Angelena, of Shindig Chic, found the perfect way to celebrate her original wedding date. Like so many other couples who had to postpone or change their wedding plans because of the pandemic, Angelena and Michael still wanted to do something to honor their April 3, 2021 date. And fun sidenote about their date – “We had our dream date of 4.3.21 picked out before the pandemic. Michael is a rocket engineer.. so that countdown date felt perfectly cosmic to us!” What a rad date!!
“It was not quite a wedding, not quite an engagement shoot, but somewhere in between, says Angelena. The pair opted to hold an elopement, but rather than exchanging their official “I Dos” (they are saving them for their 2022 celebration) the duo shared sweet sentiments to one another in a wildflower field in Ojai, California. “Ojai is such a quintessentially California place with orange groves, tall trees, wildflower fields, and oversized cactus all coexisting harmoniously,” says Angelena. Adding, “This lush setting felt like the perfect opposite to our future day in the desert.”
Along with their picture-perfect setting, Angelena was also able to share the moment with not just her love, Michael, but her best friend, too! Photographer, Mary Costa captured the intimate elopement and also got ordained so that Angelena and Michale could be legally married. “A photographer extraordinaire and officiant in one – she does it all folks.” says Angelena. Check out the rest of their elopement below!
The bouquet: Angelena’s favorite flower are ranunculus buttercups and says that in April they bloom in the most variety of colors. So, naturally she splurged and had them all. “My bouquet had at least 8 different types, says Angelena. “I added in a bit of spirea, kumquats, chamomile, sweet pea, and pieris to give it all the sweet textures, too.”
The Dress: Angelena says that because they are still planning to celebrate their wedding with friends and family that she didn’t want to wear her wedding dress at her elopement. Instead, she decided to wear something that felt like her. “The little white dress trend isn’t my style, so I just wanted something ‘me’ & this rust tiered dress from Baltic Born was perfect,” says Angelena.
The bridal jacket: “Since my dress was simple, I thought a little something for later would be fun, but couldn’t find quite the right thing that wasn’t overly trendy,” says Angelena. “So I just decided to do my own spin on a yarn fringe jacket. I love crafting aand yarn is my favorite medium. It was a nice therapeutic thing to work on while still stuck at home. And now I can wear it again on our wedding weekend.”
The one and only guest: “We got our mini dachshund on Christmas Day 2020 (total coincidence.. what are the odds?!) and he really was the greatest gift EVER,” says Angelena. “It was so fun including him and getting such incredible photos together as our little ‘family’. And, he is the most photogenic of us all!”
The elopement design: “As a designer, I love so many different styles! So I used [our elopement] as a chance to create something that felt like ‘us’ but wouldn’t be a duplicate of our wedding vibe at all,” says Angelena. Adding, that she pulled details from their warm and eclectic mid-century home and leaned into that vibe.
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The mini cake: To celebrate, the couple opted for a one-tired cake for cutting. “Nicole Bakes Cakes is the BEST and created a fun fringe detail. I then flower bombed it for a little extra”.
We wish Angelena and Michael nothing but the best for their 2022 wedding plans. For couples who are also trying to navigate this uncertain time, check out our pandemic wedding guide #onGWS.
photography: Mary Costa // venue name: Capri Hotel, Ojai, California, USA // event design: Shindig Chic // florals: Shindig Chic // wedding dress boutique: Baltic Born // bride's ring: Belloring // groom attire: Buck Mason // groom's ring: Silver Floret // paper goods: Shindig Chic // cake: Nicole Bakes Cakes // cocktails: Amaro Angeleno
