Wedding | Amanda & Sean

Tell us a little about yourselves!

Amanda and Sean live in Ojai, California. We have two children, Ella, 15, and Henning, 2. Amanda is the third-generation owner of her family’s construction company and Sean is an artist who recently earned his master’s degree in architecture from SCI-Arc in Los Angeles. Together, we have built a life shaped by family, creativity, an appreciation for natural landscapes, and a shared affinity for art, fashion, and functional design.

Why did you decide to get married where you did?

Both of our families share a love of travel and adventure, and with strong European roots and a deep appreciation for French culture, we knew we wanted a wedding that felt more like an intimate weeklong gathering than a single-day event. We initially explored Biarritz, drawn to its surf culture and coastline, but couldn’t find an estate that felt right for hosting all of our guests comfortably. At the suggestion of Amanda’s aunt, Kim Hardcastle of Twelve12 Travel, we turned to Provence and were immediately drawn to its landscape, history, and artistic heritage.

After extensive searching, we discovered Les Davids, an organic wine estate on the edge of the Luberon Regional Nature Park, with gorgeous Provençal hamlets. It felt immediately right, both for its scale and its proximity to Marseille, but also for its sense of ease and design. For Amanda, it also carried a personal resonance, evoking the feeling of her childhood ranch home in Ojai, which was lost in the 2017 Thomas Fire.

How many guests did you have?

We had a total of 30 guests, including our 2 children.

What was your budget?

$40,000.

Tell us about your outfits.

Amanda and Sean’s rings were designed by Pernille Holm. Amanda was drawn to the softness of Pernille’s Leave to Dry ring but wanted it reinterpreted in white gold with a single small diamond for a subtle sense of tradition. Sean worked with Pernille to design Amanda’s custom engagement ring, and both were so taken with its simplicity that they decided it did not need a wedding band. Pernille also designed Sean’s ring to match hers.

Amanda began her bridal look with the shoes. She envisioned a vintage pair of kitten heels and, after their engagement, began following vintage dealers on Instagram in search of the right pair. When Sororité. released the Vera Wang bow mule, she knew immediately they were the ones.

She initially set out to find a vintage Ralph Lauren Spring 2005 gown and even commissioned a buyer to track down the original piece. Wanting to honor the traditional bridal shopping experience, she also visited bridal boutiques with her mother and aunts. Through extensive research, she found herself consistently drawn to Spanish designers, eventually discovering Theoro at Mae Bridal in Santa Monica. While she appreciated Theoro’s modern silhouettes, she couldn’t let go of her original vision of the 2005 Ralph Lauren gown. Fortunately, Mae Bridal and Theoro worked with her to translate that idea into a custom dress inspired by the original: a plunging halter gown in Theoro’s signature European silk.

Amanda had imagined a soft, classic veil that would move with the wind and the silk of her dress, and found the exact style she envisioned by Monetre at Mae Bridal.

Amanda also found her Claire La Faye cape at Mae Bridal, which her mother and aunts immediately fell in love with and encouraged her to choose.

Initially planning to wear sleek silver drop earrings, Amanda found white gold, pearl, and diamond earrings that felt understated and perfectly aligned with the rest of the look at her local jeweller, Fox Fine Jewellery, while getting her ring cleaned.

Amanda’s white gold diamond tennis bracelet was a gift from her mother, who knew it was exactly what her outfit needed.

Sean has been a collector of vintage fashion since childhood. Inspired by Serge Gainsbourg, he searched vintage markets for the Repetto Zizi and a double-breasted linen jacket. He found both easily, even finding the exact tropical wool Bode trousers he wanted on the second hand market. Somehow it all fit perfectly, needing no alteration. He paired the look with a Sandro shirt he had owned for years and a vintage bowtie, hand-tied by our daughter. Although he initially considered a white cyclamen boutonniere, he ultimately decided the outfit felt complete on its own, requiring no embellishment.

What was the most important aspect for you, in terms of planning your wedding?

