REAL WEDDING

  • Photography By:

    Jay Studio Photography

    KATIE O’HALLORAN AND MATT JOHNS

    July 23, 2016 in Santa Barbara, California

    Like so many country songs out there, a guy walked into a bar, ordered a drink, saw a girl, but then took a left and ignored the girl that would one day be his wife. Timing is everything, which is a motto that Katie O’Halloran and Matt Johns live by. Initially, both were dating other people, dedicated to their careers and had no time for each other. They remained friends, however, even if there was secretly more between them.

    The seemingly endless excuses to see each other eventually turned into dating, and later a proposal in front of the Christmas tree after a New Year’s Eve party. It was nearly ten years after their initial introduction at the bar when the engagement took place, and Katie was in shock. Not knowing if it was going to happen, her makeup was off and the comfy clothes were on.

    “I HAD THAT MOMENT THAT I COULD ONLY IMAGINE ONE DREAMS OF HAVING” KATIE O'HALLORAN

    With a background in events and planning, Katie had a vision for her dream wedding from the minute she said “yes.” The wedding planning process began with finding a wedding coordinator who would be the right fit for her admittedly Type-A personality, and she dreamed of a wedding that was like stepping into the golden hue of an ivory candle at sunset.

    “The décor was to be white on white, with timelessness, touches of warmth with ivories, creams and golds, while still being current,” Katie describes. “With the major details locked in within the first four months, from there on out it was putting on the finishing touches and enjoying being engaged.”

    Just as planned, the wedding day was impeccable. It was also time to reveal the couple’s secret projects for one another. Katie and Matt had both been working on a special gift, using the code word “Shiny Penny” – this allowed them to talk about the gifts they were getting for each other, without spoiling the surprise. Matt designed a necklace for his bride-to-be with a jeweler her family had used for decades, and Katie got him a watch engraved with their wedding date and the words, “Timing is Everything.”

    “I had that moment that I could only imagine one dreams of having,” Katie reflects. “The major dress reveal with veil, train, and being walked down the aisle at the Santa Barbara Mission with my father. Locking eyes with my soon-to-be husband, knowing that everyone was there to support us, but not realizing that the church was even full.”

    The following reception at the Bacara Resort was breathtaking. Guests arrived to dinner on the open-air patio under the perfect Santa Barbara sunset, surrounded by loosely draped fabric, crystal chandeliers, white flowers, and candles that were displayed on mirrored tabletops. Katie’s mom led a round of shots with friends and family, the speeches made everyone laugh until they cried, and the newlyweds shared the perfect first dance. For them, it was just as awe-inspiring to see their loved ones having such a wonderful time.

    “I was always that little girl who dreamed of having a wedding, but even I never knew that this is what dreams are made of,” Katie says. “Timing really was everything.


    WEDDING TALENT


    Ceremony Location: Old Mission Santa Barbara, Santa Barbara, CA: Reception Location and Linen: Bacara Resort & Spa, Santa Barbara, CA; Event Design and Planner: Alegria By Design, Santa Barbara, CA; Floral Design: Louloudi, Santa Barbara, CA; Wedding Dress: Berta; Bridal Salon: Mon Amie Bridal Salon, Costa Mesa, CA; Groom’s Attire: Hugo Boss; Cake: Porto’s Bakery & Café Glendale, CA; Rentals: Town & Country Event Rentals Los Angeles, CA; Cinematography: Weddings on Film, San Francisco, CA

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