Friday, November 1, 2013

Perfection in Pismo Beach

Words by Taylor Wilson
Photos courtesy of Mirelle Carmichael

An unexpected love affair with Pismo Beach made it the perfect location on the Golden Coast for Phil and Brianne’s destination wedding. Although Phil had attended college near there, Brianne had never been but instantly fell in love. “[Phil] couldn’t wait to take me and right away I knew it was where I wanted to marry my best friend!” exclaims Brianne.

Since Brianne and Phil’s families were already so spread out, it was a given most people would have to travel, making the decision to host a destination wedding easy. Brianne hired a wedding planner to smooth out the wedding logistics from afar, which was a huge help. She was able to help the couple stay on track and on budget, assisting them with difficult decisions and organizing meetings with vendors. “I imagine it was way more difficult than a local venue, but it was exactly where we wanted to get married and wouldn’t have changed it for the world,” explains Brianne.

Hosting a destination wedding at SeaCrest provided the couple with a blank canvas to plan their event however they wanted. With a love for personal flair, Brianne tried to incorporate DIY projects however she could. Brianne, who works as a graphic designer, assembled all the invitations and save the dates. Her father handcrafted and painted signs that directed guests to the beach for the ceremony and he also made a beanbag toss game for the kids. The couple went a more creative route with the table numbers by using short stories from their past instead of numbers.

With a background in musical theatre, the couple was able to provide some entertainment at their reception. They choreographed a Viennese Waltz for their first dance and Brianne and her father choreographed a swing dance that they performed. Phil and his mom sang and played their first dance song but the most special moment was when Phil surprised Brianne with a special number. “My husband surprised me by singing a beautiful song that we had danced to years before under the stars. He was amazing!”

All in all, Brianne and Phil’s fairytale wedding was truly magical. Had they hosted the wedding at home, it would have been much more expensive and unrealistic to achieve all of their visions. “By going up the coast to Pismo Beach, we had our dream wedding with our toes in the sand – we even had dolphins swim by before I walked down the aisle. Our reception was on a cliff overlooking the ocean, with a perfect sunset and dancing under the stars,” Brianne remarks of her truly unforgettable destination wedding.

Vendors: Photographer: Mirelle Carmichael, Wedding Planner: Sarah Harris from Events by Heartfelt, Ceremony/Reception Site: SeaCrest OceanFront Hotel, Gown Designer: Alfred Angelo, Florist: Pismo Beach Florist, Groom's Designer: Jim's Formalwear, Bridesmaids/Groomsmen's Clothing Designer: Alfred Angelo/Jim's Formalwear, Catering: Phil's Catering, Cake: Two Little Bird's Bakery, Ceremony: Beach Butlerz, DJ: AMC Entertainment