A vinyl record seating chart… mini records on the table… vintage colourful glassware… a green and orange heart-shaped cake… a temporary tattoo station… Anna and Cole’s California wedding was classic Rock n Roll Bride. Blending boho charm with the colours of California made for a picturesque celebration, which they hosted in the groom’s parents back garden.
The couple’s inspiration came from the natural beauty and colours of California. “I knew I wanted to have it in California where Cole was from”, Anna began. “The colours, the landscape—it all lent itself to the most beautiful inspiration. Our theme was ‘boho sunset’.”
One of their favourite features of their wedding was the music. “We chose our walk out song to be Counting Worms by Knocked Loose, and our last song of the night was Downfall by A Day to Remember”. the bride continued. “Our DJ was particularly excited about our choices, and our guest said they loved hearing songs that they never hear at a wedding!”
The couple loved thinking up all the little details they could bring into the day such as like having classic cars around, a temporary tattoo station and a voice memo phone as a guest book.
But for Anna, the best part of the entire day was their first look. “I had so much anxiety and stress the day of the wedding”, she admitted. “Yet the moment I laid eyes on Cole, I was instantly relaxed and realised this was all for us! We weren’t in a rush. I loved seeing his reaction to my dress. I also cried when I saw he had a tie clip from his grandfather who shared his initials.”
The journey to their perfect day wasn’t without its challenges. As a plus size bride, Anna found dress shopping difficult “Honestly, dress shopping was the worst part of planning,” she said. “Being plus-sized, it was hard to find friendly stores that weren’t perpetuating fat-phobic rhetoric. I also had a hard time envisioning what a dress would look like if it was three sizes too small! I was very lucky to find The Sentimentalist in Atlanta. They were amazing and very plus-size friendly.”
Anna’s advice for future brides is straightforward: “Enjoy the process, and if you don’t, then elope! There’s no reason to spend months stressed and hating what you’re doing. I would also say I could not have done it without my incredible wedding planner Melena. She was an absolute godsend.”
