California Spring Chic Destination Wedding

Today’s wedding on the beach is full of hidden Easter eggs that are so meaningful and made the day completely unique to the couple John and Katie. For starters, the couple chose Santa Barbara and a ceremony with their toes in the sand because they both grew up near the beach on both coasts of the country. They also conscientiously selected a spot at Santa Claus Beach close to railroad tracks to symbolize the many train trips they both took to see each other early on in their relationship. The bride even shares that a train ironically passed by during their ceremony!

Since this was also a destination wedding, the couple made sure their guests felt at home with plenty of planned events aside from just the wedding day—including a welcome party at Brass Bear Brewing and a post-wedding brunch the following day at Padaro Beach Grill. Guests even received custom texts all weekend, including a custom California music playlist to welcome them to the state.

On the special day, the bride and groom got ready in separate beach houses which they had rented out. Pretty Please Beauty took care of hair and makeup for Katie and her bridesmaids and she wore a stunning lace gown from Essense of Australia paired with a Sara Gabriel veil. She also had a special white Levi’s jacket embroidered by Large Lemonade and Pawsh Threads. It showed not only the wedding date, but also the multiple states where the couple has lived or have had special moments, and also their cherished dog Jetty—who played a big part in the wedding day and was featured in many other sweet details. The groom, on the other hand, wore a navy suit from The Black Tux with a floral tie.

Since John and Katie both have parents that passed away when they were young, they wanted their wedding to showcase what wonderful parents they were as well. The bride had her dad's Air Force badge as her something blue along with multiple pins from her alma mater University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. And, in lieu of wedding favors, the couple opted to make donations to charities in honor of their parents. Katie's dad was a 9/11 rescue worker and she's on the Junior Board of Tuesday's Children and John's mom passed away from Scleroderma and he's involved in the National Scleroderma Foundation.

Michael Kwiecinski from Wonder Tribe captured everything from getting ready and first looks to the couple’s ceremony exit where guests had custom wedding fiesta papel picado flags as a nod to Santa Barbara's heritage and culture. And, both Talia Eliana Events and Marc Borowitz from Events by Rincon had a hand in the planning and coordination. As guests arrived at the ceremony they were directed by custom made signs made by Spoken Glass and they were also met with a gorgeous green and white floral arch on the beach from The Twisted Twig—who additionally provided personal florals for the bridal party and arrangements throughout the reception.

Back at the Rincon Beach Club for cocktail hour and later the reception, drinks were served, including signature drinks which were a nod to the couple’s time spent in London for study abroad and also customized fun fact napkins. Rincon Catering took care of dinner, and for dessert, an ice cream sandwich bar accompanied the wedding cake. After dinner was over and toasts completed, the party moved to the dance floor with music from the Lucky Devils Band, for a perfect celebratory ending to the day.

From the Bride:

After a wedding that got delayed due to COVID-19, Katie and John finally celebrated their marriage with friends and family from all over the country in Santa Barbara, CA on 4.2.22. Although the two are originally from NY and NJ respectively, Santa Barbara is a city near and dear to Katie and John's hearts. They've spent many weekend trips there since moving to Los Angeles in 2018 and Katie fell in love with the city while growing up visiting her aunt and uncle who live in Santa Barbara County. Since it was Katie and John's first time seeing many of their guests since the pandemic, they wanted to throw a celebration of their love that was a party of a lifetime that showcased the beauty of California.

Photographer: Michael Kwiecinski with Wonder Tribe | Location: Santa Claus Beach, Rincon Beach Club | Coordinator: Talia Eliana Events, Marc Borowitz at Events by Rincon | Florist: The Twisted Twig | Officiant: Neil Koul | Hair & Makeup: Pretty Please Beauty | Caterer: Rincon Catering | Transportation: Bill’s Bus | TV & Beach Sound Rentals: DJ Zeke | Ice Cream Bar & Cake: Events by Rincon | Music: Lucky Devils Band | Videography: B Studios | Photo Booth: Pixster Photo Booth | Wedding Signs: Spoken Glass | Bride’s Attire: Essense of Australia, Sara Gabriel | Bride’s Custom Jacket: Levi’s with Designs by Large Lemonade and Pawsh Threads | Bridal Robe: Robed with Love | Bride’s Shoes: Stuart Weitzman, Shopbop | Bridesmaid Robes: Birdy Grey | Bridesmaids Attire: Show Me Your Mumu, Levi’s | Jewelry: JK & Co. Jewelers, The Mrs. Box, Kate and Mari, KJP, Monica Vinader | Groom’s Shoes: Cole Haan | Groom’s Attire: Black Tux, DAZI