Vibrant. Zesty. Youthful. Free-spirited. Natural. Kooky. Those are just a few ways we’d describe today’s “haute hippie” wedding, designed by Gillian Shenon Events, in Northern California. Filled with good food, good vibes, and tons of good friends, Rachel + Bennett said their vows in the most stylish of ways.
Rachel shares: We met at the Legendary Boonville Beer Festival in 2014 and return every year, so we loved the idea of sharing this special place with our friends and family. Our inspiration was “an elegant hippie festival,” a beautiful, indulgent affair that was the opposite of stuffy and mostly outdoors. We are lucky to have an incredibly talented community and it was important to us to incorporate them as much as possible. Everyone contributed to the magic of the weekend—with hand-painted invitations and signage, rocking party bus transportation, grilled pizzas, live music and late night DJs, and so many more touching details.
Let’s proceed to the party, photographed by From SF with Love, shall we?
The Wedding Party
No day is complete without fun + funky pics with your bridesmaids? These robes were found at Coruning.
The ladies rockin’ the coolest of colors!
The Ceremony Space
Isn’t that floral mandala by Found & Created simply GORGEOUS?! R+B asked each of their guests to place a flower in it during the ceremony — which we think is the sweetest idea.
Our Musical Choices
How brilliant are all those colors together?!
Our Favorite Memory
In the midst of a crazy party weekend, the ceremony stood out as a moment of beautiful calm. Exchanging personal vows felt like we were just talking to each other, but cradled in the love and presence of our community around us. When everyone came up and added flowers to the mandala in front of us, we had the chance to connect with and appreciate each of our guests individually.
Rachel’s STUNNER of a dress is from Lihi Hod… How amazing are those lace inserts?!
Our Advice
Keep your vision flexible and be open to changes. We went into the process dead set on a wedding in the redwoods, but when we toured the Toll House, the golden rolling hills ended up fitting our vibe so much better. It's always possible to compromise on details without losing the most important parts of your vision (for us it was the camping, live music, and never-ending beer). Don't forget it's the people around you who make the event, not the flatware or escort cards.
The Reception
The bohemian-inspired dinner took place under the canvas tent.. Tables were lined with florals + shibori-dyed napkins.
Pampas grass hoops = LOVE
The absolute sweetest. Congratulations R+B!
Featured in This Wedding
La Tavola
Frances Lane
Interested in becoming a GWS Preferred Artist? Apply Here.
Other Vendors in This Wedding
Photography: From SF With Love // Venue: Toll House, Bell Valley // Event Design: Gillian Shenon Events // Wedding Planner: Gillian Shenon Events // Florals: Found & Created // Wedding Dress: Lihi Hod 'Luella' // Bride's Shoes: Vintage // Getting Ready Robes: Coruning // Hair Stylist: Ramee Hurwitz from Winc Artistry // Makeup Artist: Ramee Hurwitz from Winc Artistry // Groom Attire: Hugo Boss // Groom Attire: Ovadia & Sons // Paper Goods: Hopie Stockman // Calligraphy: signage by Meredith Winner // Catering: Anaviv // Cake: Boonville General Store // Tabletop Rentals: Big 4 // Music: Jordan and the Ritual // map: Annie McKenna
