A wedding that’s full of surprises is guaranteed to be a memorable event—and we’re just loving how Jack + Lina pulled theirs off! Without turning to gimmicks or shock factor, J + L made the guest experience a priority and did so with ease and plenty of fun. It didn’t hurt that the day’s backdrop was utterly gorgeous, thanks to a dreamy venue and design brought to life by LB Event Planning! We don’t want to give away too much (!) but here’s a good place to start from the lovely Lina:
We ended up picking the Dos Pueblos Orchid Farm in Santa Barbara because it was a perfect blend of both of us. Jack is a surfer and he went to Santa Barbara for college, so when we walked to the ceremony site, which was on a cliff overlooking the ocean he looked at me and said, “I could get married here.” Since I was a little girl, I had this dream of getting married in a glass/greenhouse (ala Rolf + Liesl in the Sound of Music). So when we walked into the greenhouse for the first time, it was game over.
Heirlume Photography was there to capture every surprise and beautiful detail along the way! Let’s just see what happened, shall we?
Jack + Lina
…aaand welcome to the best day of your lives!
The Story Behind the Dress
We love Lina’s dress story—and how her dad came along for the ride!
One Saturday my mom, dad, and two sisters joined me for a day of wedding dress shopping. My dad loves the TV show, “Say Yes to the Dress,” and he was very happy about being included. I knew I wanted backless and lace. After trying on about 20 dresses, I found my dress at the third stop. I remember telling my family how comfortable it felt. It was an Olvi’s dress, which means it is made out of stretch lace. Immediately, I knew I could dance the night away in this dress. It was backless, lace, off-the-shoulder and had an elegant train. It was the one.
The Wedding Party-ers
You know it’s going to be a fun wedding when the party starts before the ceremony finishes!
Also: when a Frenchie named Finely is invited.
Surprise! A Guest Procession Led by the Bride + Groom
The most memorable moment of our wedding day was walking down to the ceremony with all 180 of our guests behind us. We wanted to start the wedding off with a bang. As soon as our guests got off the shuttles we greeted them with drinks and music. From there, we all walked down together to the ceremony site: a platform overlooking the ocean. Right before we got to the platform, we stopped and took out our colorful smoke bombs. Our guests were so surprised!
How much are we looooving this idea?! A classic way to break a traditional mold—surprising guests with a colorful procession to the ceremony led by none other than the bride and groom. Totally sets the stage for a fun celebration ahead!
Ceremony by the Sea
Oh, and when the walk ends here—a stunning ceremony backdrop by Margaret Joan Florals—you can bet more beauty is up ahead!
Lina had another surprise in her pocket. Just before walking down the aisle, she donned a show-stopping BHLDN cape that wow’d the crowd.
Carousel
Carousel
Processional: Here Comes the Sun by The Beatles
Recessional: Signed, Sealed, Delivered by Stevie Wonder
First Dance: Green Eyes by Coldplay into Happy by Pharrell Williams
Romance in the Greenhouse
So, how did Lina + Jack determine the unique direction for the day? This practical (and fun!) exercise helped narrow down the priorities:
The wedding planning process can be overwhelming. It is very easy to get caught up and spend money on things you don't even value.
To help us prioritize, a few weeks after Jack and I got engaged we completed a little activity that someone had recommended. Separately, without looking at each other's note cards, we each wrote down the top five things we valued, then shared them with each other to see where there was overlap. We read them aloud. Jack's first note card said, "Lina is happy, and that our wedding is everything she imagined." The activity was very helpful—we both wanted to create a unique wedding that was very memorable for our guests. We didn't want a cookie-cutter wedding.
Lina wanted to make sure it was clearly Jack’s day, too. She incorporated surfing in fun details, like painting a few old boards to repurpose as signs throughout the greenhouse.
Pumped on Pampas!
Talk about WOW.
Lina tells us she was “dead set on using pampas grass,” which Margaret Joan Florals clearly took to heart. This hanging installation stole the show!
Minimal design surrounded the pampas grass at centerstage, with pops of color in the form of orchids on the table and pretty gold chairs to catch the candlelight.
Food Truck Food Court + One More Surprise
Guests enjoyed wood-fired pizza from Lucca and classic California cuisine from The Lime Truck, followed by beautiful ice cream sandwiches by Wild Posy.
And for their final act:
J + L surprised friends and family with a choreographed first dance before their band, Lucky Devils Band, got the dance party started! Such a blast, right? All our congrats to Jack + Lina on your beautiful day!
photography: Heirlume Photography // venue name: Dos Pueblos Orchid Farm, Santa Barbara, California, USA // event design: LB Event Planning // planning: LB Event Planning // florals: Margaret Joan Florals // wedding dress: Olvi's // hair stylist: Blushing Beauty // makeup artist: Blushing Beauty // groom attire: Ted Baker // paper goods: Yosh Creative // desserts: Wild Posy // tabletop rentals: Bright Event Rentals // furniture rentals: Elan Rentals // music: Lucky Devils Band // bride's cape: BHLDN // food truck: Lucca Food Truck // food truck: Lime Food Truck
What a fun couple and bridal party for this wedding. Talk about amazing styling too. Well done to everyone involved in this wedding.
Now, that’s what called Perfection. Keep up!!