1. Real Weddings

A Glamorous Backyard Wedding at a Private Residence in Chico, California

Acres and acres of grassland surrounded by foliage and redwood trees created an enchanted, private ambience for the already-intimate backyard wedding,

Acres and acres of grassland surrounded by foliage and redwood trees created an enchanted, private ambience for the already-intimate backyard wedding, with a guest list of 90 friends and family members. Annie Bakke (27 and a nonprofit operations manager) and Sean Claybaugh (25 and a commercial leasing manager) got married on Annie’s family's property in Chico, California, where they spent a lot of time with each other and nature. “We wanted to get married in Annie’s parents’ backyard because we shared so many great memories there when we were just roommates in college,” the couple says. “We used to go over in the summers to swim, barbecue and play with Annie’s parents’ beagles.” Thanks to the planning assistance of Bridget Abifadel, the color palette of gold, greens and blush tones was spotted everywhere guests turned, from the dark teal knee-length bridesmaid dresses to the eucalyptus sprayed gold in the bouquets and, last but not least, the beautiful flowers placed on the three-tier ivory wedding cake and gold stand. Instead of going with a simple, white wedding dress to blend with the natural landscape, Annie was on a mission to find glamour that contrasted with the woodsy look; she came across a pearl-colored wedding dress designed by Pronovias, captured by TreCreative Film&Studio. But her dress wasn’t the only thing that incorporated pearl. We fell head over heels for her updo, which had pearl hair accessories synchronizing with the waves on her hair, amazing us with grace and elegance.

Princess-Cut Diamond and Silver Rings
Silver Shoes and Pearl Hair Accessory
Annie wore a pearl hair accessory that clipped into her intricate updo and paired nicely with the waves on her hair. Since she wore her hair up, the back of the beautiful illusion wedding accented with beaded pearls was exposed.
“Annie chose bouquets that were more wild, natural, and textured rather than tightly formed,” the couple says. “Bouquets made of cafe au lait dahlias, spray roses, succulents, blue eryngium, white freesias, seeded lemon leaves, mums and seeded eucalyptus sprayed gold were wrapped with gold and dark teal ribbons to match the palette.”
“While she loves the simplicity and minimalism of the outdoors, she wanted to have a more fancy and luxurious look for her wedding attire,” the couple says. “She chose a Manuel Mota for Pronovias dress—the last dress she tried on of the weekend—that was completely hand-beaded in pearl.”
Simple Iron Wedding Arch
“Annie chose matching bridesmaid dresses that also displayed spectacular beading in shades of dark teals and greens,” the couple says. “The groomsmen wore simple and sleek black suits and ties to match the bridesmaid dresses.”
The reception took place in the backyard on Annie’s family's property, where long dining tables covered in white tablecloths were set up for guests to be seated at. Each place setting had a gold plate with a white napkin, and the tables were decorated with a variety of wildflowers and candles.
Chrysanthemum, Rose and Wildflower Centerpiece
Sean wore a succulent and rose boutonniere pinned to the lapel of his classic black suit, which he complemented with a white collared dress shirt and a silver tie. “The men wore boutonnieres of a single succulent and spray rose accented with seeded eucalyptus wrapped in gold ribbon,” the couple says.
Gold Plates With White Linens
“Annie and her mom spent a weekend filling tiny glass orbs with soil, succulents, moss and flowers, which were displayed along the center of the tables,” the couple says. “They collected brass candlesticks in which they filled half with bouquets of the same flowers used in the bouquets and the other half with dark teal taper candles.”
The bridesmaids wore strapless, knee-length dresses in a dark teal color, which went along with the overall wedding color palette of greens, gold and blush tones.
The couple served a three-tier ivory wedding cake decorated with pastel-colored flowers and displayed on a gold stand. “We adore a plethora of desserts, so it was hard to decide on just one,” the couple says. “They served a triple-tier, pink ombre-swirled cake with three flavors: raspberry cheesecake, pumpkin, and mocha fudge.”
Illusion Back of Pearl Wedding Dress