A Fall-Inspired Wedding at a Summer Camp in California

You're Invited

Lotus & Ash created the couple's square invitation suite, which was wrapped in painted paper and sent to guests in vellum envelopes, so they could see the foliage-themed details upon receipt; an illustration of Fallen Leaf Dock, a highlight at their venue, the Stanford Sierra Center, was embossed into the paper goods, as was their monogram. Their initials together formed "CA"—a nod to their event's locale.

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Warm Welcome

The same monogram was splashed across Chadé and Adam's welcome bags—and several of the items inside them, including custom beanies and the weekend itinerary.

Ready Together

Chadé had never heard of her wedding dress designer—Flora, a fashion house based in Israel—ahead of her appointment at San Francisco's Marina Morrisson. And even when she stepped into what would eventually become her gown, she was skeptical: "The one thing I knew I wanted was no lace, so my stylist had me try on just one lace dress to confirm we could cross it off the list," recalls Chadé. "I absolutely fell in love with it. It felt Old-World, and also fresh and sexy."

Complete with long, lacy sleeves, a deep V-neckline, and fluted skirt and train, the garment quickly became the top contender: "When I came out of the dressing room, everyone who came to the bridal salon with me just swooned. I knew it was going to be the one even though we had three other salons lined up that day." An opal necklace purchased in Chinatown—a tribute to her mother, who loved the gemstone—her father's wedding ring, a veil (a gift from her friend Kiira's family), earrings on loan from her sister, Beth, and Stuart Weitzman shoes finished off her look.

Autumn Glory

Seasonal, romantic blooms defined the bride's whimsical bouquet, including toffee and mustard garden roses, dahlias, cosmos, and other timely florals and foliage; a neutral silk ribbon tied off the arrangement, which was created by florist Amanda Vidmar Designs.

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A Little Rusty

The bride gave her half of the wedding party free range to select ensembles—within the event's color palette of blush, taupe, ochre, and baked clay—they felt good in. "They all sent me options before they purchased them and all picked amazing looks. My only stipulation was no lace, since my dress was entirely lace," says Chadé. "They all looked amazing, didn't they?"

Handsome Groom

Adam wore a custom two-piece suit from Beauge's Tailoring in Boston, complete with a custom shirt, tie from DAZI, and shoes from Cole Haan. He carried a pocket watch, as well—a past gift from his best man, which he received for standing by his side on his wedding day two years prior.

Navy Blue

His groomsmen—and his sister, a groomswoman—donned dark blue outfits; the men wore navy suits, white shirts, black shoes, and DAZI ties to match the groom, while Adam's sister stepped into a dress (to match her counterparts, but stand out from the bridesmaids).

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First Look

The couple's first look took place at "Witches Pond," on the western side of the camp. "I initially felt really silly standing there for such a staged moment, but finally getting to see Chadé in her dress was really special—and it was amazing finally getting to be together," reflects Adam. "It felt like our wedding was officially starting."

Little Trio

"All three of our nieces were true to themselves on the walk down the aisle: Francesca, 7, is the oldest and a big rules follower and people pleaser; she led the way, perfectly spreading the flowers," says Adam. "The second oldest, Georgia, 5, is extremely shy in the cutest way and had to be coaxed down the aisle, glaring the whole way. The youngest, Genevieve, 2, is extremely independent and walked down the aisle at her own determined pace without paying any mind to the ceremony happening around her."

Out in the Open

The ceremony unfolded in a grassy knoll, which was lined with wooden benches; a central aisle cleaved the space in two, making room for plenty of foliage-centric arrangements. A half-moon floral arch, composed of seasonal greens and blooms, defined the aisle.

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Get Cozy

A mix of white-and-gray sheepskin blankets and colorful wool throws were placed along the benches, contributing to the event's cozy camp vibe.

Here She Comes

Chadé followed Adam—who processed in to live musicians' rendition of "Love Is All" by Tallest Man on Earth—down the aisle, solo, to "No One" by Alicia Keys.

Until the End

Adam's uncle, a Lutheran pastor, officiated the pair's religious ceremony; prior to the service, he'd also reviewed their hand-written vows, which, says Chadé, involved a lot of serendipitous overlaps. "When we shared them with him, he said they were both fine, flowery statements of love—but that we each initially missed the most crucial part. We had to promise to stick by the other until we were dead—I'm paraphrasing, but that was the spirit," says Adam. "We could say whatever else we wanted, but we had to include, 'You are my main squeeze, no matter what, until one of us dies.''

