Wedding | Sonoma Coast California | J& J

September 16, 2009

Ceremony by the Sea

Flowers everywhere. Air filled with sea spray and waves crashing against the coast in the first big winter swell. The depths of the ocean, the mist in the air, a buoyant spirit and a formalized ritual; all a counterpoint to the wedding their wedding a week before at the playa at Burning Man.

It was a dual approach offering two very different spiritual experiences. Not contradictory, but complimentary.? It was families united across cultures, across coasts bonded by a deeply caring and tender love.

The mother of the bride grew all the flowers for the bouquet, as well as the table centerpieces that doubled as stunning colored aisle delineation on the cliffside meadow where the ceremony was held. Grestle Cove, this stretch of romantic coastline was the actual site of the marriage proposal.

The bride and groom were grateful for the people gathered in this rugged special place.? A pair of the groom’s friends from architecture school, self-styled ‘chuppachitects,’ built an amazing site-specific chuppah using lengths of driftwood found along the shore.

The bride finished her beaded wedding gown with her grandmother’s restored vintage earrings and necklace set. The groom wore a vintage three piece formal Western suit he found out here in San Francisco.

Dinner was held at Stillwater Cove, outdoors, with a view of the water and of the flock of sheep and pair of peacocks.
The night concluded with a dance party, DJed by J-Boogie,? under the canopy of paper lanterns.? The three tiered red velvet cake disappeared in minutes after the cake cutting.? At the end of the night, as she urged me to put down my camera and dance with her, the bride expressed her bliss to be surrounded by her friends and family; all united in joy.

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The Mother of the Bride designing the florals.

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Eyelash indulgence.

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Finishing touches.

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Not quite as dramatic a perch as I framed it in camera – I promise.

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Seaside, with parasol.

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On the path to the proposal spot.

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Clifftop meadow ceremony, standing under the beautiful custom driftwood chuppah.

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First Dance

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Enjoying the first bites of the Red Velvet cake from The Cakemaker

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