Baylee + Chad by The Lopes Photography - Together Journal

For the wedding itself, we wanted timeless elegance—black tie with a European feel.

Tell us a little about yourselves, what you do, what you love…

We’re based in Los Angeles with our dog, Tom Petty. He’s eight now—we rescued him when he was just four months old, and he’s been with us through everything since.

Baylee works in financial planning, and Chad’s a sommelier and wine consultant, so food and wine are a big part of our life. We love traveling the world, woodworking, cooking, surfing, and golfing.

Most weekends, you’ll find us at the beach with Petty or meeting up with friends to try a new local restaurant.

How/where/when did you meet – and what were your first impressions?

We met on April 24, 2016, on a yacht in Miami Beach. Baylee was living in Miami at the time, and Chad was visiting from LA with a mutual friend who invited us both out for the day.

We were in full vacation mode—sun, music, drinks—the whole vibe. Bay was walking along the front of the yacht, lost my balance, and fell right into Chad’s lap. I smiled at him… and never got up. That pretty much set the tone.

From that day on, we were inseparable. Chad started coming to Miami for weeks at a time, and I’d spend time out in LA. Eventually, we road-tripped across the country together and started our next chapter on the West Coast.

Tell us about the vision you had for the mood and style of your wedding. (theme, key styling elements, florals, colour palettes etc.).

We wanted each part of our wedding weekend to feel fun and relaxed, with its own vibe that really showed who we are.

For the welcome party, we went full Miami Vice—bright colours, bold energy, and a nod to where we first met. It set the tone for the weekend and brought everyone together right away.

The next day, we hosted a pool party with a fun, relaxed vibe. Great pizza, margaritas, and time to unwind with our friends before the big day—it was exactly what we wanted.

For the wedding itself, we wanted timeless elegance—black tie with a European feel. We chose soft pink and blue tones to match the palace and its beautiful azulejos. It felt elegant, timeless, and perfectly in sync with the setting.

What styling and visual elements worked best for you? (could be things, the florals, particular hire products or your marquee, etc., something the stylist created or simply just the scenic beauty of your location or the existing design of your venue).

One of the most important things for us was having a venue where some of our closest friends and family could stay for the weekend. We wanted everyone from our inner circle to be together.

As soon as we saw Palacio de Tancos, we knew it was the perfect fit. Located right in the city centre, the terrace was incredible, and we loved how the venue blended modern comforts with historic charm. The beautiful azulejo tiles really caught our eye and tied everything together visually.

After our first conversation with Patricia, we felt confident we had found exactly what we were looking for—it just felt right.

The combination of the venue’s natural beauty and unique details made styling so much easier, letting us focus on creating meaningful moments with the people we care about most.

What did you enjoy most about the planning process, and do you have any tips for couples starting their wedding planning journey?

Our biggest advice is to start early. There are so many decisions to make, and giving yourself time really helps you figure out what’s most important. Some vendors book up more than a year in advance, so getting a head start makes a huge difference.

One of our favourite parts of the process was going back to Lisbon together a year before the wedding. That trip helped us choose the welcome party venue and gave us a real feel for the city, which made the whole experience more personal and grounded. Meeting vendors in person also helped everything come together more smoothly.

Tell us about your vendors. Were there any standout suppliers you would like to make special mention of?

Palácio de Tancos was the perfect venue for us. After reaching out to over 100 venues, it stood out for its central location, beautiful terrace views, and historic charm. The staff was so helpful throughout the process, especially as we were planning from abroad.

The Lopes Photography (Savannah & Rui) were the first people we booked, and we couldn’t have done this without them. They brought such a calming energy, helped guide us through so many decisions, and completely nailed the look we were after. They used a mix of digital, film, and black-and-white photography that captured the whole weekend beautifully.

Carolina from Lovers Studio, our day-of coordinator, was a total dream. She helped with design decisions, handled every logistical detail, and ensured everything ran smoothly. We trusted her completely, and she delivered.

Tell us about your main outfits, what was unique, and is there a story?

I knew I wanted an original piece, so finding a one-of-a-kind gown by Adam Zohar at NWLA Bridal in Santa Monica was perfect. The dress felt truly unique and timeless. The team there was incredible—they made the whole process so easy and enjoyable.

I paired the gown with vintage Chanel heels I’d been saving for a special occasion. I also loved adding custom lace gloves and a matching veil, which gave the look a personal, elegant touch.

It all came together perfectly for the palace setting—classic, a little bold, and completely me.

Tell us about your wedding and engagement rings.

We chose to get married in Lisbon because we wanted a smaller, low-key wedding where everyone could relax and feel like they were on vacation.

We’d been to other European destination weddings and loved the vibe.

Chad’s father was an airline pilot for 45 years and spent a lot of time in Lisbon. He always told us it would be one of our favourite places. On our first trip to Europe together in 2018, we visited Lisbon and the Algarve—and we absolutely fell in love with it.

Unfortunately, we never got to visit Portugal with Chad’s father before he passed away in 2023. So getting married in Lisbon felt especially meaningful to us—it was a way to honour him and celebrate in one of his favourite places.

What were one or two elements that were most important to you both that you were happy to spend a little more on? (food, photography, florals, the venue, your outfits?).

For us, photography, food, and wine were the areas we were happy to spend a bit more on. We’re huge foodies, and with Chad working in the wine industry, having great wine was a must. We also love film photography and knew that high-quality photos would be something we’d treasure forever.

We had a last-minute hiccup securing wines for the weekend, so Chad and his friend Jarrod went out hunting for options. They ended up at Comida Independente, where they met the owner, Rita Santos—an absolute gem. She spent hours helping them pick out and place special orders to make sure we had exactly what we wanted. They spent so much time “tasting” with her that Chad was quite late to the welcome party!

Was there a favourite moment (or two) that you will treasure always?

We’ll always treasure our private first look and sharing our vows just between us. It was such an intimate and special time before the big day.
We also had a small, official ceremony in Santa Barbara, one of our favourite places. Just eight people were there, including our pup, who was the ring bearer. We rented a beautiful Airbnb with ocean views and invited close family and friends. Since some couldn’t make it to Lisbon, this was a nice way to include them.

We got legally married a week before leaving for Lisbon, and it was great to just relax, hang out at the beach, and enjoy some calm before the big wedding and all the travel.