A Unique Color Palette and Elevated Rustic Details Made This Mountain Wedding Anything but Average

After Clare graduated from law school on the East Coast, she moved back home to the Bay Area to start her career. It was then, in October of 2015, that she met Tim, who works in software sales, on Hinge. The two found out they were living in the same Russian Hill neighborhood, so Tim invited Clare to a nearby bar that specializes in wine, cheese, and charcuterie.

The couple completely hit it off, and three years later, in September of 2018, they planned a trip to Mexico City with some friends and family. When one of Clare's friends mentioned to Tim that she was not expecting a proposal on the trip, Tim changed his plans and decided to pop the question in Mexico. He hired a local photographer to meet in front of the town square fountain on the morning they arrived to capture the moment. The pair then celebrated the engagement with their family and friends throughout the rest of the trip.

They decided to host a September wedding with 138 guests at Martis Camp in Truckee, California, just north of Lake Tahoe. "My parents have had a home at Martis Camp for years, and it's become a special place for our family to gather over holidays, long weekends, and summers," Clare says. They enlisted Bash Please to help them pull off a sophisticated mountain wedding with modern touches and a color scheme that featured a ton of black, Clare's favorite color.

Clare and Tim hired Alexandra of Aerialist Press to create their invitation suite, which incorporated letterpress, digital typography, and foil on thick cotton paper. "We layered textures and color with a velvet ribbon, copper outer envelope, and a curated collection of vintage postage," Alexandra says.

When Clare first started looking for her wedding dress, she knew she wanted a gown with long sleeves. There were two reasons for this, one practical (the fall weather could be chilly) and the other sentimental. "My mom also had a long-sleeve wedding dress and I loved the idea of sharing that with her, as it's a somewhat unique choice," she says. Although she found a few strong contenders on her first shopping trip, it wasn't until her second appointment that she fell in love with an Oscar de la Renta number. The only problem? It didn't have sleeves. Serendipitously, the fashion house made the exact same style with sleeves—so the bridal boutique was able to order that version for her to try on a few weeks later. She fell in love with the gown's sheer bodice with floral embroidery, the plunging neckline, and the one-sided bow on the back. On the big day, she wore a veil by the same designer.

Clare's bouquet complemented the dress' floral motifs, and featured a combination of seasonal blooms in deep burgundy tones; dried golden ferns and golden rain tree leaves added texture.

Tim went to Knot Standard in San Francisco to order a custom suit and button down shirt for the wedding. He worked with a stylist to select the perfect fabric, lining, buttons, and lapels. Clare also contributed; she selected the quote embroidered into her groom's suit jacket.

Tim paired his navy suit with a maroon tie; his groomsmen, who wore black ensembles from The Black Tux, accessorized with the same one. "Even though my suit was a different color than theirs, having the matching tie and tie clips gave it all a cohesive look," he says.

Clare wanted to make sure her bridesmaids were able to wear their dresses again, so she asked them to select black floor-length gowns of their choosing, which resulted in a mix of fabrics and styles with a coordinated feel. When she realized that the event might be more of a winter affair than an autumnal one, she purchased her 'maids faux fur wraps to wear over their looks.

Snow began to fall as the couple got ready, which moved their first look to a covered terrace at Martis Camp. Leading up to the first look, Clare felt excited to share a moment together, alone, after months of planning and anticipation. "When I first saw Clare, I was blown away," Tim says. "She looked even more beautiful than I could have imagined—I was stunned!"

Clare recalls that they both began to cry when they first saw each other—and then Tim surprised her by getting down on one knee (again!). "Neither of us remembers why, but think it's really funny and sweet now," Clare says, "and I just felt happy and relieved to see him!"

The couple went with their inclement weather plan, which allowed for a semi-outdoor ceremony. Guests took in misty mountain views and the surrounding landscape as the bride and groom exchanged emotional vows—during which Tim shared a story about the day the couple adopted their dog, Charley, and how he pictured Clare as a mother to their children one day. "If she was that happy and beautiful when bringing home our puppy, I can't imagine what it's going to be like bringing our first child home!" Tim says.

During the planning process, the duo focused intensely on personalizing their service. They asked Clare's brother-in-law to officiate the wedding and Clare's mother and Tim's father to share readings; all of their siblings, Clare's niece and nephew, and some of their cousins were included in the wedding party.

