It’s not often that you get two brides from the same family, but I had the pleasure of planning both the Barry sisters’ weddings within one year of each other. They could not have been filled with more love and I am so happy to have gotten to know this family so well. 

Samantha and Garret were married in Portland at Castaway, November 2018. Jessica and Shane tied the knot at Thomas Fogarty Winery in Woodside, California in June, 2019.

I knew these weddings were going to be something special after my first sit down with Samantha and her mother - they had every detail planned out. But more than anything, they wanted a day centered around family and friends. They achieved just that!

Outlive Creative beautifully captured the Portland backdrop that was complimented by the white, gray, and green color scheme.

My favorite memory from the evening was when the entire room locked arms in a circle and sang John Denver’s Take Me Home, Country Road – a family tradition at weddings. It was a lovely reminder that no matter how perfect each detail is, what really matters are the people in the room with you.

The next summer, it was time for Jessica’s big day! A total contrast to the moody, crisp feel of Portland in November, Jessica and Shane’s California wedding was bright, light, and airy.

The reception on the deck of Thomas Fogarty Winery featured gorgeous center pieces by Sweetness and Light Floral Design.

While stylistically different than her sister wedding, Jessica and Shane’s wedding had the same love and family focus with presents for each kid at their seat, lots of laughter and pranks including “icing” the groom, and a major dance party lead by Woody at Big Fun Disc Jockeys

XO, Beth

Samantha and Garret

Planning by Beth

 Venue: Castaway Portland

 Photo & Video: Outlive Creative

 Floral: Blum Floral

Dessert: Ruby Jewel

Catering: Field Day Catering

 Photo Booth: Flash Photo Booth

 Entertainment: John Ross Music

 Rentals: Bowerbird Events and Really Big Video

Jessie + Shane

Planning by Beth

Venue: Fogarty Winery

Photo: Kate Anfinson Photo

Video: AVR Films

Floral: Sweetness and Light Flowers

Dessert Frost Cupcake Factory

Catering: Continental Catering

Photo Booth: DaSilva Photo Booth

Entertainment: Big Fun DJ

Rentals: Danny Thomas Party Rentals

We just hit the 1-year mark since the day Zach and I celebrated our love in front of our family and friends.

With half of our guests coming from out of town we choose to have our wedding on a long weekend (4th of July). This worked out perfectly as many of the guests ended up coming for the entire week, which enabled us to have more time to spend with extended family.

My vision for our wedding was to keep everything clean, simple & casual so everyone coming would be able to enjoy themselves. We had guest from New York, Illinois, Minnesota, California, Florida, and Georgia. I had not met all of Zach’s extended relatives, so it had the feeling of a reunion. This made our wedding weekend more fun than anticipated because I got to meet my new family!

 Our color scheme was shades of grey and green. This transformed the Left Bank Annex from an empty urban space to an earthy garden feel.

 There were lots of lessons that we learned throughout the process, but below are a few of the key ones.

1.     Make it personal – What will stand out in your guest’s minds are what you do differently from the ‘normal’. Zach and I combined a little of his background (Jewish) and a little bit of my background (Catholic) to make the ceremony our own. We shared a Margarita after our vows which was a tribute to our first date, which was at a Mexican restaurant.

2.    Do not overcommit yourself and assign tasks out – This seems obvious, but it is easy to think you can save money by ‘DIYing’. If you choose to go this route divide up the tasks between friends and family members. Everyone wants to help, so dole out tasks when possible.

3.    Day of coordinator is a MUST! I was lucky to have Stephani as my Day of Coordinator and not only does it take all the stress away on your big day, but they make sure no details are forgotten.

4.    The planning process is inherently stressful. We found that opening a bottle of wine every time we had to “work on the wedding” helped to keep things fun J

5.    Remember this day is all about YOUR SPOUSE and YOU. It is the best party you will ever throw so remember to enjoy and soak up every moment of it as the day comes and goes so quickly.

