Romantic Wedding Under The Trees
Jacklyn and Sam knew from the start that they wanted to say "I do" under a tree in the open air. Despite the name that might make you think otherwise, Historic Sand Rock Farms was the perfect venue for them! From DIY florals that were even home grown, to a lovely song that the bride wrote for the big day, this gorgeous wedding is a delight for the eyes.
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Before Sam and I were ever engaged, he asked, “So, if you were to get married, where would you want to want to have a wedding?” Of course I said, outside under a tree! I should’ve known that he was filing this away in his clever, soon-to-be-fiancé brain. You see, one crisp fall morning, Sam stood under a tree, got down on one knee and asked, “Will you marry me?” After a tearful 'of course' we celebrated our engagement with an apple pie and eagerly began our wedding planning. The wedding day was a dream. The ceremony and reception took place at the Historic Sand Rock Farm in Aptos, California. It provided the perfect backdrop for our laid-back California wedding. The entire wedding was outdoors and with a late September wedding, the weather couldn’t have been more perfect. The ceremony took place in a beautiful, secluded redwood grove. As I came down the winding path, the rose petal-covered aisle and our closest friends and family came into view. It was an overwhelming moment. Soon, I saw Sam’s beaming face, which Amanda, our photographer, captured beautifully.
At last, the party! The reception took place in an old barrel room just a few steps from the redwood grove where the ceremony was held. The barrel room was simply magnificent. As you enter the arched entryway, you see ivy-covered stone walls, and an open-air ceiling with string lights hanging above. Later in the evening, as the sun set, the soft light from the candles and string lights began to appear – setting the mood for a magical evening.
The barrel room was punctuated by beautiful flower arrangements, all expertly done by mom’s oldest friend from the Philippines, known to me since childhood as Tita Ligaya. The project was actually a collaboration between her and my mom. You see, my mom is an avid gardener, and when Sam and I told her we got engaged, one of her first questions was, “What kind of flowers do you want at your wedding? I need to start growing them!” Well, I ended up falling in love with succulents. As expected, my mom grew over a dozen different varieties of succulents, which were incorporated into the centerpieces, bouquets, and boutonnieres. The succulents also served as the wedding favors. Each guest received one of my mom’s succulents in a glass pot. My mom also built all of the wood boxes for the centerpieces, and wood-burned our initials and wedding date into each box.
Instead of cake, Sam and I opted for wedding pies – fitting since we also celebrated our engagement with pie. The pie stands were a DIY project made from plates, candlesticks, super glue, and a whole lot of spray paint. There were lots of other DIY details, including our handmade programs, a large chalkboard menu, the seating chart, and a word search for each of our guests. My biggest “DIY” project was not your average DIY project. For months, I had been planning a surprise for Sam. It was a song that I wrote and sang for him during the reception. The title of the song: “Under a tree.” At the end of the night, as the dancing ensued and the pies disappeared, Sam and I made sure to pause to soak it all in. It truly was a magical day.
- Caterer: Five Star Catering
- Coordinator: Orralyn & Jane Vithyavuthi
- Flowers: Ligaya Sukke
- Groom & His Men: Hugo Boss
- Makeup: Jennifer Vanderbilt
- Photographers: Blueberry Photography
- Venue: Historic Sand Rock Farms
- Wedding Dresses: Mori Lee
- Wedding Dresses: WTOO by Watters