Elegant on the Outside, Funfetti at Heart -A La Playa Carmel Wedding

At the beginning of Covid, Ben and Laurel both relocated to Big Sur. Ben had been living in San Francisco, and Laurel was residing in Portland. Having been friends since middle school, Laurel and Ben would meet whenever they were back in town during college breaks and summertime. However, during this reunion, their relationship took a new romantic turn, and by the end of the year, they were dating. Two years later, Ben proposed to Laurel after the Thanksgiving holiday. He took her to the beach for a morning walk with their dog. As they strolled, Laurel spotted a ladybug on the beach, which she often associated with a reminder of her mother, who had passed away when she was young. Lovingly, Laurel carried the ladybug to a nearby bush. When she finished relocating the ladybug, Ben was down on one knee in the sand. It was a perfectly unplanned moment, with their dog playfully digging holes in the sand, Laurel’s aunt capturing the moment in photos, and Laurel feeling her mother’s presence.

Laurel and Ben’s winter wedding embraced joy and warmth, despite the weather rerouting their ceremony location. Laurel described her original wedding day vision as having the simple and elegant look of a wedding cake, but when you slice into it, you reveal a funfetti center. To achieve this elevated feel, they selected the luxurious mansion venue, La Playa Hotel, located just steps from the beach in Carmel-By-The-Sea. Although getting married in a church wasn’t initially part of the couple’s plan, the incoming rain meant they needed to make a quick last-minute ceremony change. Laurel and Ben felt that their church ceremony was the most spiritual part of their wedding, finding significance in their familial ties to church and marriage. Bridesmaids wore red and cinnamon-colored gowns with coordinating fur coats for a midwinter-meets-California aesthetic. Laurel wore a white fur coat, a timeless Made With Love gown and carried an artistic bouquet of ivory flowers. She sported three stunning bridal looks, culminating in a beaded long-sleeve dance party dress paired with customized sneakers. Earthy and warm florals accented each moment of their celebration, illuminated by the glow of reception candles. That funfetti energy came to life as light sprinkled itself in all directions from the abundance of disco balls installed above the dance floor.