Wedding | Marian & Matthew
Tell us a little about yourselves!
We have been together for 10 years. Both born and raised in Southern California, and the same city for most of our upbringing. However, we didn’t connect until 2016. We had both been working with the same restaurant group but at different locations when we were finally introduced to one another by our colleagues. Interest was instant. Too shy to make the first move, we stole glances for two months and engaged in sweet and mildly flirtatious small talk before I (Marian) asked Matthew out one evening during a shift. But not without consulting with best friend and roommate, Grayson - who was also there that night - first. My gut told me that our feelings for each other were mutual, but Grayson’s excitement at the mere thought of me asking his roommate out was all the reassurance I needed. Grayson was the officiant at our wedding. He was there from the very beginning of our relationship.
We began dating and after a year and a half our relationship became long distance. I moved to New York to pursue my career in TV and film and he moved to Huntington Beach. We continued long distance for over two years, but mid-2020, Matthew packed his bags and hopped on his motorcycle to ride cross-country. He was moving to New York. After several years of living and building a home together, a trip to Spain quickly began our next greatest chapter. Matthew proposed on a beautiful spring night in Madrid.
At 32 and 35, we now find ourselves residing in Los Angeles building careers in TV / Film and Sales, and continuing to create a beautiful life together.
Why did you decide to get married where you did?
Marian: I have very fond memories of Santa Barbara. My mom, sister and I would spend long weekends exploring the quaint shops and restaurants when we were younger. Matthew and I also both have a shared affinity for Spanish architecture, and the city is full of it. You can’t go wrong with its beauty and sense of peacefulness.
Elings Park, Godric Grove was the very first venue I saw online when we started location scouting. For the longest time, I always envisioned myself getting married on a grass lawn under a large oak tree. So specific, but the image remained a part of me, and it had exactly that. I couldn’t believe it. It was perfect from the jump.
How many guests did you have?
42! 45 if we include our bartender and coordinators in that count. Friends of ours who jumped in and performed some enormous favors for us to make our day that much more intimate and special. We feel overwhelmingly grateful to each and every person who shared that day with us.
What was your budget?
Under $30k. Although, with a DIY wedding, we kind of lost track. We didn’t account for many of the things we purchased over the length of our engagement. The big ticket items we kept within range, but we definitely surpassed that ceiling. We feel it’s better to not know the final number. Ignorance is bliss?
Tell us about your outfits.
Matthew: I wanted to go with something classic and timeless. Nothing too overstated or flashy, just tasteful with a little touch of sophistication. I opted for the Marc Nolan loafers since they featured both traditional patented leather as well as a modern honeycomb knitted top. This gave a classic look and feel with some new-school elements and multiple textures. Everything else was rather traditional and straightforward, from the shirt studs to the cuff links and suspenders. A timeless style with that ‘Less is more’ look was the only real criteria I had in mind. It's rather simple but I'm happy with how it turned out!
Marian: I didn’t really have a vision of what I wanted my getting-ready outfit to be, but as soon as I came across this French lace robe by designer SarafinaDreams on Etsy I think I audibly gasped. It was perfect. It felt vintage and timeless in such a unique way, and something that I will now keep for the rest of my life. Matthew and I knew that we wanted to spend the whole day together leading up to our ceremony, but as soon as I saw this robe I knew it needed to be photographed. So we had our own “undone first look” photos taken prior to him leaving for the venue. It was probably the only real moments we shared together alone before walking down the aisle. So this outfit holds a special place in my heart.
My ceremony dress is a funny story. I didn’t find it or try it on until five weeks out from our wedding day. I wasn’t one for going to boutiques and designers and trying on dresses until I dropped. My mom and I ordered 3 dresses to her home in Oregon to finally pick one. In truth, it was something that I mourned, as the thought finally occurred to me that I wouldn’t have that feeling of finding “the one,” but this dress finally made me feel like a bride, and that was more than enough for me. A beautiful basque waist gown by Jenny Yoo. My mom stitched floral lace appliques on the bodice to make it feel like my own and adorned it with nine uniquely shaped freshwater pearls along the backside of the dress, representing Matthew and I’s 9 years together prior to marriage. That was a detail I knew I wanted to include on whatever dress I ended up wearing. It was so special. A veil, however, was something I debated even wearing. Over our two year engagement I tried on two veils and they both freaked me out. It just wasn’t for me. I was set on not wearing one, but my mom surprised me two weeks out from our wedding with a veil, handmade by her. A narrow fingertip veil finished with the same lace appliques featured on my dress. I loved it instantly.
