A Modern Orange-and-Blue Outdoor Destination Wedding in California

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Drew and Andy

Though they'd been a couple for more than six years, Drew Hodgson and Andy Newcomer lived on different coasts in the months before their wedding. Drew was working as a graphic designer in Los Angeles, and Andy was finishing up medical school in Philadelphia. Drew moved east for a brief stint in Philly, and they planned their February 5, 2011, wedding from afar. They made it official with an intimate gathering of friends and family in a chic, midcentury modern setting in their new home state of California.

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The Invitation

Drew designed the invitations, which were letterpressed by Studio on Fire in the couple's signature color, orange.

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The Invitation

The modern suite was packaged in a four-sided folder, one flap of which was the actual invite, another a map of the area. Inside the folder were response cards, an invitation to an intimate dinner, and a VIP pass for out-of-town family to stay at the hotel at the couple's expense. The monogram, which first appeared on the save-the-date, was printed on the back of the envelope and the front flap of the folder.

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The Invitation

The thank-you cards featured line drawings of the couple's monogram. The graphic style's twiglike resemblance hinted at the landscape of their wedding venue.

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The Location

After spending a few New Year's Eves at the Horizon Hotel, the couple fell in love with the desert setting. The size was the perfect place for their out-of-town guests to stay and get to know one another, and the midcentury architecture and view of the San Jacinto mountains would set the scene for the actual wedding.

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Portraits

The morning of their nuptials, Lacie Hansen photographed the couple at the hotel's guest house and on the lawn. Their beloved pup, Madeline, joined them for a few snapshots.

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Family

Drew's parents, Adele and Colin Hodgson.

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Family

Drew's sister, Stacey Bruggeman, wore a felt corsage made by an Etsy artisan. Drew (and Andy) wore a J.Crew suit and a boutonniere crafted from feathers collected on Andy's family farm in Missouri and the urban chicken yard of their friend (and officiant) Chris.

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Family

Andy and Drew flank Andy's stepdad and mom, Larry and Jane Klutenkamper.

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The Ceremony

The 86 guests arrived around noon to an eclectic mix of music: Cat Stevens's "Morning Has Broken," John Lennon's "Oh Yoko," Aimee Mann and Michael Penn's "Two of Us," and Yo La Tengo's "I'm Sticking With You." The wedding party entered to "I Was Made for You" by She & Him, and each of the grooms entered with his mother.

During the ceremony, Drew and Andy exchanged personalized vows. Their friend Jana Fain read part of Walt Whitman's "Leaves of Grass" and their friend Tom Lepak excerpted the Massachusetts Supreme Court decision "Goodridge v. the Department of Public Health" in which the country made its first decision to entitle same-sex couples to marriage.

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The Ceremony

The couple exchanged their wedding bands. Drew's, from Etsy artisan Fabuluster, was silver and engraved with Andy's fingerprint; Andy's was a vintage Dior platinum and gold band. The newlyweds walked back up the aisle to Miriam Makeba's "Pata Pata."

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A Special Guest

Madeline wore an orange ribbon around her neck to get in the spirit (and the palette) of the day.

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The Drinks

Lacie Hansen Photography

Drew designed signage outlining the drink choices.

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The Drinks

Pineapple and mandarin-orange Jarritos sodas were served -- a refreshing pairing with the Mexican fare.

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The Drinks

A guest enjoys her cocktail by the pool.

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The Decor

Drew and his mother covered Ikea pillows with fabric from Mood, and stenciled them with vibrant spray paint to spice up the reception area.

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The Decor

Pillows were also added to the lounge chairs surrounding the pool.

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The Centerpieces

Kraft paper runners sat atop white cotton tablecloths on the banquet tables. West Elm vases were filled with bright pincushion flowers and served as simple yet bold centerpieces.

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The Centerpieces

In between the flower arrangements, wire bread baskets filled with chips served as functional decor. The containers had been powder-coated orange to add some color.

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The Food

Border Grill Catering served a spread of Mexican food out of their signature food truck. Lunch included two types of quesadillas, Yucatan pork tacos, Crispy Baja fish tacos, carne asada tacos, green corn tamales, and Peruvian ceviche. Churro tots infused with dulce de leche and topped with cinnamon sugar and whipped cream ended the meal on a sweet note.

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For the Kids

Blankets spread on the lawn provided a place for the young guests to play. Gable boxes put together by Drew's sister included two sandwich options, fruit cups, veggie chips, m&m candies, and magic bubbles -- which were a big hit.

Gable boxes were also given to the adults when they checked in, and included cookies from Mardy's Munchies, bottles of water, custom m&m's, a reproduction of a vintage postcard of desert wildflowers, a welcome letter, and a schedule of activities.

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The Reception

Drew's brother Clint created an iPod playlist for the day's festivities. Guests could add their own songs to the mix -- instructions were displayed next to tin cans perforated in the design of the couple's monogram.

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The Reception

Guests dined poolside.

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The Cakes

The couple cut into a buttercream-covered chiffon cake with mango mousse, made by Exquisite Desserts. A small cake offered slices of the runner-up options from the cake tasting: carrot cake and red velvet.

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The Cake Toppers

Helene Ige, a friend of Drew and Andy's, gave them a pair of penguin cake toppers.

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A Sweet Treat

Custom m&m's personalized with the couple's monogram were put in an orange tin on the cake table.

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Puppy Love

A jar of dog biscuits was also set out. "We wanted our dog to be spoiled too," Andy said.

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Sources

Photography: Lacie Hansen

Location: The Horizon Hotel

Catering: Border Grill Catering

Flowers: Whole Blooms Group

Cake: Exquisite Desserts

Rentals: Signature Party Rentals

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