Spring Pastel Cliffside Wedding

Carissa and Greg’s May wedding was a romantic and fun celebration with lawn games, a casual “garden party” dress code, lots of DIY projects and homemade desserts. They chose a palette of pretty pastel hues: lavender (Greg likes purple), sage (Carissa adores the dusty color of succulents), blush (like Carissa’s favorite blooms, Café au Lait dahlias) and peach (the perfect springtime shade). The Martin Johnson House was the ideal venue due to its lovely setting on a cliff surrounded by cypress trees, where they had a handfasting ceremony using a Coast Guard line to literally “tie the knot.” The nuptials also included a tribute to those who couldn’t be there with an “In Memory” candle and sign, and a single boutonniere was placed on a chair at the ceremony in honor of Carissa’s older brother, who died when she was 16. Their DIY projects included the handmade birch arch for the ceremony (courtesy of Carissa’s dad) and the potted lavender along the aisle (thanks to her mom). Greg and Carissa crafted colorful ribbon stream wands and potted succulents for favors, too. heidi-o-photo captured their day!

A gorgeous cliffside wedding in La Jolla, CA

The story of us goes back 13 years, to sophomore year. No, we weren’t high school sweethearts (that’s everyone’s first thought!). We were just friends, growing up in Simi Valley, California, and no one would have put us together back then. One of my good girl friends had a major crush on him at the time and I had a boyfriend. Greg was just my fun-loving, sweet and goofy pal. Funny enough, Greg and my best friend (and maid of honor!) went to senior prom together (as friends), and I went with Greg’s best friend (as smitten friends, that never turned into anything more).

After graduation, I went off to college in Malibu and Greg joined the U.S. Coast Guard, which took him to New Jersey, Seattle, Virginia, Alaska… and finally back to SoCal. During that time we kind of lost touch, seeing each other once or twice when he came back to Simi to visit. A bit embarrassingly, it was Facebook that reconnected us in 2011, when Greg posted about purchasing a condo in San Diego, and he invited me and my bestie to come check it out. It was on a Labor Day weekend trip to do just that when something new sparked between us. A long-distance flirtation ensued and by Halloween we were no longer just friends. Less than two years later, while vacationing in Maui, slow dancing in the sand, Greg dropped to his knee and – to my great surprise – asked me to marry him! – Carissa