
Intimate Yosemite Affair outside
Mariposa, CA
An intimate gathering in Yosemite Valley followed by an al fresco dinner setting in the mountains was exactly what Michelle & George were looking for when they decided to get married in Yosemite! As east coasters, we planned everything for their small but elaborate wedding from afar. It was fun to get to know them both via email & phone conversations and learn more about what drew them to Yosemite from North Carolina. They were very active runners and outdoor enthusiasts. They knew they wanted to travel somewhere together with their family to say ‘I DO’ and Yosemite just seemed to perfectly fit their bill. Both Michelle & George had never been to Yosemite before, so they decided to come out a few months before their set wedding date to take in everything our area had to offer. The Airbnb rental outside of Mariposa that they decided on had everything as far as an outdoor party space could go. Pool, hot tub, built-in cornhole & game spot, gorgeous landscaping, & the perfect deck that overlooked the amazing mountain surroundings. It was the perfect location for their cozy reception dinner setup! In addition to a great view, Michelle & George wanted lots of wooded forest elements, ample flowers, and a family style table setup with twinkle lights and some drapery overhead.
Designing this intimate affair was dreamy! I sourced all of my local Yosemite vendors for items like the drapery & lighting, local Honey keepsakes, elaborate floral arrangements & napkin ties, and mini pinecones. I then outsourced for the larger rental items with Expo Party Rentals and Stockroom Picks. Layer by layer, I began the design for the Tablescape: an open air frame with loose ivory drapery and twinkle lights overhead, dark wood farmhouse tables, & walnut wood chairs with an upholstered ivory loveseat for the couple. The base was set! Next came the ivory cheesecloth runner that pooled down the length of the table, wood round charger plates topped with mixed pattern china plates, brass silverware, amber & blue vintage glassware, & ivory napkins tied with dried floral rings. The centerpiece was wall to wall standing floral arrangements with White Ranunculus, White Scabiosa, White Majolica Spray Rose, Dark & Light Blue Delphinium, Thistle, Yellow Yarrow, Bunny Tails, Pampas Grass, Gunni Eucalyptus & Seeded Eucalyptus. Brass candlesticks with low sitting clear votive candles adorned either side of the long floral arrangement along with mini pinecones for an added forest/wooded touch. It was a table setting made for a King & Queen!