True Love Stories Never Have Endings

Color Palette: Ivory and Sage (Greenery); Gold Accents
That one where they get married anyway. F*** the pandemic, we’ll just adjust. 

Date: 10/23/20

Location: Malibu Solstice Vinyards

Guest Count: 17

Theme/Vibe: Simple, Elegant, and Romantic

Vendors: 

Photographer: @anniebangphoto

Florist: @lilypadfloraldesign

Planning: @that_bliss

Design: @that_bliss

Rentals: @3littlebirdseventplanning

Catering: @larootscatering

Baker: @twintreats

Venue: @malibusolsticevinyards

Bar: @miabartending

HMUA: @kellyzhangstudio

It’s a tale as old as time… at this point. Boy meets girl. Girl falls for boy. They get engaged and begin wedding planning. Then the pandemic ruins their plans. This is yet again, another tale of a couple who had huge plans for their day, only to have to reimagine what their wedding would look like. Honestly, I’m just grateful for all of our couples that were so set on pushing past the limitations of 2020 and 2021. We may not have been able to do weddings like “normal”, but we sure as hell got creative. These micro weddings ended up being so sweet and romantic. Couples got to have luxe events that they may not otherwise have gotten to have, because the budgets were usually still there but guest counts were minimal. This allowed us to really add in elements to level up their day. Personally, I prefer the smaller weddings because they are so intimate and stress-free.

Stephanie and Galen were no exception to the COVID rule. In fact, they were one of the couples that got royally screwed over by the pandemic, when their original venue CLOSED DOWN and had, if I’m remembering correctly, $17k or so of their money and KEPT IT! Luckily, they thought ahead and got wedding insurance from the get-go. This allowed them to recoup all of their lost funds. When they came to me, they had planned their wedding fully before and did not have the heart to do it all over again. We hit the ground running.

The tricky part of planning their microwedding was they were out of town clients, living in Washington D.C. but getting married in SoCal. We even did their venue tours through FaceTime. We found Malibu Solstice on VRBO as a vacation rental and were able to lock them in as their wedding venue. This was my first time working at this stunning property and turned out to not be our last. We ended up on their preferred venue list! Solstice sits on the peak of a mountain top in Malibu overlooking the valley of the mountains on one side and the ocean on the other. If it’s cloudy enough, it even looks like you are floating! This estate is perfect for anyone wanting a little Cali getaway with 360 degree stunning views.

With how breathtaking the venue is on its own, we didn’t have to do much to dress it up. Add some high end linens, market lighting, lush florals, and luxe table settings and you’ve got just about the dreamiest day possible. The trick with this spot though, is making sure to work with vendors that are familiar with the property. The drive up is a little steep, with lots of sharp edges and turns. It’s important to keep this in mind when booking, because some box trucks and shuttles may have a hard time getting there. Luckily our rental company and caterer were well versed with the venue and the mountains in Malibu. 

Our thinking behind their wedding was to make it more of a grand dinner event instead of your normal wedding dance party. With only 17 people, you really do not need to have a DJ present. We used a large G-Boom speaker and a predetermined playlist for music. The focus truly was on the venue and the dinner. LA Roots came in solid with an amazing multicourse meal, including hors d'oeuvres, salads, pasta, and entree, and we topped it off with the amazing Twin Treats dessert bar. Guests were full from great food, yummy drinks, and welcoming company.

I love reminiscing on the microwedding days. These events were so special and proved that even the pandemic couldn’t stop true love.