We’ve been so excited to share this day with you all, and the time is finally here! We’re gushing over all of the beautiful details and meaningful moments from Mindy & Evan’s intimate wine country wedding from last September. While this family-only affair in the Santa Ynez Valley wasn’t what they originally planned, it ended up being the most incredible wedding weekend. If you missed their welcome party rehearsal dinner, head here to catch up! Otherwise, keep scrolling; we hope you enjoy this peek inside the most special day for our favorite couple.
The Venue
Mindy and Evan found a beautiful, private estate north of Santa Barbara for their nuptials. It was the perfect place to host their families for their intimate wedding weekend. After traveling to the Santa Ynez Valley numerous times throughout their relationship, they both loved the idea of sharing such a special place with everyone they love. It was important to them to find a place that could both host the wedding itself, as well as house everyone for the weekend. With several guest cottages on property, this private estate was the perfect fit for a cozy and laid-back wedding weekend.
Their original wedding plans included a destination wedding to the idyllic English countryside, known as the Cotswolds, with all of their closest family and friends. However, in light of navigating planning a wedding during the pandemic last year, their plans had to quickly divert to something stateside instead. However, still being equally as special and meaningful in the form of a smaller, intimate family wedding.
It was important to both of them that their newly-imagined, intimate wine country wedding not feel like a plan B, of sorts. Making it special, regardless of the state of the world, was of utmost importance. So, throughout the planning process, they approached this wedding weekend as though it was their first choice for a wedding. The end result was anything but a backup plan!
The Dress
Mindy wore a vintage veil and an off-white lace gown by Bonnie Young, which she found just a few weeks before the wedding. After ordering a custom dress from Australia many months prior that didn’t quite work out, she ended up finding the perfect dress at the same shoppe in Newport Beach where her mom had purchased her wedding dress years before. It was effortless, easy, and the perfect style for their intimate wine country wedding. You could say it was truly meant to be!
The Ceremony
With an intimate guest count of 17, Mindy really wanted the ceremony to feel just as special as a larger wedding. As a creative, the beauty was all in the thoughtful and simplistic details throughout, all brought to life by her incredible team of vendors. For the ceremony decor, Mindy chose colorful florals to line the aisle, wood benches paired with cozy faux fur throws for guests, and an asymmetrical floral arch at the altar.
Since the weekend was all about family and celebrating their love, Evan’s brother officiated the wedding ceremony after being ordained by Mindy & Evan’s church. Their intimate ceremony was a combination of traditional vows, as well as personalized details and quotes from their relationship. It kept things light and filled with laughter – the best kind of ceremony in our book!
After the Ceremony
Mindy & Evan love a good novelty car. One day, they hope to own one… so, they knew they had to get a Moke as their getaway car after the ceremony! They were able to sneak away for a bit before dinner to watch the sunset and enjoy their first few moments as a married couple. How fun is that!?
Cocktail Hour
For the cocktail hour after the ceremony, Mindy & Evan served two signature cocktails and a few of their favorite appetizers. Hers was a “Juniper Rose” – A rose-infused gin cocktail from one of their favorite restaurants. His was a “Smoked Old Fashioned” – A specialty of their local caterer’s. Guests sipped on cocktails and enjoyed white fish ceviche, Wagyu meatballs, and shrimp skewers. Yum!
The Planning
As Mindy shares, “I always knew I wanted to hire a full-service planner, even before we were engaged, largely because I really value another creative’s expertise and insight. I knew it would be so much more fun with another person at the helm alongside us. As a creative myself, I spent lots of time putting together mood boards to help flush out my vision, look & feel, and hopes for the wedding day. I’m such a visual person by nature, so it really helped me hone in on what I wanted the day to look and feel like. From there, I was able to share my vision with our fabulously talented team of vendors to help bring it all to life with their special touches.”
Each element was intentionally and thoughtfully pulled together, as Mindy wanted it to feel uniquely “them,” and not overly trendy; rather, just like a beautiful dinner party for their loved ones. Throughout the design process, she flushed out all of her ideas with her wonderful planner, Nina Moore.
Nina shares, “Mindy and Evan were such a joy to create a beautiful celebration of their nuptials together. Mindy is a visionary and I could quickly see she has a strong sense of personal style that is expressed through her business of interior design, the places she travels and her appreciation for hospitality. As I have similar values, it was natural for me to help select a team to pull together Mindy and Evan’s dream day.”
Together, they chose to keep the elements that felt right and discard everything else. It’s not far off from Mindy’s role here at MGD, and the creative interior design process she exercises on a daily basis.
The Reception
The reception took place in an old barn on the property strung with bistro lights and the dreamiest candlelit tablescape. There was no theme per se; rather, just beautiful, feminine-hued florals, linens, woven glassware and chargers, mixed candlesticks, and timeless furniture. We love how it all so effortlessly aligns with Mindy & Evan’s personal style.
The Menu
One thing they knew they wanted was a knock-out meal for their family! They were fortunate enough to work with the team at famed local restaurant, S.Y. Kitchen, to dream up their menu. The family-style dinner included roasted cauliflower, octopus, panzanella salad, pappardelle, oak-grilled steak, broccolini and roasted potatoes. Of course, they couldn’t forget dessert! Homemade gelato was the perfect sweet ending before cake. It was the best meal and was perfectly laid back. Guests were able to enjoy the celebration over candlelight, toasts and lots of (happy) tears. “We both love great food, drinks, and quality time with the people we love. So, having a smaller wedding gave us more time with our families and actually allowed us to enjoy every moment of the day.”
Their two-tiered off-center cake was perfect for the intimate celebration. One layer was funfetti with vanilla bean buttercream (Evan’s favorite), and one was chocolate with cookies & cream buttercream (Mindy’s favorite)!
At the end of the day, both Mindy & Evan couldn’t have imagined a better way to start their lives together. “You’ll be surprised how intimate and romantic a smaller wedding can be. In the end, it ends up being about what it really should be – the two of you starting forever together!”
We’re so grateful to be able to share such a special day with all of you. We hope you enjoyed getting a peek inside Mindy & Evan’s intimate wine country wedding! While you’re here, don’t miss their backyard BBQ rehearsal dinner that kicked off the wedding weekend. Lastly, stay tuned for a special “get the look” post we’ll be sharing later this week. Thanks for following along!
Vendor Team
Photography by: Jessica Rose Photography
Event Planning by: Nina Moore
Floral Design by: Forage Florals
Stationery by: Paper and Toys
Rentals by: Found Rental Co. // Bright Event Rentals // The Tent Merchant
Videography by: The Hubs Films
Bridal Gown by: Bonnie Young
Make-up by: Gina Brooke
Catering by: S.Y. Kitchen
Cake by: Lelé Patisserie