 
Vendor Team

Photo @brittanyrossmanphoto

Floral @susan.andersen

Venue @leftbankannex

Catering @deangeloscatering

Dress @ brides_for_a_cause

Tux @theblacktux

Decor/Rentals @petercorvallisproductions

Hair and Make Up @blossomandbeauty

Bridesmaids Dresses @Lulus

Officiant @heidiyorkshirecelebrant

Entertainment/DJ @spencer.crum

Hotel @theduniway

Rehearsal Dinner: @swankandswine

October 13, 2018

From Stephani… I first met with Sam and her mom Denise on one of their trips up from California. Sam has such an easy going personality and her mom knows her stuff when it comes to putting on events, so they were building a vendor team that was nothing short of amazing. Nate, self-admittedly, was along for the planning ride, but it was clear all he wanted was to ensure that his bride had the day of her dreams!  I was ecstatic to be asked to join the team! Reminiscing about this wedding brings so many smiles and happy memories. Jake from Sweetlife Photography did an incredible job capturing the day from beginning to end exquisitely.

Sam had a beautiful vision of whites, blues, and greens that translated into an elegant blend of garden and urban elements. Leftbank Annex was the ideal setting for the couple. The ceremony took place in the great room in front of a stunning arch by Blum Floral Design accented by perfect personal flowers for the wedding party.

The best member of the wedding party... Chloe! How adorable is she?

We then transformed the space for guests to enjoy the reception. Blum also composed beautiful centerpieces that incorporated those whites and greens with accents of blue tones.

Art of Catering developed a delicious menu that kept guests full from hors d’oeuvres through dinner and ended with delicious late night snacks. And their stunning cakes was designed by Dream Cakes.

Event Team Entertainment kept the party going till the very end!  The dance floor was packed the entire night. I will admit I loved this couple so much and their crew was so amazing that they convinced me to join the dance party for a song or two!!

XO,

Stephani

Vendor Team

Coordination: Whitney Werts and Co

Venue: Leftbank Annex

Photo: Sweetlife Photography

Catering: Art of Catering

Cake: Dream Cakes

Floral: Blum Floral Design

DJ & Photobooth: Event Team Entertainment

Rentals: Bridgewood Events

HAMU: Brittany Blanchard Makeup Artist

July 7th, 2018

From Whitney… 
This wedding is a very special wedding to me because I got to work with Taylor and her family for nearly two years planning and designing this day at Kestrel Park in Santa Ynez, and along the way they became very dear friends of mine!  Taylor and Collin’s wedding at Kestrel Park was a show stopper not only because of all of the thought and personal touches that went into the design and the one-of-a-kind European setting at Kestrel Park amongst the Santa Ynez Valley, but their strong love for each other and the JOY their families had for their union was felt throughout the entire day.

We are honored that this wedding was just recently featured on California Wedding Standard!

Here is their beautiful wedding Film by Roman Howell Films to Kick things off! And don’t miss words below from the bride, Taylor, including sharing their wonderful love story since Junior High!

Now from the bride Taylor on their love story, inspiration, and favorite details and memories of the day!

