Long before they would ever begin their romance, Shawn Piller glimpsed his future in the eyes of Lindsay Price. When Shawn, the co-creator and producer of USA Network’s The Dead Zone, saw Lindsay, a well known actress (Beverly Hills: 90210, Coupling), for the first time, he told their mutual friend that Lindsay was the most beautiful woman he’d ever seen. Unfortunately, Lindsay had a boyfriend, but Shawn, undeterred, patiently carried on a friendship with her for five years until the timing was right for them to fall in love. Once they did, Shawn wasted little time in planning a romantic proposal that was positively worth the wait. Standing beneath the Eiffel Tower in the “City of Love,” Shawn asked Lindsay to marry him, professing that ever since their first encounter, he knew she was the one.
Lindsay and Shawn imagined a wedding full of classic and elegant details within an outdoor, vineyard location and they discovered everything they hoped for among the rustic splendor of the Saddlerock Ranch in Malibu. Once they were finished adding their own creative strokes to the vineyard’s natural beauty, the resulting affair was a whimsical, romantic gathering, like a dream oasis happened upon in the middle of a forest. The couple credits their coordinator, Michael Willms of Entertainment Design Events, and their florist, Tara Cotrell from Silver Birches, for interpreting their romantic vision, but Lindsay is most grateful to her mother for providing the greatest support. “In a process where everyone puts in their two cents, my mom always reminded me of what I really wanted in my heart.”
And what she and Shawn wanted was a celebration full of unexpected details and personal touches like crystal chandeliers that were hung from massive trees, a processional set to Spanish guitar and a lace wedding gown by Monique Lhuillier for the barefoot bride. She carried a loosely gathered bouquet of lilies of the valley, stephanotis and gardenia, and as her grandparents’ favorite love song filled the evening air, Lindsay and her father walked down the aisle to meet Shawn under a gazebo transformed by curly willow branches, white, peach and Sahara garden roses, pale blue delphinium and grapevines. Performing their ceremony was Lindsay’s Godfather, Pastor Richard Anderson, the same man who married Lindsay’s parents thirty-five years earlier.
During the cocktail hour, guests congregated around custom made bars with dark wood counters and white tufted fronts. Large floral pomander balls of garden roses and hydrangea hung overhead. The stage was set for their Tuscan-inspired reception by more custom made pieces in the form of long, family style tables. They were of the same dark wood with crisp, white linen sides that were illuminated from beneath. Meandering along the tabletops were natural, free-flowing arrangements of jasmine vine, maiden hair fern, peppermint geranium, kumquats and peach English garden roses, creating a wild contrast to the refined place settings of crystal and silver. These old world-meets-fairytale-centerpieces released a collection of fragrances that was rivaled only by the summer Italian feast served in its midst. Seared jumbo scallops, mixed summer salad, filet mignon and roasted rosemary chicken were followed by a selection of chocolate covered strawberries and miniature pecan pies for dessert. Along with red and white wine produced at the Semler vineyard at Saddlerock Ranch, the couple served the special Natural champagne provided by their friends who own Korbel Cellars.
Lindsay and Shawn created CDs of “the soundtrack to their relationship” and gave one to each guest as a thank you for sharing in their wistful celebration. It was the couple’s hope that their loved ones would continue the party by playing it on their long drive home from the ranch.
At one point in the evening, Lindsay and Shawn took two glasses of champagne and snuck away from the festivities for a few precious moments alone together. Four large oaks trees framed the dance floor and hanging from wire strung across their branches, glimmering chandeliers created an ethereal atmosphere above their dancing guests. As the couple remembers, “We stood in the dark on the hilltop and looked down at our family and friends under the trees and stars. It was like watching a dream. Every aspect of the wedding was pure romance.”