We leaned into the laid-back California vibes of Ojai
Tell us a little about yourselves, what you do, what you love…
Daniel and I live in Los Angeles and have an energetic pup named Otto. Daniel works in tech, and I work in marketing at a landscape design studio. We moved to LA from SF during COVID and found our home on the east side, where we love renovating, gardening, and enjoying the amazing food our neighbourhood has to offer. Ojai is just a short drive from LA and is one of our favourite places when we want to get out of the city. We’re so glad we were able to have our wedding in such a special place.
How/where/when did you meet – and what were your first impressions?
We met at a startup in San Francisco called Peerspace when we were 24. Daniel became my work crush, and he officially asked me out on a date a few months later. We kept it secret (or so we thought) for about a year before telling people. Turns out most of the company already knew!
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).
The location became our main inspiration for the look and feel of the wedding. The hotel has a fun midcentury retro feel to it, with lush landscaping and a central pool. We leaned into the laid-back California vibes of Ojai and wanted the surroundings to be the main feature, rather than bringing in a lot of design elements.
What did you enjoy most about the planning process, and do you have any tips for couples starting their wedding planning journey?
Daniel and I love a house project, and the wedding felt like an extension of this, where we got to be creative and work on a shared vision together. Thankfully, we both are pretty aligned on most things, so the planning process was pretty seamless. Once we landed on the Capri as our venue, all the other details fell into place.
Tell us about your vendors. Were there any standout suppliers you would like to make special mention of?
Our month-of planner, Jennifer, was incredible! We had a lot of the details already planned, but she helped with the little things we never would have thought of. I remember feeling so relaxed during the wedding weekend, and a huge part of that was thanks to Jen. Also, our food! We went with our favourite Mediterranean spot called Ojai Rotie, which served everything family style. I loved the colourful tablescape filled with fresh food and seeing friends and family enjoying the meal together.
Tell us about your main outfits, what was unique, and is there a story?
The wedding dress was probably the hardest part of the whole planning process. I was undecided until about a month before the wedding. I thought I’d go for a simple silky dress but didn’t like them on and ended up with a more fitted silhouette. I’m so happy with the dress I ended up with – it was comfortable, elegant, and, most importantly, I felt like me.
Tell us about your wedding and engagement rings.
We worked with Noon Jewelry in Canada on the engagement ring. I loved designing it with Sophia. I knew I wanted something classic but with my own take on it – the band has this beautiful organic shape to it. It feels imperfect yet timeless. The band was custom-made by Jessica Seaton Studio out of LA.
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?)
Photography, food, florals, and the venue were all really important to us. Even though we were on budget, we didn’t want to sacrifice on amazing vendors. We got creative in how we could work with them – whether it was paring down the amount of florals and the number of hours for photography. We definitely wanted film and are so happy we splurged with that option. The film really captures the essence of the day.
Was there a favourite moment (or two) that you will treasure always?
One of our favourite parts about the whole weekend was having our loved ones all in one place. Welcome drinks, the ceremony, and the reception were all at the Capri, so guests didn’t have to travel far to get there. They just had to walk down from their hotel room or the neighbouring hotel that held some of the overflow guests. Ojai is a very small town, and I loved bumping into family and friends throughout the weekend. It felt like adult summer camp.
The ceremony ended up being incredibly memorable as well. Having my dad walk me down and seeing Dan at the end of the aisle still makes me emotional.
What does being married mean to you, and are there any special rituals you have that you would like to share?
Dan and I had been together for 9 years before we got married, so our lives already felt very intertwined. Because of this, I didn’t expect that getting married would feel that different. So much is the same, but there’s an even deeper sense of togetherness now that we’re husband and wife. We are in it for the long haul, have each other’s backs, and are both excited to grow together.
LOCATION Capri Hotel, Ojai, California, @caprihotel_ojai_official BRIDE Stephanie, @stephmwong GROOM Daniel PHOTOGRAPHER Monique Bianca, @moniquebiancaphoto PLANNER Jennifer Sullivan – Lavender Lights Events, @lavenderlightsevents FLORIST Jayne Kim – Still Carnations, @stillcarnations ENTERTAINMENT Feel Good Ojai, @feelgoodojai HIRE Amigo Event Rentals, @amigo.event.rentals CATERING Ojai Rôtie, @ojairotie ENGAGEMENT RING Noon Jewellery, @noonjewellery BRIDE’S DRESS Whisper – Sarah Seven, @sarahseven BRIDE’S SHOES LoQ, @loq MAKEUP By the bride GROOM’S SUIT Theory, @theory__
