The beautiful sunny Saturday started with the girls getting ready at the Bacara, and from the second we arrived we knew it was going to be an incredible day. Not only was Candace so organized, but she also was calm and collected. A few months back, her mom and Katie (of Wedding Kate) had taken over the planning, so she didn’t have anything to do the morning of the wedding except hang out with her girls, drink champagne and celebrate! What a perfect way to start your wedding day, right? This is one of the MANY reasons we recommend everyone have an awesome coordinator, so you can enjoy your wedding day to the fullest! But I digress…Candace’s bridesmaids are amazing! We had the pleasure of hanging out with her MoH the night before, because we did her engagement photos (check them out here). It was so fun to see Brenna again, and it’s so clear Candace is surrounded by incredible women who love and support and celebrate her in al seasons of life! After some super fun robe photos and lots of Champagne, we got on the Santa Barbara Trolley and headed to the venue! And the entire way there the girls sang “we’re going to the chapel and we’re gonna get married” with a little R Kelly Remix to Ignition, and Fifty Cent in-between of course!

When we arrived at the venue we started taking bridesmaid photos right away, but James and I were told to make sure Candace didn’t go not he back side of the house. This was because the reception was already completely set up on the backside and Candace had no idea! Candace thought the reception was going to be at her parent’s house, oh and she thought it was going to be casual….little did she know Wedding Kate had been working for a 3 day install at PalmaVista to orchestrate one of the prettiest receptions we’ve ever seen!  Also, at this point only one bridesmaid knows, so even the bridesmaids are going to be surprised! The guests had no idea too!

After some gorgeous bride and bridesmaid photos, we hid the girls in the house and got ready for guests to arrive. Guests arrived in style on the Trolley, and were greeted with a glass of champagne! They walked over to the ceremony space, which is one of the prettiest ceremonies we’ve ever photographed. The view, the fountain, the gold chavari chairs, and a perfect neutral color palette made for a beautiful setting. And the second Candace and her dad walked down the aisle, AJ lost it! And so did everyone else! Oh how we love the groom’s emotional reaction, and we both had to try and keep it together as we watched this beautiful moment! And just as we began to stop crying, Candace’s father gave her away, but he hugged her so tight it was clear he didn’t want to let her go! Tears fell down both of their faces and they held each other in such a special moment!  It’s so clear they have an amazing relationship, and just wait till you see their father dance!

The ceremony was filled with laughter, tears, and beautiful vows!  After they were officially announced husband and wife we all walked through the house and out to he back patio. Up until this point Candace thought that cocktail hour was happening out there, so she thought we were showing cocktail hour space to her before family photos. Little did she know, it was the reception. When both moms and Katie walked them out there they didn’t say much, they just let them soak it in. And the best part was, you could tell Candace was truly surprised because she kept saying “What? Wow! Wait! I am so confused! Is the reception here?! It’s so beautiful!!” You know you have truly surprised someone when they almost don’t even understand what is happening at first! We are so thankful for all those who worked so hard to pull off the epic surprise, and just wait till you see the setup! The way they designed the tabled around the pool is so dreamy!

The reception had a beautiful view of Santa Barbara, and you could feel the celebration with each passing minute. As soon as people got on the dance floor it turned into an incredible party! One of our favorite moments, and something that was a surprise to us, was the father daughter dance. Candace and her dad had a dance choreographed to a medley and it was incredible! We always love when our couples make the day their own, and this father daughter dance was a perfect way to do it! The dance floor was packed all night, and towards the end of the night it started pouring! But everyone kept on dancing! It felt like the weather was celebrating right along with these two and we loved every second of it! It made for an even more incredible celebration, and we are so excited to share a few of our favorites with you!

Location: Palma Vista
Coordinator: Wedding Kate
Dress: Panache SB by Essense of Australia
Hair/Makeup: Pretty Please Beauty SB
Rentals: Tent Merchant
Cocktails: Simply Cocktails
Florals: Hogue & Co