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Finally Married

After they were pronounced husband and wife, Chadé and Adam walked back up the aisle to "Love on the Brain" by Rihanna.

Champagne Showers

The cocktail hour was full of nods to the couple's engagement. First up? A Champagne tower, to mark the bubbly they sipped at Gloria Ferrer in Sonoma, where they called their friends and family to share the news.

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Throw Them Back

As for the second? Oysters on the half shell: The duo became engaged at Tomales Bay Oyster Farm, after a day of seafood tasting along the water. Chadé and Adam snuck in a few bites before jetting off for post-ceremony portraits.

Signature Sips

Negroni cocktails—which the couple barrel-aged in Adam's sister's basement six months before the big day—were the third and final nod. "We got the idea from the night of our engagement when we drank them at the bar across the street from our dinner spot. Adam said, 'What if we had barrel-aged negronis at our wedding?' We thought it would be such a fun special treat and was very easy to do," says Chadé.

The bride's contribution to the drink menu was a gin-based cocktail; she added thyme to the bottles—sourced from a bar called Hotel Del Mano near her old apartment in Brooklyn—a few days before the event for an herbal touch.

Muted Hues

Suspended, on-palette cloth scrolls guided guests to their seats at the conclusion of the cocktail hour.

Golden Hour Glow

The duo took advantage of golden hour to snap a few portraits on the lake—and took some time to reflect on the past few hours. "Do as much together as you can. This is the start of a lifetime of compromises and joint decisions so it's good to let go of any pre-conceived notions or anyone else's desires about your wedding and really savor making the experience your own," says Chadé. "You can design it for your guests, like we did, but save some really special moments and touches that you both can look forward to."

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Places, Please

At the reception, a mixture of round and rectangular tables, covered in La Tavola's Burnt Orange linens, were arranged around a dance floor. At each place, gold-rimmed chargers were topped with ceramic ivory plates, letterpress menus (tucked into green napkins), and rust-colored place cards fastened with a pin from Lotus & Ash; copper flatware and olive bubble wine goblets completed the look.

Bowls of Fruit

Ceramic bowls filled with pomegranates, persimmons, and apples were added to the tablescapes as a nod to the season's harvest.

Fall Foliage

Sprawling centerpieces were arranged in low vessels and featured seasonal foliage and blooms, like dahlias, cosmos, garden roses, and ranunculus.

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In Your Arms

The couple took their first married spin to "May I Have This Dance?" by Francis and the Lights. "It was a song that came out in 2016—the year we finally moved back in together after many years doing long distance. We had spent many nights cooking in our kitchen dancing to the song, and it just felt perfect," says the duo.

First Slice

Their olive oil cake was a "complete afterthought," says Adam. "Neither of us cared about the cake nearly as much as the cocktail hour and reception menu," he says, noting that they did, however put some more thought into cutting it. "We both have some Norweigen heritage and ate our first bites using my parents' Norweigen wedding spoons; they are two spoons linked by a chain carved out of a single piece of wood. According to tradition, whoever eats the first bite makes the rules in the household—Chadé ate first."

Exchange Books, Then Vows

"Our wedding favors were copies of our favorite books that we bought from various used bookstores leading up to the wedding," says Chadé, noting that Lotus & Ash added their monogram to bookmarks that were tucked inside the novels. "We wrote up little recommendation cards and put the books out on a table the day before the wedding so people had some reading material for the weekend. It was so fun to see what books they picked! I wish we had asked them to write it down."

Sources

Photographer, Laura Ford Photography
Venue, Catering, and Cake, Stanford Sierra Center
Wedding Planning and Event Design, Jacqueline Hallgarth
Videography, Tahoe Film Company
Flowers, Amanda Vidmar Designs
Invitations and Day-of Paper Goods, Lotus & Ash
Bride's Gown, Flora
Brides Shoes, Stuart Weitzman
Hair and Makeup, Nancy Rice Artistry
Groom's Suit, Beauge's Tailoring
Engagement Ring, Rebekah Brooks
Music, Vybe Society
Rentals, Celebrations Party Rentals; La Tavola Linen