Beatles ( cover by Steven Bernstein’s Millennial Territory Orchestra) + "Motion Picture Soundtrack" cover by Vitamin String Quartet
Recessional: "Ceremony" by New Order
First Dance: "Your Sweet Love" by Lee Hazlewood
We get so excited to see a groom rocking a colorful, personalized wedding day look. Embroidered suits like Jack’s are on our list of wedding trends to watch!
“We loved the idea of a circular altar that floated over us like a halo and simultaneously framed the view behind us.”
Our Favorite Memory From The Wedding From the bride: The whole ceremony was the most memorable part of the day. I didn’t see the completed ceremony area until I was about to walk down the aisle. One of Jack’s uncles was our officiant, and during the ceremony, we also had each of our mothers give readings, which made it extra special and personal to us.
A deep plunge neckline added contemporary edge to the charm + romance of Alex’s breezy button front short sleeve wedding gown.
Explore our list of unique wedding dress for lost more interesting + inventive takes on the traditional bridal silhouette.
“I found my wedding dress in an amazing boutique in San Francisco called Unveiled Bridal,” remembers Alex. “They showed me a beautiful rose print silk organza J. Andreatta dress – it was super lightweight and beautiful. I loved the drama of the neckline paired with the full, cloud-like skirt.”
Beauty On Set was behind Alex’s elegant low bun and warm neutral makeup look.
A Colorful Tented Reception
Head over heels for this bright pink bar and its fab floral wallpaper! 🩷
Mendocino Outland was on duty pouring signature cocktails for Alex + Jack’s guests. And for anyone who wanted to indulge, bud-tender Bohemian Chemist was on hand!
Details like these delicate mismatched champagne coupes helped to create the eclectic + intentional energy of Alex + Jack’s day.
If you’ve got a glorious white wedding reception tent like this one, why not go for a dramatic pole wrap floral installation?!
Rentals from Matt Rowland Events, Found Rental Co., and The Vessel Rental Co. created the tent’s vibrant + inviting vibe.
“Jack and I love to cook and host dinners and barbecues. So good food and barbecue were must-haves,” says Alex of the wedding weekend’s menu. “We worked with Potliquor to cater the whole weekend in a way that felt like one long cookout. Nothing too fancy, just fresh, flavorful, and festive.”
These fab fringy + flowery hanging pendant lamps were only one example of the day’s elaborate + carefully designed lighting.
“We both love live music and one memorable festival we went to early on in our relationship was Lightning in a Bottle, a psychedelic experience not unlike Burning Man,” remembers the couple. “The way they lit the natural scenery was a huge jumping-off point for how we wanted to light our outdoor wedding,” and by Royal Sound and Lighting was behind bringing that vision to life.
Audio guest books like this one are such a fun + interactive way for guests to leave the happy couple some replay-able best wishes.
“We focused on bright primary colors,” says Alex. “When people asked me what my ‘colors’ were, I said ‘All of them!'”
Our Advice To Those Planning Now Alex: A few pieces of advice: Infuse the experience with things that define both partners, your shared passions and interests. Forget other people's expectations. Once I removed the idea of how I thought a wedding should be, it felt more meaningful and fun to plan.
Second, surround yourself with a hardworking team that knows your taste and how to execute. A big part of that for us was working with Jenni, who connected us with vendors who were really aligned with us creatively and very chill to work with.
Lastly, though it might sound trite, enjoy the planning process! It can be stressful and a lot of work, but it’s a beautiful event you get to collaborate on with your partner. You learn how to compromise and communicate while working together, and the result is a memorable and wonderful experience.Jack: My advice? More is more :)
A Sweet Affair created Alex + Jack’s vintage-inspired, three tier, flower- + fruit-adorned blue cake…
…along with four other matching single tier wedding cakes!
When the weather got chillier after sundown, Alex donned a killer black leather fringe bridal jacket!
Congratulations, Alex + Jack! Your gorgeous glamping wedding weekend was totally transcendent California coastal magic. GWS wishes you both all the very best!
photography: Love Tribe Weddings // venue name: Cuffey's Cove, Elk, California, USA // event design: Jenni Grubba Events // planning: Jenni Grubba Events // florals: This Humble Abode // wedding dress: J. Andreatta // wedding dress boutique: Unveiled Bridal // bride's shoes: L'Atelier de Charlotte // bride's ring: LaRue & Co // hair stylist: Beauty on Set // makeup artist: Beauty on Set // groom attire: Fort Lonesome // videography: Love Tribe Weddings // paper goods: Kathryn Green // catering: Just Fare / Potliquor // cake: A Sweet Affair // music: Dart Collective // photo booth: Photomatica // cocktails: Mendocino Outland Bartending // rentals: Matt Rowland // rentals: Found Rentals // rentals: The Vessel Rental Co // lighting + production: Royal Sound and Lighting // glamping tents: Wayward Glamping Tents // coffee cart : Subconscious Coffee // bud-tender: Bohemian Chemist // toilets: Fancy Flush // transportation: Bauer's // sauna: Driftwood Sauna // shower: Oasis Express // sunbeam crown: Fernando Rodriguez
