If there is one place in Southern California that has its own unique charm, Santa Barbara would be it. I have always enjoyed visiting this little beach town, and when Tera and Jason described their perfect day that was going to take place at El Paseo Restaurant, I was instantly excited to be a part of it. However, first…they had to get married. Now some might think a courthouse wedding isn’t the most romantic thing in the world, but Tera and Jason did theirs right! They used the historic Santa Barbara Courthouse as the backdrop for their ceremony, officiated by one of their groomsmen, Sergio. They asked me at the last minute if I could provide a sound system for them, and even though we had to jump through a few hoops (and possibly break a few laws), we made sure their nuptials could be heard by all. (And they had great music to walk down the aisle too.)
We then moved the party over to El Paseo. Using every level, nook, and cranny of this place, Tera and Jason treated their guests to an amazing buffet, delicious drinks, and picture-perfect moments like their first dance and cake cutting. When it was time to dance, their guests (of all ages) packed the dance floor in droves. Even the slow songs filled the floor from front to back. We only took a couple of short breaks to do the formalities, and then it was back to the party.
One of the more unique moments was how we decided to handle the money dance. Tera and Jason were not comfortable asking their guests, who all traveled to be with them this weekend, to hand over more cash; however, they liked the idea of getting to spend some extra time with their guests. In fact, one of the things Tera mentioned to me when we first met that she did not like about other weddings she attended was that she felt she never got to spend enough time with the brides. We solved all of this by encouraging the guests to participate in a “Selfie Dance.” Their friends and family could come up and take a photo, dance, hug, or just talk with them…no pressure. This trick worked like a charm and the guests loved it. We finished the wedding traditions with an epic bouquet and garter toss from the higher level above the dance floor. The party continued on until we were just about thrown out of the restaurant. (I think this group could have danced all night!)
Since Tera and Jason, most of their friends and family, their awesome photographers, and us were from Santa Clarita, it was imperative that we worked together to make everyone’s night and weekend run smoothly. The gracious staff at El Paseo, led by their manager Tyr, made us all feel welcome and took care of every detail. (In fact, we decided to return the next morning for their famous Sunday Brunch, and were warmly greeted by the sleep deprived staff members who were lucky enough to work the close/open shift!) We all worked together to make sure Tera and Jason’s night was perfect. I’d say it worked! The guests partied hard all the way till the very last song (and a few bonus songs we just had to play after), and we all left with some fantastic memories.
Dave’s recommended vendors from this wedding included:
- El Paseo Restaurant – www.elpaseosb.com
- Laura Moll Photography – www.lauramoll.net