Old Hollywood Beachfront Wedding
Inspired by their love of music, food, and wine, Andrew Antone and Patrick Abtey’s wedding was not your traditional wedding, or even typical gay wedding. Of course the soundtrack included Céline, Britney, and Cher, but the ABTEY + ANTONE wedding was a relatively simple, intimate, and romantic ceremony followed by an elaborate Old-Hollywood GRAMMY party under the stars, situated atop the world-famous Rincon (“Queen of the Coast”) bluffs with panoramic views of the Pacific Ocean.
Over 18 months in the making, the ABTEY + ANTONE wedding was a both a complex logistical challenge as well as a perplexing financial puzzle. To ensure a flawless execution of Andrew’s vision for the day, the couple enlisted the coordination talents of local Santa Barbara event planner, Zohe Felici [Felici Events], and the creative direction of award-winning international event planner, Merryl Brown [Merryl Brown Events].
The result was a full-sensory experience—from the moment the couples’ 150+ guests arrived, every sight, sound, and taste were meticulously crafted—that included all the things that Andrew and Patrick love about each other and the Santa Barbara community.
In true Old-Hollywood style, the colors of the day were black and white. The only pops of color were seen in the stunning abundance of long-stem red roses, beautifully created by Michelle Rein [Passion Flowers]. Other peaks of red were seen in both grooms and groomsmen’s socks and on the soles of the many Christian Louboutin shoes. The grooms were dressed in classic black suits by Tom Ford.
Andrew and Patrick wanted to make a bold statement with drinks and dinner—it must be local. “Not only does the Santa Barbara area have some amazing eateries, but we also have some of the world’s best wines,” remarked Andrew. Everything served was locally grown from local vendors. Full of Life Flatbread, from Los Alamos, catered a feast of flatbreads, seasonal salads, and oven-roasted chicken. Melville Winery poured their Santa Rita Hills estate Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, and Syrah, and Carpinteria-based brewery, Island Brewing Company, tapped their refreshing Tropical Lager.
Guests were given a crystal wine glass with the ABTEY + ANTONE elephant logo to enjoy the evening’s libations, as well as a keepsake to take home. Crushcakes, another Carpinteria-based eatery, baked the red velvet wedding cake and 300 red velvet, cookies ‘n’ cream, and dark chocolate cupcakes.
The soundtrack, consisting of five separate acts, was painstaking curated by Andrew and Patrick. Each act had its own theme to accompany each of the day’s events. Guests arrived to sweeping orchestral scores from Broadway, film, and television, as well as classical movements from a bygone era. The ceremony processional was choreographed to a custom live mix of Shania Twain’s “From This Moment On.” The ceremony, which concluded with the grooms’ kiss, was perfectly timed to Andrea Bocelli’s rendition of Puccini’s “Nessun Dorma” from Turandot.
The vintner’s hour showcased the emotionally-charged journey of the grooms’ nineteen-month engagement, culminating when Andrew took the stage to sing the David Foster-penned emotional masterpiece, “The Colour of My Love;” a song that expresses his vows and love for his new husband. The dinner playlist was wrought with classic and contemporary love songs from artists including: Sade, LeAnn Rimes, Adele, Alicia Keys, Norah Jones, The Marias, Van Morrison, and John Mayer. Lastly, the dance set got everyone on their feet. A mix of oldies, top 40, and the decades in between, there was something for everyone to enjoy—Britney Spears, Cyndi Lauper, Journey, Cher, NSYNC, Sia, Taylor Swift, Whitney Houston, ABBA, Lady Gaga, Katy Perry, and Justin Timberlake topped the set list. The 177 music cues were brilliantly executed by DJ Darla Bea with sound expertly engineered by Luke Geis [Endevor Music Productions].
All-in-all it was quite the perfect day—77 degrees Fahrenheit with bluebird skies—to celebrate the love story of one fabulous couple, along with some epic sunset photos and a grand exit sparkler sendoff captured by Braydon Russel of Head and Heart Photography.
Venue: Ocean Front Venue | Photography: Head & Heart Photography | Event Coordination: Felici Events | Floral Design: Passion Flowers | Catering: Full of Life Flatbread | Lighting: 721 Industries | Rentals: Bright Event Rentals | Music: Dj Darla Bea & Luke Geis- Endever Music | Cake: Crushcakes | Hair: Solange Rochon | Make-up: Tomiko Taft & Romina Murillo | Officiate: Bonnie Dattel | Wine: Melville Vineyards and Winery | Stemware: Glass Tech | Restrooms & Barricades: Marborg | Rehearsal Dinner: Pierre Lafond Wine Bistro