Wedding | Kate & Terry

18 hours ago

4 min read

Tell us a little about yourselves!

We’re Kate and Terry, and our story actually started, somewhat fittingly, through Terry’s art. I came across his work before we’d ever met and purchased one of his pieces. When I went to pick it up, Terry somehow found charm in my nosey curiosity and endless questions about his work. One conversation turned into a drink at a bar, and five years later, we’re now married.

We both work in creative fields in different ways - Terry as an artist and myself in gaming - and since then have built a life together in Southern California filled with the things we love: art, camping, good food and wine, and surfing.

We leaned into that same approach when planning our wedding; less focused on tradition and more on creating something that felt like simply us.

Why did you decide to get married where you did?

Big Sur was the first trip Terry took me on, and it completely wowed me. We kept finding reasons to go back, eventually visiting multiple times a year. It became one of those places that felt like “us” - romantic, adventurous, and peaceful in a way that felt completely removed from our everyday life, while still close enough to become a regular escape.

When it came time to choose where to get married, we loved the idea of bringing our closest friends and family somewhere that had meant so much to us, and getting to experience it with them.

How many guests did you have?

We celebrated with an intimate group of 55 guests.

What was your budget?

We started with a budget of $65K. Did we stick to it? Not quite - but we wouldn’t change a thing.

Tell us about your outfits.

Kate: I love contrast, and I knew I wanted my two wedding looks to reflect different sides of my personality. For the wedding itself, I was drawn to something minimal and classic, but I also wanted a dress that felt beautiful on my body. I never expected to choose a fuller skirt, but the moment I put on my Flora gown, I loved how feminine I felt while still having the clean, minimal look I envisioned.

For the welcome party, I wanted to go in the complete opposite direction. I wore a Cinq A Sept blazer - the silkiest, most perfect oversized blazer I’ve ever put on my body - paired with a classic silk slip skirt and a vintage 80’s wrist bag I found on Etsy. The outfit felt a little sexier, a little cooler, and the perfect counterpoint to my wedding dress.

Terry: I’ve always loved David Byrne’s oversized suit from Stop Making Sense, so I wanted to bring a little of that attitude into my wedding suit. I went with a double-breasted cut with a slightly oversized fit - classic, but a little offbeat. I finished it with a bolo tie to give it a more rustic western feel that fit perfectly with the Big Sur setting.

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

We wanted the wedding to feel unmistakably like us. We tried not to get caught up in what a wedding was supposed to look like, doing away with many of the traditions, and instead focusing on creating something that felt personal, considered, and true to us. Every decision came back to whether it felt natural to us and added something meaningful to us and our guests.

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

We really wanted to let Big Sur speak for itself and were conscious of not over-designing the setting. Instead, we focused on the details that shaped how the day felt.

Terry spent months hand-picking every single song to set the mood for each part of the day, and we approached the food with the same level of care.

From a savory beignet - one of Terry’s favorite sweets - to gnocchi that felt reminiscent of Terry’s dad’s cooking, we wanted the food to also feel personal and the quality to be something people genuinely remembered.

That same attention carried over into the guest experience. We draped shawls over every other chair knowing how quickly the temperature can drop in Big Sur, and had two firepits going later in the evening as a nod to our love for camping. Everything was intentional.

Any tips for couples getting married?

Lead with your heart and make the day about you, rather than what you think a wedding is supposed to look like. Trends and outside opinions can be loud, but some of our favorite decisions came from trusting our instincts and choosing vendors who understood our perspective, then giving them the freedom to bring their own expertise to it.

And when the wedding day finally comes, let yourself be completely in it. It’s overwhelming in the best possible way, and having a team you trust around you is worth every penny. Knowing everything was taken care of meant we could forget about the details and simply experience the day together.

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

We truly had the dream team. Every person we worked with understood how to take what we wanted and add their own magic to it. It made the entire experience better than we could have imagined. We’re endlessly grateful to all of them for pouring their heart, talent, and care into our day!

Photographer: Weddings By Nato @weddingsbynato | Planning: Julia Rackley @thismodernbride_ | Flora: Amy Yoo @underground_melody | Ceremony & Reception Location: The Village @thevillage