Kelli and Brian’s 2012 wedding set a high bar—an inspired evening garden party that blended rustic charm with vintage details. The couple envisioned a warm, intimate celebration and brought it to life at Los Calamigos Ranch. Their color palette of browns, ivory, moss, and terra cotta created a cohesive, natural look that carried through invitations, decor, and floral design. Photographer Cassie of Cfuertez Photography captured every thoughtful detail, from the hand-carved clay stamp Brian made for their wax seal to the canopy of clustered LED tea lights strung by Kelli.
Many elements were handmade or sourced from the couple’s surroundings. Kelli gathered weathered garden posts from her parents’ yard to construct the escort card display and ceremony signpost. River stones collected from home became hand-painted table markers that matched the vintage aesthetic. For the guest book, Kelli fashioned a quill pen from a red hawk feather she had found on a hike, and napkin ties were made from alder cones she’d collected near her apartment in the months leading up to the wedding.
One standout DIY was the cake stand. Kelli and her father repurposed a camp-stump base and mounted a wooden top found at a craft store, then added moss and lichen for an authentic garden feel. The cake itself was created by a close friend who translated Kelli’s painted concept—an homage to the couple’s love of Miyazaki films—into a beautiful tiered dessert. For the filling she chose amaretto-soaked figs mixed with cream cheese, a combination that surprised and delighted guests. Kelli decorated the cake with a chocolate henna design, and slices were served with her mother’s homemade berry sauce made from the previous year’s boysenberry harvest.
Photos by Cfuertez Photography
Participating Vendors
Wedding Venue: Los Calamigos Ranch
Floral Designer: Perfectly Pink Floral Design
Makeup: Joanna San Antonio
Hair: Sarah Yoorim Choi
Submitted via Two Bright Lights