We wanted every element of the wedding to feel personal and intentional. From ceramic place cards made by Amanda’s childhood friend to Wolfard Flower Bulb Oil Lamps shipped from the U.S. and assembled on site by Amanda’s uncle alongside Drake, our celebrant and close friend, every detail was chosen to reflect who we are and what we value.

Were there any elements that were important for you to incorporate?

Amanda’s mother and aunt are gifted party planners who have long had a talent for creating thoughtful, beautifully considered gatherings. As a child, her birthdays were often intimate tea parties they would thrift and DIY together, events that became so well known they were even raffled off at school fundraisers.

It was important to Amanda that this tradition of intimate, intentional, and carefully curated hosting was present in the wedding. Every detail was thoughtfully selected, with florals arranged by her mother and aunts.

Sean spent much of his childhood at concerts and jazz salons with his parents and grandparents. For the wedding, he wanted a band that reflected his family's love of music and the specific style of jazz rooted in France, known as jazz manouche. We were fortunate to find Cordes Nomades, who played beautiful jazz manouche throughout the evening.

Any tips for couples getting married?

Choose the right vendors and don’t be afraid to do it yourself. Our team was intentionally small and very carefully selected, and that made all the difference. On the day itself, we only had our caterer, Marie Vial, and our photographer, Francesca Angrisano, working alongside us. Everything else was done by family and friends. Even Amanda’s hair was done by her childhood best friend on the floor of the living room surrounded by the children of our friends and her makeup was done by herself in a mirror that was a head too short.

By keeping the circle so tight, we avoided too many external opinions shaping the vision. If we had brought in more professionals with competing perspectives, it may not have felt as singular or as “us” as it ultimately did. In the end, the wedding felt deeply personal and intimate because it was created with people who truly understood and supported us.

Are there any vendors that you would like to tell us a little more about?

Our photographer, Francesca Angrisano, brought our vision to life in a way that exceeded anything we could have imagined. Both of us come from backgrounds in photography and art direction, so choosing a photographer was one of the most important decisions we made. We knew immediately that Francesca was the right person. She has an extraordinary ability to capture quiet, fleeting moments with sensitivity and beauty. Although neither of us are naturally comfortable in front of the camera, she made the experience feel effortless and entirely natural. Beyond her talent, she was also endlessly generous and hands-on, always present to help with whatever was needed, big or small.

Our caterer, Marie Vial, was exceptional. She made it possible for us to plan a wedding at a site we had never visited, in another country, with complete confidence. From the beginning, she was available for every question and offered thoughtful guidance throughout. She even conducted a site visit to help shape the flow of the day, from the cocktail hour in the courtyard to the ceremony on the lawn and dinner in the front yard. We trusted her completely for her calm presence and artistic sensibility. She is not only an incredible chef but also a deeply intuitive and generous artist.

Audrey Chobriat of Les Davids, while not a vendor in the traditional sense, was an essential part of the process. She was consistently attentive, responsive, and supportive, ensuring every detail on site was taken care of. We are deeply grateful for her care and dedication throughout.

Photographer: Francesca Angrisano @francescaangrisano.ph | Ceremony & Reception Location: Les Davids - Cournille Estate @lesdavids | Celebrant: Our friend, Drake Schoonover | Hire: OPTIONS Aix-en-Provence @options_aixenprovence | Hair Stylist: Amanda’s childhood best friend, Lyliana Perez | Catering & Beverages: Marie Vial @magievial; Tige @we.are.tige | Cake: Villa Thérèse Pâtisserie @villatherese_ | Entertainment: Cordes Nomades Jazz Band | Ceramic Place Cards: Nikkie Stutts Ceramics @nikkiestuttsceramics | Dress: Theoro @theoro_thebride from Mae Bridal @mae.bridal | Alterations: Isabella Koppenhafer @isabella_koppenhafer | Suit: Vintage YSL Jacket and Bode pants | Veil: Monetre @monetre.official | Cape: Claire La Faye @clairelafaye | Engagement & Wedding Rings: Pernille Holm @pernilleholm_jewellery| Shoes: (Sean) Vintage Repetto; (Amanda) Vera Wang from Sororité @sororitevintage