My second look is incredibly special, one-of-a-kind, and my favorite. It was entirely handmade by my mom, Julie. It was originally intended to be my wedding dress, but after so many variations and many things going wrong with its construction, we pivoted to ordering dresses. My mom has never made anything like this before. She had made her own dresses when she was a teenager, and constantly sewed new throw pillows when she wanted to change up the decor in the house, but nothing of this scale. I pulled inspiration from so many different dresses, but the design was ultimately my own, and I knew I wanted it to be gold, two-toned and asymmetrical in some capacity. We raised the front hem to a tea length and left the back long with a short train. This also allowed me to finally show off my shoes. Malone Souliers Bettina Buckle Pumps in white satin. The time I got to spend with my mom planning and creating this dress was a dream come true, and something I will cherish forever. It was a true testament and labor of love… and a test of her patience. ‘Thank you’ will never be enough for how grateful I am.
What was the most important aspect for you, in terms of planning your wedding?
A lot of our decision making centered around the true purpose of our day - for it to feel intimate, intentional and most importantly, fun. Although the vision-boarding and the decor and details of the day were exciting and creatively challenging in the best way, none of it mattered at the end of the day. We know everyone says that, but it really is true. The vision was there and that was enough. Things went wrong, things weren’t perfect, but the love we felt and the time we spent with each one of our guests was something wonderfully surreal. And then we proceeded to ‘slap the bag’ on the dance floor and danced our asses off. An ongoing wedding tradition amongst our friends that we were happy to officially partake in.
Were there any elements that were important for you to incorporate?
Our intimate guest count included our closest friends and family, so ultimately it was important for us that everyone felt a sense of inclusivity. Between our bartender and coordinators being dear friends, another making ceramic pots for our floral decorations, and a surprise “You are our witness!” card taped underneath a randomly selected ceremony chair, it was all intended for the day to feel as special as the people who celebrated it with us. Almost everyone already knew one another, but those who didn’t were already forging friendships at our Friday welcome party.
Also, tokens of appreciation for our wedding party that held sentiment and didn’t feel wasteful. Matthew wanted to find a gift for his groomsmen that steered away from the traditional flask / cigar cutter / pocket knife-esque ensemble. He instead ended up finding vintage 1950’s German beer mugs, which he ended up scouring the internet to find six matching mugs from three different sellers. A keepsake, and something that could be used time and time again.
For my bridesmaids, I carefully selected jewelry pieces and getting-ready outfits that felt uniquely “them” and tailored to their style and personalities. A beautiful mix of a vintage 100% silk jacquard kimono, a 1980’s Halston satin robe with embroidered sleeves, an elegant floor length silk maxi dress with matching duster, and a two piece robe and pant set finished with a flirty ruffle hem. It was so exciting to finally gift the pieces I had been collecting for nearly a year and a half, and seeing their excitement and smiles meant everything. Pieces that they can love and use for a very long time.
Any tips for couples getting married?
Don’t sacrifice the things that mean a lot to you. Make time for one another before the ceremony - whatever that looks like for you. Stay grounded, centered and present. Eat. Relinquish responsibilities, your vendors are there for a purpose. Let your coordinator know if there is anything you want to save or keep from the day. Try your best to not leave each other's side. You will naturally get pulled away from one another, but make sure to soak up your most special day, together.
Are there any vendors that you would like to tell us a little more about?
Our caterer, Super Cucas! Two things were important to us on the day - excellent food and great music, and Super Cucas delivered. A locally loved and longstanding Santa Barbara staple that we were very happy to support. Every guest we talked to mentioned how great the food was, and the caterers were so sweet and provided wonderful service.
We also cannot go without mentioning our photographer, Kenna Hisky. From our very first phone call and all communication with her leading up to our wedding, everything with her felt effortless. She is so kind and talented, and she knows how to read the space. She once mentioned how she “operates in the background,” and we never once felt like we had a camera in our face, so it especially rings true. She felt just like any one of our friends that day. We feel so honored to have had her a part of our most special occasion.
Photographer: Kenna Hisky Co @kennahisky.co | Styling: Marian, Matthew & Groomsmen | Flora: Marian & her mother, from The Original Los Angeles Flower Market | Ceremony & Reception Location: Elings Park, Santa Barbara @elingspark | Celebrant: friend | Hire: Bright Event Rentals @brightevent
rentals | HMUA: Marla & Co. Hair & Makeup @marla_hairandmakeup | Catering: Super Cucas @super
cucasrestaurant | Entertainment: AMS Events, DJ Flamezz @amsevents_sb @djflamezz805 | Pottery: Karl Rohlin @rohlinclay | Ceremony Backdrop & Welcome Sign: DIY by the couple | | Ceremony Dress: Jenny Yoo @jennyyoonyc @anthropologie | Reception Dress: by Marian's mother | Tuxedo: Bonobos @bonobos | Veil: by Marian’s mother | Getting Ready Outfit: SarafinaDreams. @sarafina
dreams | Engagement Ring: Custom | Wedding Rings: Solid Gold Bands @solidgoldbands; (Marian) Quince @onequince | Shoes: (Matthew) Marc Nolan @marcnolanofficial; (Marian) Malone Souliers @malonesouliers | Earrings: Museum of Jewelry @moj_designs | Pearls: late Grandmother’s | Watch: 90’s Omega Seamaster
