Ready for a feel-good story, guys? What was slated to be a small backyard pizza party wedding ended up being this dreamy Sacred Mountain Julian celebration thanks to Project Darling, from the gals at Details, Darling. Along with all the incredible vendors including Mary Costa, they offered up a free wedding to one deserving couple, and Michelle + Jordan were the lucky duo they chose.
M + J submitted their application on one of the very last days to enter, and began thinking about whose backyard they may be able to have a small wedding in, and where they’d get the pizza. Not too long later, they got the call that they’d actually get to celebrate with 130 people in a woodsy, enchanted wedding in California exactly one year after the proposal… Best news eva!
They wanted their wedding details to be timeless and romantic, so they chose earthy colors like neutrals, greens, ivory, black, and copper accents for their enchanted woodland concept.
The bouquet recipe from Layered Vintage & Tiny Victories (which was a total surprise to the bride, BTW!): Foraged greenery, anemones, artichoke flowers, thistles, liatris, and golden garden roses.
The bride’s mom hand made these adorable jumpers for the flower girls to wear. So cute, right?
From the team at Details, Darling: We came up with the concept of Project Darling in late 2016 because we saw how much money was being funneled into the wedding industry but also how much financial stress it was causing our couples. Budget is always the number one topic when planning and we thought to ourselves what if we could help relieve that stress of finances for a couple that wants to have their dream wedding but sadly wouldn’t be able to because of outside factors such as money. We decided to put out a search via our website and social media looking for a couple that would be truly blessed by this opportunity. Obviously a lot of people would love for their wedding to be free, but we wanted to find a couple that would be so grateful, who really would benefit financially from it in the long run and who we could see love radiating through. When we met Michelle and Jordan, we had such a good feeling about them and after hearing their story, we knew it was the perfect fit.
No basic pizza party here! Miho Catering Co & Barcon also donated their time + resources to give these two a spectacular culinary experience at the wedding.
Michelle + Jordan have been on their own financially for most of their lives, which is why they planned to have a small backyard celebration. Imagine their surprise when they walked into the reception to see this!
On the venue, Michelle explains, Sacred Mountain is just that, sacred. It felt like a safe haven, our own corner of the world that was full of whimsy. We love spending time in nature, so we were definitely hoping for a venue that was all outdoors. Sacred Mountain is woodsy, with an intimate space for both the ceremony and reception. The venue seems effortless, and full of natural beauty. We are forever grateful Sacred Mountain participated in Project Darling, allowing us to celebrate our marriage in such a special place.
During the reception, we had snuck away for some sunset shots. Before we went back, we admired the reception from the balcony. Everything was right in that moment. Time stood still, as we took in all the magic. Our friends and family danced, drank, and celebrated together underneath the most gorgeous setting. Our hearts were full of euphoric gratitude, for each other, for the gift of marriage, for this incredible day. Our friends noticed us and cheered us down—that’s when the party began.
BTW, Michelle’s gown was a sleek, timeless, entirely crepe dress from Mikaella by Paloma Blanca. So romantic! For the ceremony, she paired it with a veil her mom scored off of Amazon for $20, that looked just like the ones she’d been eyeing for $300.
We were engaged and married in exactly a year! Our wedding coordinators, Details, Darling and all the vendors who said YES to Project Darling deserve all credit for planning the wedding. Our biggest challenge initially, was our budget. Project Darling completely lifted that burden from us! The next biggest challenge was the guest list. We were planning for 160 guests, but our venue allowed 125. Our wedding was on a Thursday, which we knew would be difficult for some guests. We sent out round one of invitations, waited for responses, round two of invitations (waited), and then two more rounds after that. My heart wasn’t prepared for the no’s, but was thankful to invite the next list. In the end we had 125 of our favorite people celebrating with us. My advice to brides during this time is to bask in the glow of engagement! Don’t let the business of wedding planning get in your way. It is such a short season in your sweet little life, and it is so worthy of swooning in.
Such an amazing story, right there! All the best to Michelle + Jordan.
Friends, be sure to check out the talented folks that contributed to this beautiful day, below…
Photography: Mary Costa Photography / Videography: SJ Videography / Venue: Sacred Mountain Julian in Julian, CA / Design & Planning: Details, Darling / Floral Design: Layered Vintage & Tiny Victories / Beauty Planning: Elwynn and Cass / Hair: San Diego Bridal Stylist, Coco Nicole Artistry / Makeup: Sloane Stylist, Anchor Artistry / Invitations: Minted / Signage: Kenzie Swift of Details, Darling / Cake & Desserts: Hey There Cupcake / Catering & Bar: Miho Catering Co & Barcon / Rentals: Adore Folklore / Tabletop Rentals: Hostess Haven / Photobooth: Traveling Photo Bus / Staffing: Common Sense Events / Wedding Dress: Mikaella by Paloma Blanca from Here Comes The Bride / Shoes: Acelyn by Vince Camuto / Veil: Amazon / Groom’s Suit: London Fog / Shoes: Cole Haan / Tie: Blueberry Bliss by Dazi / Flower Girl Jumpers: Handmade by Bride’s Mom
