Rustic Chic Maravilla Gardens Wedding {Sweet Little Photographs}

When Corinne and Graeme met at Yale School of Medicine in 2009, she turned him down the first time he asked her out. But he was persistent, persuasive, and as she says “downright pestering,” and eventually she said yes. Once she finally gave him a chance, persistence paid off because as they sat at a local coffee shop, they ended up talking for hours. What followed was the romance of a lifetime. These two tied the knot at the gorgeous Maravilla Gardens in Camarillo, California in what Graeme describes “rustique” style (rustic + chic). With wildflowers abounding, that illuminating California sunlight, and plenty of personal details, their day is one we find to be very inspiring. Thanks Sweet Little Photographs for sharing these beautiful images, and congrats to this lovely couple!

From the Bride…

Before the Ring:
We met at Yale School of Medicine in 2009.  I was in the Physician Associate program and Graeme was in his first year of medical school.  Months after our first encounter, Graeme gathered the courage to ask me out on a date. I said no.  But Graeme was persistent, persuasive, and downright pestering… so I eventually said yes.  We went to a local coffee shop, Koffee, in New Haven and sat and talked for hours.  I thought Graeme was very handsome, funny, goofy, and sincere.  I fondly remember telling my closest friends about how Graeme surprised me on our second date with a “casual jam session” on his guitar… boy could Graeme be smooth. We went out to dinners, movies, watched “Lost” every Tuesday night complete with Ben & Jerry’s Half-Baked ice cream. On their way home from Cadaver Ball he asked me if I would be his girlfriend… if we could “DTR” (Define the Relationship). He said that he thought he was starting to fall in love with me… I felt the same.  

Fast forward to New Year’s Eve, 2011 in Carlsbad, CA. The clock had just struck midnight and we stole away for a private little kiss. It was then that Graeme asked me, “if I were to ask you to marry me in 2012, would you say yes?” He found out his answer on Feb. 24th.

The Proposal:
Le Farm, a delicious farm-to-table restaurant in Westport, CT, is where we had celebrated our anniversary the year prior. On February 24^th2012, Graeme had set up a ploy to celebrate our first job! To my surprise, Graeme proposed that night. He had arranged for a car (stocked with champagne!) to drive us from Le Farm to Times Square, New York City where he had booked a hotel for the weekend. 

Inspiration + Wedding Day Details:
For the décor and theme of the wedding, Graeme created the word “Rustique” = Rustic but chic. But beyond that, we wanted our wedding to feel very customized and personal. I designed the programs and menus, which featured song lyrics on the back from songs chosen for the first dance, the father-daughter dance, and the mother-son dance. We put together a “heritage table” featuring wedding pictures from our parents and grandparents. We thought it was an important way to honor and feature the strong relationships in our lives that brought us to where we are today.  Even though Graeme is from New York and I’m from California, our guest favors came from Connecticut, a homage to where we met and fell in love: Little jars of honey, with tags attached hand stamped with guests names and table assignments. We also wanted to tell our story through our table names. Each table was named after an important location or moment in our relationship.  For the centerpieces, we framed descriptions and anecdotes from the particular location, so our guests could have a peek into our favorite moments so far. Also for the tables, we collected various jars and vases from thrift stores and garage sales in the 15 months of our engagement. Our florist captured our vision perfectly!

We chose custom cocktails: The Summer Bride (Chambord vodka and basil lemonade) and the Groom-zilla (basically a strong margarita, and a poke at how involved and opinionated Graeme could be throughout the planning process). We also featured a Bourbon Tasting honoring Graeme’s love of bourbon/whiskey. The photo-booth was one of the first decisions I made about the wedding. They are just so fun! And we knew the DJ had to be great.  We love to dance and have a great time, and so do our friends and families. We practically never left the dance floor all night!

Photography: Sweet Little Photographs / Venue: Maravilla Gardens / Floral: Yamaguchi Nursery / Bride’s Dress: Robert Bullock Bride “Jessica” from The Ivory Suite Bridal Boutique / Makeup: Unveiled Makeup / Hair: Katie Lee / Bride’s Shoes: Badgley Mischka (Lacie Rhinestone in Nile) / Bridesmaid Dresses: various from J.Crew, Express, Nordstrom / Groom Suit: Mattarazi Uomo from Enson’s Gentlemen’s Fashion / Groomsmen: Banana Republic / Photo Booth: Magnolia Photo Booth Co. / Wedding Favors: Full Bloom Apiaries / Wedding Décor: Etsy, Home Goods, TJ Maxx / Catering: Command Performance Catering / Cake: Skiff’s Cakes / DJ: Jason Jones / Guitarist: Jason Sulkin / Officiant: Zach Pogemiller (bride’s brother)