When you’re Brittany Spyksma and Travis Howard (The Howard’s, thank you very much!) everything you do is a scorching metal fire ball speeding down the barrel of a cannon and something is about to go “BOOM”!  Suffice it to say, their wedding was no different.  It matched their love, beauty, spirit and wild perfection in every way.  Every…single…solitary…way!   I’ll say it again…Dreamiest Wedding Ever.  For starters…they look like this…

Dreamy, right?!  If you don’t think  this photo looks like something right out of your wildest wedding fantasies, then you’re dead.  That’s right…you croaked and didn’t know it.

Their invitation arrived on heavy  vanilla tinted paper with a wine colored inscription that read “join us for a breathtaking evening of Magic, Music and Marriage.”   The invite was accompanied by a redwood fragranced insert that read:  “GET READY FOR THE BEST PARTY YOU’VE EVER BEEN TO.”  Yep.  That pretty much sets the tone and sums it up.  But you’ve gotta remember…we’re talking about these two.  When you look and feel like this, confidence is your mantra.  (All kidding aside, they are as beautiful inside as they are outside and the best friends anyone would be lucky enough to have!)

I am going to do my best not to blather on and on ad nauseam about the perfection of this wedding.  Pictures should tell the story quite well!

San Ysidro Ranch in Santa Barbara, California was the backdrop to the day and no picture that I took will ever be able to capture the majesty of this unforgettable place.  Do yourself a favor and click here to see this spellbinding location in all it’s photojournalistic glory.    However, this is the scene I captured upon entering the wedding site.  Insert jaw dropping here.

We sipped champagne, mingled with wedding guests and at the appointed time, made our way to the garden just beyond the stone wall where the chairs had been assembled in the round.  Ceremony perfection. A grassy, folky, country quartet played beneath a lush pergola as we made our way to our seats for the ceremony.  So Brittany and Travis…

Now I’m not one to get “star struck” but little did I know that the lady in the background wearing a white coat was making her way to sit beside me.  No big deal…she’s only an Academy Award Winning actress!  Yep…fun stuff.  In fact, the day was sprinkled with a “who’s who” cast of Hollywood heavyweights.   Just another “day in the life” when you’re the Howards.  However, it was my ringside view of Travis as he looked at his bride that seized my heart.  With tear filled eyes and a grin as big as Texas, Travis stopped in the middle of the ceremony and said to Brittany, “This is the best wedding ever!”…like no one else was even there…as though it were just the two of them.  It was an amazing moment…

The girl…the dress…the grand entrance as Mr. and Mrs Howard!  Brittany and Travis joined the rest of us in the side garden where we were enjoying delectable passed hors d’oeuvres and signature cocktails designed by the newlyweds.  Don’t worry…I’ll share.

After cocktails, we moved into an adjacent courtyard area for dinner and dancing.  As a designer and blogger…the feast for the eyes was just getting started!  No stone had been left unturned in the planning of this event as every detail was executed beautifully and  flawlessly.  Ladies and Gentlemen…the flowers!

We arrived upon this sexy and awe inspiring tablescape scene.  Never has a floral arrangement captured the essence of a bride more than this one.  The colors are romantic…an infusion of red wine and ruby lipstick and wild playfulness!  The linens are the softest lavender, glasses are crystal, purple and amethyst, ribbons are the palest blush.  I could go on and on because, for me, this is pure delight.

Antique roses play with ranunculus, which play with lilacs, who play with orchids, rosemary and fern.

I love this trick of pulling back some of the rose petals to achieve an even more antiqued look.  Scrumptious!

The Pflugs having no fun at all!  (sarcasm, much?)

The menu reflected the theme of the wedding.  Beautiful and inventive…a feast for the eyes and tastebuds!

The crème de la crème!…The perfect ending to a glamorous meal…rich and decadent chocolate wedding cake with champagne!

The definition of HAPPY!  Notice that her lips match those flawless ranunculus in her floral arrangements!  What a dreamy couple!

When Steven and I returned home from one of the most romantic weekends of our life, I knew that I would reminisce about this occasion for many years to come.  I assembled some of the baubles and accoutrement from the wedding and arranged them on my bed….daydreaming about every aspect of my trip and feeling a little blue that it was over.  Among the fun coasters and programs, I discovered a wood covered jump drive with the initials “B” and “T” carved on it and it was as though I had found sunken treasure.  As a wedding favor, the couple had assembled some of their most beloved recipes, all blog like, into a wonderful e-book entitled B and T Eats.  It came complete with photographs and everything!  I was giddy, I tell ya!  What a cool way to share with your friends and gift them with recipes from your table!  The drive was also loaded with the song that Travis wrote shortly after he met Brittany (Travis is, among other things, a fancy famous songwriter.  Brittany, a fancy famous make-up artist) and, subsequently, the theme of the wedding.  You can hear “Maybe It Will” here.  It’s just wonderful…

Remember how I promised you a cocktail recipe from the reception?  This one comes compliments of the groom…

GOODBYE HOLLYWOOD

• hefty shot of Cazadores Reposado Tequila
• juice from one Grapefruit, strained
• splash of Bitters

Shake with ice and enjoy!  I shall toast the happy couple with every sip!

Thank you to the Howards for allowing me to share their extraordinary day!

 

Black and White Wedding Photo Credit:  Katherine Rose, katherine@maxandfriends.com

Happy Couple at Reception photo credit:  Emma Robinson