The neat thing about Tess + Tim’s day (besides the rad fuschia color story that you’ll see in Jennifer Young’s photos) is that they planned everything purely off of how they wanted everyone to feel—they wanted it to be like a warm, inviting dinner party for their 130 fave people right in Tess’ childhood backyard. How sweet is it that now at family dinners they can sit in the same spot and reminisce?
Isn’t this invitation suite so unique? The bride designed it + all the signage you’re about to see…
Tess says, We stumbled upon the concept for our whole wedding when listening to our favorite genre of music one night—bossanova (Brazilian jazz from the 60s). We listen to it on our record player nearly every night, but while dancing in the living room, we both kind of lit up and said, “This music really is us, why don’t we have a wedding that feels like this does?!” …For us, bossanova evokes imagery of midcentury Brazilian beaches, with saturated fuchsias, deep wines and emerald greens paired with sandy peaches, creams, and metallics. Our color palette was born, and all other decisions were guided by our interpretation of what bossanova feels and looks like. We aimed to transport our guests to some place delightful, some feeling of nostalgia and romance. We invited all of our guests to not just witness, but participate in, this journey we were embarking on. Flowers were one of the most important things in helping set our lush bossanova vibe, so I wanted flowers that were reflective of that imagery of midcentury Brazil: saturated, colorful, loose, wispy.
The best part about all these shots by Jennifer Young? She managed them without the guests even knowing she was there. T + T loved her unobtrusive style!
We were absolutely overwhelmed with how incredible the backyard looked and felt. Lighting was incredible, music was perfect – ah, it was an absolute dream. Because we’d been dating for so long, most of our friends and families had met and become friends in their own right, and there was this ease, calm and comfort amongst everyone in attendance. The gravity and sacredness of the ceremony was behind us, and everyone was looking to celebrate. The best word to describe the evening was “phosphenes (n.): the stars and colors you see when you rub your eyes.” It was this lush, vibrant world that transported us and it was truly magical. Jen captured an image of what it felt like, and I’m eternally grateful for that.
Had to share these sweet words from Tess about planning: Luckily, I had an INCREDIBLY supportive mom/best friend/wedding planning goddess, who was on board with all my ideas, who could execute what I had only dreamed as a possibility (like custom ordering 150 sets of gold flatware from Hong Kong…)—she was the most incredible asset and sanity check, and I am forever grateful. It provided us opportunities to spend additional time together, too, which I will always cherish.
Congratulations, Tess and Tim!
Photographer: Jennifer Young / Videographer: Eric Whedbee / Venue: Prospect Park, & Private Residence in Redlands, CA / Wedding Planner: Kelly Emerson / Florist: Rick and Beve Chang / Hair & Makeup: Glenn Nutley / Dessert: The Beignet Truck / Catering: Najwa Medina / Bartender: Aperitif Cocktail Catering / Arch: designed by bride, created by Groom / Silhouette Artist: Sylhouettes by Sylvia / DJ: J.P. McLeod (custom bossanova + indie pop playlists) / Acoustic Brazilian Bossanova Guitar: Sam Ortolano / Dress: Hayley Paige / Jewelry: Emerson & Farrar / Bridesmaids: Alfred Angelo / Groom’s Tuxedo: Custom by Anne-Marie Allen / Groomsmen Tuxedos: Calvin Klein / Flower Girl’s Skirt: Etsy / Tank: Ralph Lauren