Our love story started in junior high (2006), when we were introduced by a mutual friend. My friend, and her boyfriend at the time, brought me along with them to Collin's house. Collin thought it was a great idea to play a game of 2-on-2 soccer in his backyard with two club soccer players. Collin and I are very competitive, so of course neither of us wanted to lose. Collin said he was first impressed by my athleticism and competitive nature, and I enjoyed his attempts at flirting. Little did we know that our love story would begin after an innocent game of soccer. The rest of that summer we hung out after school almost every day. We even had our first kiss while playing hide-and-seek. Collin said he wanted to "hide" with me and he snuck a kiss while the other team was looking for us. He does admit that the kiss wasn't very good (I had never kissed a boy before). When Collin went to high school the next year, he thought it wasn't cool to be dating a junior high schooler, especially after his Geometry teacher and my family's friend announced to the whole class that he was "seeing" a junior high school girl. He was so embarrassed in front of cute, upperclass girls so we didn't see each other again until after I arrived at St. Joseph High School the next year. It wasn't until my junior year and Collin's senior year (2010) that we found our way back into each other's lives. I remember Collin asked me to be his girlfriend in my friend's jacuzzi one night. He was so nervous, but finally mustered up enough courage to ask me. Then it came time for Collin to go off to college at Pepperdine University in Malibu, while I finished up my senior year of high school. We made our "long-distance" relationship work for about 5 months, until we decided it was time go our separate ways so we could both have the college experience. The following year, I ended up going to California Lutheran University in Thousand Oaks, only 30 minutes away from Pepperdine University. We would hang out during the summer, but for the most part, we thought it was best to enjoy college life separately. I was so busy playing for the D3 Women's Soccer Team, and Collin started a fraternity with a group of friends. We dated other people, but those relationships were always missing something. I'll never forget how often I thought about Collin when I was studying abroad in Australia. There's something about being on the other side of the world that makes you appreciate what you have back home. And it's almost as if he sensed I was missing him, because I received a Facebook message from him one morning asking how my time in Australia was. After almost 3 years apart, we decided we didn't want to spend another minute without each other, and have been together since 2013. We've been in each other's lives for almost 10 years. 

 OVERALL INSPRIATION

Collin and I wanted to make our day all about our long-standing romance, so we decided the theme of our wedding would be romantic elegance. 

 FAVORITE DETAILS

Collin and I were really excited to include some family heirlooms for our day, including my grandfather's (John "Jay" Will) 1958 Mercedes and my grandparent's (John "Jay" and Anne Will) loving cup. My grandma and grandpa received the loving cup on their wedding day as a gift. Now, every couple that gets married on my dad's side of the family, starting with my grandparents, has included the loving cup in their day. My grandma has engraved each couple's names on the side of the cup. The couple is supposed to drink champagne from it at the same time (it has a cup on each end) to celebrate and commemorate their union. My jewelry was also very important to me. For my 21st birthday, Collin's dad (Patrick Cusack) gave me Collin's mom's (Janice Cusack) tennis bracelet. She passed away in 2011, and I wanted nothing more than to have a piece of her with me on our wedding day. Also, for my bridal shower, my mom (Karen Will) gave me her grandmother's and my great grandmother's wedding ring and band. I never got to meet her but my mom tells me what an extraordinary woman she was. 

FAVORITE MEMORIES

Collin and my vows were easily one of our favorite parts of the day. There is nothing more special than looking into your partner's eyes on your wedding day and telling them how much they mean to you. Another important moment that comes to mind was Collin reading his mom's letter that she wrote him a couple weeks before she passed away. We wanted Collin to hear his mom's words and feel her presence on our day. She wrote him a beautiful letter about marriage, her hopes and dreams for him, and her wish for him to keep the Lord close to him always. Another moment that comes to mind is my cousin (Abigail Maguire) reading a bible verse that was important to Collin's mom. The night she died, Collin had a dream about a bible verse. He woke up the next morning and decided to look it up in his mom's bible. When he turned to the page, he noticed that his mom had highlighted that particular verse (Colossians 1:9-12) and wrote next to it "pray for our kids". She has never stopped praying for us, and she always hoped that we would remain close to the Lord. Lastly, my dad read me, my mom, and my sister a letter about a sixpence coin in your shoe for your wedding day. The letter was about the significance and the traditions behind it. My dad found a penny from 1993, the year I was born, and put it in my shoe right before I walked down the aisle to bring me and our marriage good luck. It was a sentimental moment for all of us.

 ABOUT THEIR VENDOR TEAM!

