"Malibu Rocky Oaks estate really set the tone for most of our style & theme. It looks like an Italian villa surrounded by a beautiful vineyard up in the Santa Monica mountains. We enjoy wine so the vineyard aspect was a great selling point & felt more personal. Our wedding was very intimate with a romantic, lightly rustic feeling & a guest count of only 80. I opted for vintage rose, rose gold, ivory, dusty lavender & dark green ivy colors. Table settings had a simple antique vibe with neutral colors & candles wrapped the long floral ivy all the way down the middle. The sunsets there are magical & we had an incredible band who played acoustics throughout the ceremony & cocktail hour. Our theme was for earthy simplicity but mostly we wanted everyone to feel the love we really had for one another."
How did you choose your wedding venue?
I randomly pinned a photo of it on Pinterest about a year before we got engaged. I didn't really know what or where it was until later when we started searching for a venue. We were thinking about doing a destination wedding out of the country however I kept coming back to MRO. I actually feel like the venue found me!
What was your favorite part of wedding planning? What was the most stressful part of wedding planning?
Sean's favorite part was definitely the food tasting. My favorite part was wedding dress & bridesmaid dress shopping as well as designing the look & feel of the wedding. The most stressful was the financial side. We really had to stick to a budget as much as possible, make sure our saving goals were met every month & decide which areas were more important for us to spend more & which were not as important.
Memories and stories about the day you would like to share:
We had a first look so we could spend more time with our guests after the ceremony however, before that we sneaked away to a small private terrace. We were greeted by one of the waiters who popped a bottle of champagne for us & served us some of the appetizers & dinner. We didn't allow any photography or anyone else to join us. It was a very special & private moment we shared overlooking the mountains & having our own private celebration of just getting married.
Any words of wisdom you'd like to share for brides currently planning their wedding? Is there anything you would have done differently?
Budget, planning, communication with your partner & mute the outside opinions that may not be in your favor. This is your special day & you want it to be perfect. No one will remember what color your forks were. Prioritize what's important to you two. There's nothing we would have done differently. We loved every minute.
Tell us about your honeymoon! Where did you go? Would you recommend it to other couples?
We took a quick mini-moon to Palm Springs right after our wedding weekend but our actual honeymoon was 3 months later. We went to Marrakech & the Maldives. Both blew our minds. Marrakech is another world filled such a different culture, amazing food & uniqueness. Explore the souks, bargain for Moroccan rugs or lanterns, try the tagines & stay in a riad! The Maldives are paradise on Earth. We stayed in a beautiful villa above the ocean. The water is so blue & clear. We did a lot of snorkeling with the most beautiful fish, octopus, sea turtles, reef sharks & coral we have ever seen. The Maldives is far away but a definite must see! I actually teared up when we left because I knew I'd miss the amazing people we met & the beautiful ocean life we swam with.
Photography: onelove photography | Wedding Planning: A Stunning Affair | Venue: Malibu Rocky Oaks | Videography: Scenemotion Films | Floral Designer: Peony and Plum | Catering: Made by Meg | Rentals: A Rental Connection | Invites: Minted | Cake: Hansen's Cakes | Beauty: Agne Skaringa | Gown: Pronovias | Shoes: Badgley Mischka | Bridesmaids Dresses: Shona Joy | Entertainment: MJ Entertainment