In true fairy tale form, when Isabelle Bridges met Brandon Boesch, "It was love at first sight," she says. "We have a picture from the first day we met, and it is one of our most prized possessions." At the time, they were both students at Pepperdine University in Malibu, California, and they eventually became engaged in Santa Barbara, another idyllic city along the Pacific coastline. They were married there fifteen months later surrounded by 165 family members and friends.
The wedding venue was one that the bride knew by heart: her family's home. "I always dreamed of getting married at our house," says Isabelle. Even the date was a no-brainer. "I've known that I was going to get married on 7/7/07 since high school. I don't know how I knew, but I just did!" So the only surprising aspect of planning their wedding was how much the groom wanted to be involved, which pleased Isabelle immensely. With the enthusiastic help of their families and coordinator, Isabelle and Brandon created the stylish wedding of their dreams.
The decor details revolved around the bride's favorite color, yellow. "You cannot be sad when you're looking at it," she says of the cheerful hue. The bridesmaids each wore a different pale yellow dress as "You've Got a Friend" by James Taylor ushered them up the petal-strewn aisle. Guests were also given their own petals to toss and paper parasols to shade them from the July sun. With a crystal "B" pinned to the stems of her bouquet and another "B" embellishing her tiara, Isabelle walked to meet her groom on the arm of her father, actor Jeff Bridges. When the officiant asked the familiar question "who gives this woman to this man?" the bride's mother Susan joined her husband in responding. It was a poignant moment for Isabelle and Brandon. "Both our parents are still married and very much in love," she says. "We have incredible examples of what a happy marriage is." With only the clear blue sky as a backdrop, the newlyweds made their way back up the aisle as the Beatles' "Here Comes the Sun" announced their joy.
During the cocktail hour, the bride's sister Jessie performed a song she had written expressly for the couple. It was a fitting way to kick off a celebration that was intimately arranged poolside in the Bridges' yard. The reception tables were covered in butter charmeuse linens and topped with frosted glass chargers. Lush centerpieces of pink, pale yellow, and green flowers decorated each round guest table, while the long head table boasted a continuous hedge-like arrangement of the same blooms. The tables were also adorned with photos of Isabelle and Brandon at ages that corresponded to the table numbers (e.g., "Here we are at age 16"). Silver luggage tags acting as both escort cards and favors directed everyone to their seats while appropriately celebrating the couple's love of travel.
But before guests enjoyed the California-inspired dinner, they gathered around the bride and groom for their first dance as husband and wife. Isabelle and Brandon's pre-wedding dance lessons came in handy and made the experience one of the evening's most memorable.
The wedding cake drew its design from the embroidery on the bride's gown and was filled with layers of chocolate, raspberries, passion fruit, and coconut. At the top, another crystal "B" stood proudly. Luckily for Isabelle and Brandon, they were able to enjoy dinner and dessert as much as their guests did, a rare occurrence that Isabelle recommends other couples make an effort to experience. She and Brandon feel that they were successful in relaxing and soaking in all the aspects of the day because they surrounded themselves with trustworthy talent. "All of our vendors were so professional, and that really allowed us to let go and let them do their jobs," claims the bride. "We had the best time ever!"
Embracing their wanderlust, the newlyweds soon departed on a honeymoon cruise, stopping at various ports of call throughout Europe.