A modified altar space was defined by a box of autumnal blooms and branches, and backed by a lit fire (which kept the bride and groom warm as they tied the knot outdoors).

The covered portion of the ceremony space was decorated with florals inspired by the venue's landscape, including seasonal blooms, wild branches, rainpod tree, hopvine, dried golden ferns, and autumn clematis.

Guests received fabric flags that read "yay" and "hooray;" these were attached to mini programs. The duo's loved ones cheered and waved the flags post-ceremony, as Clare and Tim made their way back up the aisle to Ray LaMontagne's "You Are the Best Thing."

After the ceremony, Clare changed her hairstyle before meeting Tim for golden hour portraits. After, the pair made a grand entrance into their cocktail hour.

During this interlude, the duo's band, The 415s, serenaded guests while they enjoyed an open bar, a carefully curated wine selection of wine chosen by Tim's dad, and signature cocktails.

As for the sips on offer? A "Blackberry Collins" with vodka, blackberries, citrus, ginger beer, and a rosemary garnish was a favorite; the duo also served classic old fashioned (a Martis Camp signature, says the bride and groom).

Each guest's name and seating assignment was calligraphed on handmade paper and tied with silk ribbons in varying neutral tones.

Bash Please set up a few lounge vignettes, which provided comfortable places to rest during the party.

The reception space was decorated with twinkle lights that draped across the ceiling and down the walls. Long wooden tables, paired with matching chairs, were set up throughout the room.

Since Clare's favorite color is black, the Bash Please team made sure to combine charcoal and deep gray hues with burnt orange, plum, and golden yellow shades (a nod to the fall season). The place settings featured plenty of black motifs, including plates, napkins, and matte silverware.

Each long table held several centerpieces that incorporated an assortment of deep red florals. Smaller vases held tiny bunches of blooms, while tea candles, tall votives, and scattered fruit added texture.

The menus and table numbers featured watercolor and leather accents; leather laser-etched tags were pinned to each menu.

One of Tim's favorite parts of the big day was listening to the toasts from Clare's dad, her sister, her cousin, and both of his brothers. "They all felt like a tribute to us both individually and together, and we'll never forget the feelings of support and love," he says.

Instead of offering several choices on the menu, Clare and Tim took their planner's advice and served one consistent meal (while accommodating dietary restrictions, of course) to make the reception feel like an intimate dinner party. They started with a baby gems salad, with roasted squash, walnuts, and a persimmon vinaigrette. The entrée was Clare's all-time favorite: pan-roasted chicken with mushrooms, leeks, and potato gratin.

Clare and Tim performed a choreographed dance as the band played their own version of Lady Gaga's "Remember Us This Way." They enjoyed the bonding experience the dance lessons provided. "Some people told us afterwards they could see us counting our steps during the dance, which is pretty funny—but we pulled it off without any mistakes, including the dramatic lift at the end where I spun Clare around and then dipped her," Tim says.

The couple wanted their wedding cake to be simple in design, but delicious in flavor, so they chose a carrot cake with cream cheese frosting adorned with flowers and greenery.

After the reception concluded, the celebrants walked over to the barn on the venue's property for an after-party. The newlyweds served mini sliders and milkshakes, and guests enjoyed bowling and playing arcade games.

Shortly after they arrived home from the wedding, they unpacked and then repacked for their once-in-a-lifetime honeymoon trip to Singapore, Bali, and the Philippines. "Taking our honeymoon immediately after the wedding was amazing because we were still in this fog of wedding joy and it was nice to take some time just the two of us afterwards, and not have to go back to reality right away," the bride says.

Photography, Paige Jones
Location and Catering, Martis Camp
Event Planning and Design, Bash Please
Videography, Kyle Mize
Flowers, Marigold
Invitations and Paper, The Aerialist Press
Bride's Gown and Veil, Oscar de la Renta; Jin Wang Bridal
Hair and Makeup, Edin Carpenter Makeup Artistry
Groom's Attire, Knot Standard
Groomsmen's Attire, The Black Tux
Music, The 415's
Rentals, Found Rentals; Theoni; La Tavola Fine Linen
Lighting, Nameless Productions
Transportation, Northstar Transportation