Bohemian Bolinas Wedding

We’re constantly jealous of brides who get married in sunny California, especially when the location is a small picturesque town like Bolinas. Amelia and Will had a laidback wedding decorated with items from a local antique store and lots of handmade touches — which includes the vintage moon for their photobooth. Melissa of Fresh In Love Photography was on hand to capture it all. Thank you Melissa and Amelia + Will for sharing your gorgeous day with us!

From the bride, Amelia: Will and I were together for seven years before we decided to get married. By the time we got engaged we were just so thrilled about our momentous decision that we didn’t want to wait too long to tie to knot. We had set a wedding date of about 6 months out, so when we went out looking for venues, most of them were booked already. That said, most venues in the Bay Area didn’t feel exactly perfect for us either. There are some beautiful places to get married for sure, but we felt restricted by time limits and required vendors. We knew we wanted to get married somewhere that felt entirely unique too. Then we thought of Bolinas: the gorgeous, bohemian, beach-bum town about an hour north of San Francisco. We had rented houses there for my 30th birthday and the following Thanksgiving; both trips had been very memorable—there’s a sense of awe and calmness that washes over you when you are in Bolinas, it’s very a very creative and happy place. So we were excited when we found Briarcombe, a property of three houses that look like they belong in The Shire. The houses are an inspired fusion of Arts and Crafts and traditional Japanese architecture. Briarcombe was built by a concert pianist and has a beautiful meadow with a wooden stage where small concerts are sometimes held. It was really the most idyllic spot for our wedding. Will and I rented the homes for a few days leading up to the day so our wedding party and our family could come up and stay with us during that special time.

As for our vision, we knew we wanted to have a casual, picnic-in-the-meadow feel for our wedding. We also wanted to have elegant and nostalgic touches. My dress was a dream: a Lela Rose beauty that I had been been coveting for years after coming across it while helping my best friend search for her own perfect dress. The gown had a fairly old-fashioned flair and it informed much of the fashion, decor, and flowers—it became about melding the dress, the house, and the moon…

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Wedding Vendors + Venue (Bolinas + San Francisco, CA):

A Bold Berry-Colored Vallejo Wedding

Venue: Briarcombe / Photography: Melissa of Fresh In Love Photography / Flowers: Meredith of Aria Eco Floral and Event Design ([email protected]) / Wedding Dress: Lela Rose Ponderosa Gown, Glamour Closet / Suit: Al’s Attire, alsattire.com / Groom’s ring: estate piece from Pave / Decor: Alameda Antiques Faire / Music: Dr. Elmo and Wild Blue / BRIDESMAIDS: J.Crew