DREAMY DESERT WEDDINGS FEATURING CLASSIC WEDDING DRESSES
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A SEATTLE LOVE STORY
8th grade was the beginning of #aandbabe nicole and cole’s friendship turned romance. from both being cross-country captains to cole serving as nicole’s chauffeur, their high school time was spent enjoying each other’s company.
upon graduating high school, nicole and cole knew they didn’t want to pursue a long-distance relationship. they were confident that their time would come and when they both moved back to seattle after college, cole made it official by getting down on a knee in the pouring rain and proclaiming his love.
soon after, cole found himself once again on his knee popping the question to nicole on their family vacation to suncadia. their washington resort engagement was picturesque and even included archie, their beloved furry friend.
WOODEN TRIANGLE WEDDING ARCH
trading their forested mountain landscape in washington for the rugged rock formations of joshua tree national park, nicole and cole’s wedding day was dreamy. their rimrock ranch wedding was full of “warm desert hues and earthy details complimented the idyllic desert ranch setting”.
their carpet wedding aisle was lined with black chairs placed on the desert dirt. colorful woven blankets were folded over the tops of chairs and white fans were left for guests to keep cool during the vibrant desert wedding ceremony.
the start of the aisle was marked with oversized glass vases displaying pampas grass and dried palm leaves. one side of the triangle arch held a bunch of flowers with pink and ivory hues as well as pampas grass. behind their altar, gorgeous desert hills stood tall and large yucca brevifolia trees blended into the background.
ANAIS ANETTE EMMANUELLE
‘emmanuelle’ by anais anette wedding dress was the perfect wedding dress for the elegant earth tones that made up the wedding details. the desert wedding palette was ideal for the classic lace wedding dress. from the thin spaghetti straps to the center slit, this illusion lace scallop wedding dress is unique and effortless.
while nicole did choose to wear emmanuelle by anais anette with a slit, this lace fitted dress can be ordered without a center slit. nicole’s lace scallop slit wedding dress also allowed her to show off her closed-toe bridal shoes. these nude suede bridal shoes completed this casual outdoor bridal look.
PEARL BRIDAL VEIL
pairing her lace anais anette wedding dress with a long tulle pearl veil, nicole’s wedding day style was timeless and trendy. if you’re on the hunt for a fun scattered pearl wedding veil or minimalist wedding jewelry, check out our accessory designers here.
BLUE DENIM BRIDAL JACKET
to top off nicole’s relaxed bridal style, she threw on a denim bridal jacket at the end of the evening. nicole and cole watched the sunset while bundled up in a blanket and leaning against their 1975 baby blue bronco getaway car.
everyone enjoyed both delicious food and drinks while dancing under the dark desert night sky. “paella was served at dinner and followed by churros with hot chocolate sauce for dessert. palomas and other artisan drinks were served from a vintage trailer while the guests salsa danced the night away.”
dress designer: anais anette / bridal shop: a&bé seattle / photographer: phosphilic / videographer: spin the dial / venue: rimrock ranch / florist: pinyon pine floral design / rentals: signature party rental and thrifted sister / catering: no worries catering / bartending: the old fashioned / dj: dart collective / hair and makeup: beauty marked by brittany / car rental: garage 77
A VIRTUAL LOVE STORY
#aandbabe makena met tyler virtually in high school, but the two didn’t start dating till their college years. three years later, after lots of texting and facebook posts, tyler asked makena out on a date and they quickly fell in love.
on their eighth anniversary, makena and tyler said i do at the same spot where they first said ‘i love you’ to one another. their lake billy chinook state park wedding ceremony was incredibly intimate and makena and tyler made the most of having their closest family and friends by their side.
ALYSSA KRISTIN SYDNEY
opting for a minimal mermaid wedding dress with a long train, makena wore ‘sydney’ by alyssa kristin at their cliffside state park wedding ceremony. while simple, the straight square neckline and illusion v sides of this alyssa kristin wedding dress added eye-catching details.
opting not to wear a traditional wedding veil, makena added detachable bridal wings to the shoulders of her wedding dress. these tulle bridal wings were embellished with scattered pearls and looked beautiful as they blew in the wind at their outdoor oregon canyon ceremony.
DESERT CLIFFSIDE WEDDING CEREMONY
only immediate family and grandparents were present at their intimate central oregon wedding. makena surprised tyler by having the song he had always claimed as their song custom recorded before the big day. as she walked down the aisle a slow version of sam cooke’s ‘wonderful world’ began to play. “as i walked down the aisle, he quickly panicked because it wasn't the same song we had practiced with at our rehearsal. as soon as he realized what was going on, he broke down and i succeeded in my goal of making him cry”.
standing huddled together in love and admiration, makena and tyler’s guests looked on as they promised forever in a place that was so special to the couple's relationship and early love story.
WHITE LEATHER BRIDAL JACKET
wedding wings weren’t the only non-traditional element of makena’s modern bridal look. makena also wore a leather wedding jacket after the ceremony. this bridal moto jacket was badass and looked incredible with makena’s old hollywood bridal hairstyle and floating hair pearls.
with one side of her wavy bridal hair slicked back, the stick-on pearl bridal hair gems looked effortless and chic. her cropped ivory wedding jacket completed this trendy bridal ensemble. elegant and edgy, these fall bridal style ideas are spot on.
PIZZERIA RECEPTION
following their wedding ceremony, the wedding party gathered at grace and hammer to enjoy a pizza, champagne, and cake celebration. this restaurant reception was special due to the historical significance of the reception venue and its charming antique details. guests enjoyed the character of the space including stained glass windows and even a functioning bell tower. makena explains, “grace and hammer is a really cool pizzeria that was originally built as the town's first church back in 1912 before being declared a historic site in the 70s."
WEDDING POLAROIDS
capturing every moment of their magical day, makena and tyler had a white polaroid camera to snap behind-the-scenes wedding moments. these small black and white wedding photos featured the excitement of their guests and even a few fun shots of the bride and groom. from wedding selfies to holding up fall leaves that would remind them of their warm and sunny october wedding in oregon, this personal reception touch was perfect.
dress designer: alyssa kristin / bridal shop: a&bé portland / photographer: tori carlson / ceremony venue: lake billy chinook / reception venue: grace and hammer / florist: flowers by deanna / seamstress: acute fit alterations / processional song: cover of sam cooke’s ‘wonderful world’ performed and recorded by pauline / bride’s rings: midwinter co. / groom’s ring: bellyssa jewelry / tattooed wedding bands: josiah laughlin of adorn body art