First of all, Whitney Werts, owner and lead designer of Whitney Werts & Company, was amazing. Whitney is so organized and on-top-of everything that she made the process easy for my mom, Collin, and I. I was also impressed with her diligence in ensuring our vision was carried out from start to finish. She took so much time talking to us about all the details we envisioned for our day, and took great care in helping us choose vendors that would do the same. Secondly, Emma Hopp, owner of Emma Hopp Photography, was one of our favorite vendors. We chose Emma as our photographer because she captures the raw, emotional moments that you never want to forget, and let's you have fun and enjoy your wedding day without all of the posing. Our wedding photos turned out so beautiful! Thirdly, Scott and Claudia Matthews, the owners of Kestrel Park. Scott and Claudia are two of the nicest people to work with. Not only is their property absolutely gorgeous and so well-kept, they were willing to go the extra mile to help make our day so special. 

Fourthly, Field to Table Catering and Events, owned and operated by Tracy Labastida. Not only did Tracy and his team customize our menu to reflect our vision and taste, but they also provided an amazing food tasting experience prior to our wedding. Collin and I couldn't be happier about how our food turned out. Tracy and his team cooked all of our favorite things to perfection. Our guests can't stop raving about how good it was. Last but not least, Roman Howell, owner of Roman Howell Films. Roman does impeccable work. He wants to know everything from beginning to end, to ensure that he captures your whole love story. You can tell that he truly loves what he does and wants his clients to feel the magic of their day. Our wedding film is one-of-a-kind, and we are so grateful we chose him to capture our day. 

HER ADVICE

Hire a wedding planner! Our day would not have gone as smoothly as it did without Whitney and her team. Do your research! Spend a lot of time looking at different vendors and choose the ones you know will see your vision through. Also, don't stress! Your wedding day will go by in a flash so make sure to take in all of those special moments. There will be mishaps and mistakes made, but don't let those things ruin your day. 

XO,
Whitney

Our Amazing Vendors!!

Planning: Whitney Werts & Company
Photography: Emma Hopp Photography
Floral: Anna Le Pley Taylor
Venue: Kestrel Park
Food: Field to Table Events
Videography: Roma Howell Films
Dress: Jinza Bridal
Tux: The Black Tux
Decor: The Tent Merchant and Theoni Collection
Desserts: Crush Cakes
Linens: La Tavola Fine Linen Rentals
Calligraphy: Sophia Loves Letters
Invitations: Honey Paper
Transportation: Jump on the School Bus
Hair and Makeup: The Queens Bees
Bridesmaids Dresses: Bella Bridesmaids

We were fortunate enough to have the opportunity to plan a wedding at this incredible Private home in Tiburon, CA. I don’t think the views could get any more stunning!! This wedding was recently featured on Once Wed’s blog. All images captured by the talented Yuliya Jul Photography !

When Laura and Owen started planning their wedding day, they knew the overall vibe that they wanted was a very unique, loving, warm, and intimate celebration. They wanted it to have a laid-back atmosphere, yet still be magical and romantic. Last, but definitely not least, a big dance party was a must!

Design wise, they wanted their reception to be romantic and airy – to pair with the incredible rolling landscape views of the bay from the Tiburon estate that was their venue. They brought in linen draped cabanas, wood farm tables, and gold chiavaris chairs. Tablescapes incorporated lots of texture and layers, with lush, romantic blush and white florals. They had ivory lace table runners and blush napkins to bring a little color to each place setting. All were accented by an eclectic mix of modern and vintage tea lights, crystal candlesticks, and mirrored bases.

The setting at the private home was truly one-of-a-kind. Guests enjoyed their time exploring the various nooks of the property, each with equally gorgeous views. The reception was a family-style, catered meal under the candlelight and twinkle lights of the cabanas. Afterwards, everyone danced the night away t. It was a magical night!

Photography Yuliya Jul Photography

Event Planning Whitney Werts & Company 

Floral Design Scarlett and Grace

Videography Studio Arcady

Dress Erin Cole from Jin Wang Bridal

Hair Bethany at Posh Salon 

Makeup Megan Lombardi

Venue Private Property in Tiburon, CA

Catering Oz Catering

Dessert Krumbs Cakes

Rentals Stuart Event Rentals & Bright Event Rentals

Linens La Tavola Fine Linens

DJ Crum Entertainmen