Wedding | Madeline & Caleb

Tell us a little about yourselves!

We're California natives who met in college, but it wasn't until after leaving that Caleb finally asked Madeline out for a first-date picnic. The timing wasn't right the first time around, but the invisible string had some pull and a year-ish later we found our way back to each other for a second-first date. We've been linked up ever since, through Caleb in law school and Madeline in grad school.

We grew our relationship over eight years together before getting engaged. When the time came, Caleb recreated our first first-date with a picnic spread of some favorite and seasonal picks. We love a full circle moment.

We're rooted in Southern California, close to family and friends, while keeping an open mind for wherever the future might lead. Madeline works for a local public school district and Caleb recently traded nonprofit life for the public law sector. When we're not working, we're slowing things down, connecting with family and friends, hosting more in our cozy home with our favorite pal (and dog) Alfred, or wandering around town in search of the best sips and bites.

Why did you decide to get married where you did?

Technically, and intentionally, we eloped. Just the two of us at the Santa Barbara Courthouse in the summer of 2024, more than a year before our wedding celebration. It felt important for us to keep us, as individuals and as partners, at the centre of our union.

Our parents supported our wishes, but we quickly realized how much our family wanted to celebrate with us, which is how our "not-not a wedding" came to be. We wanted to keep the celebration in Southern California, close to our family and friends, so we landed in Orange County.

Grand Gimeno was an easy yes. Its Spanish architecture mirrored Santa Barbara and felt like the perfect place to revisit moments from our union day, this time surrounded by people we love, invited into moments that were just ours.

How many guests did you have?

We had a small, intimate affair with about 190 guests. "Small and intimate" is relative, considering the many family members we have, but it was important for us to prioritize our families in the celebration after eloping just the two of us. We felt honored to have loved ones join us from across the country and even overseas.

What was your budget?

Our budget allowed us to host 200 family and some friends. Not a small feat, but thankfully we had the support of our wonderfully generous parents.

Tell us about your outfits.

Madeline: I never really dreamed of getting married, so figuring out an outfit was...a challenge. I mean, I bought a dress online a week before we eloped, so this time I wanted something intentional. Years ago, I came across LOHO Bride in LA. Their philosophy stuck with me, and it mattered.

A sample sale made it possible with less than six months to go. I landed on a two-piece Vivienne Westwood with a corset bodice that made me feel confident and feminine, styled with a silk chiffon neck scarf from Etsy. Equal parts opulent and effortless. I even kept my Tony Bianco shoes from the elopement. The scuffs from running around the courthouse and post-ceremony ice cream made them feel perfect for reliving those moments.

Caleb: I wore a dark brown double-breasted Suit Supply suit with a black knitted tie. Halfway through, I swapped into white wool silk linen trousers and a cotton-silk T-shirt while keeping the jacket for a more relaxed style. Both looks were completed with a pair of black Morjas Belgian loafers.

When we eloped, I had on that same jacket, linen trousers, and T-shirt, then switched into the full suit later. Wearing the looks again, with a few small tweaks, felt like a nice full-circle moment connecting the elopement to our celebration.

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

The most important thing for us was that our celebration felt like a reflection of our union while keeping our guests at the centre. We stripped away the formalities and programming of a traditional wedding. We skipped on recreating the ceremony and opted for a cocktail hour that flowed in a dinner party style reception. Our goal was simple: give our guests the space to relax, connect, and really enjoy each other's company.

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

It was important to us to reference key moments from our elopement so that our families could experience the highlights from that day. After our courthouse ceremony, we indulged in ice cream and capped the night off with pizza on the beach. So naturally, we served wood-fired pizza during our cocktail hour and ice cream from Wanderlust Creamery for dessert. Guests could even enjoy a candy bar while catching a Super8 highlight reel from our elopement projected in the viewing lounge.

We also wanted to honor a cultural tradition. Madeline's parents presented us an ulos, a handwoven textile from the Indonesian Batak culture that symbolizes familial love and blessings. Incorporating it into our celebration felt like a meaningful way to share a piece of family and tradition.

Any tips for couples getting married?

Get married before having a wedding -- hehe. Knowing we were already married while planning our celebration kept us grounded and gave us the freedom to stay authentic and skip traditions that didn't serve us. Easier said than done, but seriously, do what you want.

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

Absolutely. Our best friend, Iris Yang, helped us get the ball rolling on the planning process and designed our invitations and logo along the way. She also connected us with our planners, Luisa and Vivian of Concierge Club Bridal. They are the best duo in the game. We would have been lost without them.

The team at Orla Floral nailed our vision of an elevated yet relaxed atmosphere with stunning floral scapes and tabletop lighting. We fully entrusted them and had no notes.

Our photographer, Miranda Tate, and her team were incredible. They made us feel like the hottest commodity, in the best way. We're not usually fans of that much attention, but Miranda refocused us on each other and encouraged us to fully show off our love.

We were lucky to have Caleb's cousin, Mark Manalo, take on the role as our master of ceremonies. He worked seamlessly with the musicians from Dart Collective. Live music was a highlight. Cocktail hour started with a string duo playing some of our favorite songs. We locked eyes and connected at the sound of Harvest Moon. Our DJ then opened up the dance floor with an iconic horn trio, capped off by a merch toss of custom T-shirts designed and produced by our friends, Iris and Haydon.

Photographer: Miranda Tate @mirandatatephotography | Planning: Concierge Club Bridal @concierge

clubevents @conciergeclubbridal | Floral: Orla Floral @orlafloralstudio | Reception Location: Grand

Gimeno @grandgimeno | Hire/Rentals: Archive Rentals @archiverentals | Makeup Artist:  Naomi Mendzer

Cruz @omiglammakeup | Hair: Jenny Mitchell @jennymitchhair | Catering & Beverages: Jay's Catering

@jayscatering | Cake: SusieCakes @susiecakesbakery | Stationery: Iris Yang + Golden Moments @golden

momentsla | Entertainment: Dart Collective @dartcollective | Late Night Desserts: Wanderlust Creamery 

@wanderlustcreamery | Dress: Vivienne Westwood via LOHO Bride @viviennewestwood @loho_bride | Suit: Suitsupply @suitsupply | Engagement & Wedding Rings: Happy Jewelers @happyjewelers | Shoes: 

Tony Bianco @tonybianco & MORJAS @morjasshoes