Happy November, Cakies! Today we have Anna + Mark’s classic black and white wedding for you, which is full of chic fashion and entertaining ideas to emulate no matter the season. Plus, our bride shares lots of tips for making your wedding just as special for your guests as the two of you! Thanks to Kelly Brown Weddings and Tonya Szele Events for sharing today!
You know how we feel about bow-back wedding dresses around here!
Download a customizable classic modern invitation and menu template set here.
So many beautiful ideas for a classic black and white wedding here, from the formal bridesmaid dresses to the minimalist wedding invitations, and of course the groom’s black and white tux!
Anna says, Throughout the pandemic, we made a few trips up to Los Olivos to escape. It quickly became one of our absolute favorite places. The food, the wine, the small-town charm, Los Olivos is a place where its challenging to have anything but a great time! Every time we’d visit, we’d stay at the Fess Parker Wine Country Inn so, a few weeks after getting engaged, we began tossing around the idea of getting married at the hotel! We went to do an official tour, and also toured the Fess Parker Winery event spaces. Ultimately, the hotel itself, which is at the heart of the town, gave us the perfect setting for the intimate, elevated backyard wedding vibes we were hoping for.
The bride’s first wedding planning tip: Identify your top 3 priorities and work back from there when it comes to budget! For us, our number one priority was that our guests had a blast so we prioritized having an amazing band. I also was very specific with the style of photography I wanted, so having an incredible photographer was another key priority. Of course, keeping guests fed and with a drink in their hand was also key, so F+B was also very important to us.
Love how babies breath can totally transform a space. See more babies breath wedding ideas here! And, download a template for a classic style seating chart HERE.
For our wedding, we actually bought out the hotel where it was held. This created a super fun environment, with literally everyone there being part of our big day! We kept all wedding day events at the hotel, utilized multiple spaces and provided a shuttle so that everyone who wasn’t at our venue could get to the wedding with ease. We also provided a shuttle to the afterparty for everyone who wanted to join us at Maverick Saloon!
Anna chose a transitional Eva Lendel gown with an overskirt she removed for part of the reception. Later on, she changed into this super fun sequin party dress from NEW ARRIVALS. Such good looks, all of them!
One last tip…My biggest piece of advice is to make your wedding feel like you! Trends will come and go, floral and dress styles will go in and out, but if you can curate an authentic experience that is fun and laced with moments that are authentic to you as a couple, that is all that matters. Like I said, we used music throughout the day to curate a light, fun and carefree vibe, that I feel really set the tone for the whole evening. Another tip is to lean into amazing local vendors. We did this specifically for our cake, food and beverage, and florals and I believe this added a special local flavor into the experience that our guests really enjoyed.
Congrats to Anna + Mark!
Photographer: Kelly Brown Weddings | Planning: Tonya Szele Events | Venue: Fess Parker Wine Country Inn | Floral Design: Ella and Louie | Live Stream: Gavin Roy Presents | Band: Lucky Devils Band | Strings: Organic String Quartet | Cake: Decadence Wedding Cakes | Catering & Bar: Nella Kitchen | Gelato Cart: Via Gelateria | Rentals: Theoni Collection & Town & Country Event Rentals | Transportation: Santa Barbara Air Bus | After Party: Maverick Saloon | Gown: Eva Lendel from Kinsley James Couture Bridal | Alterations: Natalya Valentine (My Bridal Tailor) | Veil: Rita Vinieris | Party Dress: NEW ARRIVALS | Hair & Makeup: Christina of Team Hair + Make Up | Groom’s Attire: The Black Tux
