A Classic Fall Wedding at the Burrage Mansion in Redlands, California
Kristin Rochford (27 and a graduate student) and Feliz Acajabon (31 and a small business owner) planned a festival fall wedding with a classic twist for their early November wedding. “Fall is our favorite time of year, so in keeping with the season, we carried an autumnal theme throughout the entire event,” says Kristin. The pair chose a palette of iconic foliage-inspired hues and wove elements like pumpkins, lanterns and leaves throughout the day to achieve a subtle rustic undertone.
The Burrage Mansion, the early 20th century mansion and now a haven of play and enrichment for disadvantaged children owned by Kristin’s grandfather, provided a stunning and sentimental backdrop for the day with its unique architecture and 20 acres of beautiful natural scenery. The day started with a ceremony in a secluded wooded area of the property, where a string quartet played and vibrant foliage, curly willow and birch branches lined the aisle, filling the air with romance and seasonal flair. The pair exchanged vows they’d written themselves and performed a tree planting custom in lieu of a traditional unity ceremony.
A tented reception followed, where the autumnal theme was in full force. Gilded chargers displaying candy apple favors brought a note of elegance and understated glamour to chestnut colored linens, while bundles of red, burnt orange, yellow and burgundy blooms brought a pop of vibrant color to the space. Painted pumpkins were used in place of traditional escort cards and the entrance to the tent was a whimsical fall scene with dozens of pumpkins, seasonal plants and wispy curly willow arches framing the walkway. Guests sipped on the couple’s signature sip, the Acajablast, a mix of Papaya Sky vodka, caramel, apple and cinnamon flavors. A live band got everyone in the mood to party and the couple surprised Kristin’s grandmother with a rousing rendition of “Happy Birthday” sung by everyone in attendance.
“Something rather unique that I loved about our wedding was our inclusion of little bits of our personalities throughout,” says Kristin. Details like music from Lord of the Rings: Fellowship of the Ring, a Mickey cake topper, Super Nintendo champagne flutes and a sorting hat card table all served as nods to the couple’s “love of nerdy things.”