Wedding Wednesdays : My Best Friend's Malibu Wedding

My best friend of 22 years said "I do" to the love of her life on March 27, their seven-year anniversary, at the breathtakingly beautiful Malibu West Beach Club, and I was so blessed to stand beside her as her maid of honor. It was a perfect, warm, sunshine-filled Southern California day and the sparkling Pacific and clear blue skies made for a gorgeous backdrop during the outdoor ceremony, held on a patio overlooking the beach. Marielle stunned in her Maggie Sottero fit-and-flare gown, with sweetheart bodice and intricate rosette detailing in the skirt, while the bridesmaids donned vibrant blue chiffon frocks with ruffled necklines. A close friend officiated the nuptials, and Marielle and JP shared sweet and funny personal vows they wrote for each other. (I had the privilege of looking them over before the big day!) Once they were pronounced Mr. and Mrs., the wedding party kicked off their shoes and headed down to the sand for pictures while the rest of the guests enjoyed cocktail hour on the patio. A nod to JP's love of football, the newlyweds made their grand entrance into the reception by breaking through a paper sign and strutting to the NFL theme song! They then went right into their first dance, swaying and spinning 'round to John Legend's soulful ballad "All of Me." The reception was held inside the beach club, and Marielle's vision of a cobalt blue and yellow wedding, with chevron table overlays (hand-sewn by the mother of the bride) and touches of glitter and gold, came together even better than I could have imagined. No seashells or nautical kitsch here; the look was bright, fun, graphic and modern. A chic beachside wedding. After dinner was served (the 105 guests noshed on beef short ribs, bruschetta salmon or butternut squash risotto), the best man and I gave our speeches (eek!), and then the dance party began. In addition to cake, a dessert table/snack bar (another nod to the sports-obsessed groom) offered up cookies, cupcakes, brownie bites, jam bars, gourmet popcorn and pretzels to fuel wedding revelers, while the flowing wine and beer fueled hilarious takes in the ever-popular photo booth. In addition to their photo strips, guests took home custom etched pint glasses inscribed with the bride and groom's names and wedding date. A lot of love, sweat, glitter and spray paint went into crafting a dream day—a day seven years in the making—and it truly was the best day ever for Marielle and JP. There's nothing more I could wish for my best friend.

These photos were borrowed from the Instagram accounts of some of the couple's vendors: Matrimony Films, Nick Belohlavy Photography, and makeup artist/hair stylist Melissa Beck-Swarberg. I can't wait to see the professional photographs once they come in! Until then, I present my quick snaps from the rehearsal and wedding day, after the jump... 

A Golden Birthday : Cheers for my 30th at Malibu Wines

Despite my best intentions to get back into blogging last week after my six-week long California vacation trip adventure, I was simply too busy or tired to do so. Busy because just three days after my best friend's wedding it was my 30th birthday, and then of course the packing (oh, the packing!) for our return to Florida. And tired because of, well, all that—plus it was tougher than I imagined to get back on East Coast time. The first three days we were home the hubs and I slept in until almost noon! I'm not exactly what you'd call an early riser but G is, so that was quite unusual for him.

But today is Monday, a fresh start to a new week and just a few days into a new month and I'm feeling recovered. (Even if our bags have yet to be unpacked. Oy vey.) As much as we loved visiting our friends and family in Simi Valley and San Diego, after so much time away it felt good to walk into our own place, our small, humble apartment home, and relax. While puppy Jasper came along with me on my adventure, our big girl Cali was over the moon to see us when we picked her up from the house of some truly great friends who had watched her for three weeks (!).

Since I've been in and out of the blogosphere for a while now, I have a lot of catching up to do. So much to share! Today I'll start with my aforementioned birthday—my golden birthday! I turned 30 on the 30th. 

G knew how busy and, I'll admit, stressed I had been with planning my best friend's bridal shower, and bachelorette party, and with helping her do any and everything to prepare for the wedding (dress fittings, DIY supply shopping, crafting, sign making, general MOH listening and encouraging, etc.) so he happily took on the task of planning my birthday party. While I knew something was happening on Sunday, March 29, the day before my birthday (and two days after my bestie's wedding), I didn't know what or where or who. The hubby decided to keep that a surprise. Even though I kept pestering for details! 

Funny enough, a friend had mentioned to me the idea of going to Malibu Family Wines to celebrate, which I thought was a fantastic idea since I had never been but always wanted to go. When I passed this information on to G, he told me not to worry, he already had a plan in mind and in motion. As it turns out, he was planning to take me to Malibu Wines all along! That guy. He knows me so well.

After arriving to the outdoor winery, I was greeted by a group of friends and family, waving and cheering under a gazebo reserved just for the party. We popped bottles of red, white, rosé and champagne and got to drinking. (And eating, and chatting, and playing Jenga and Cards Against Humanity.) It was a beautiful, sunny day and a wonderful afternoon hanging out with my best people. Friends from elementary and high school, friends from my days at the Acorn Newspapers, even my parents came out for the celebration. I felt so loved and appreciative that my husband put the whole thing together for me.

(A few more snaps of me and my silly, beautiful friends...)

The next day, my actual birthday, was low-key but just as nice. G and I went to breakfast with my family, I opened my gifts, and that night we went to Marielle and JP's house to hang with the newlyweds and cook dinner together. I made my go-to, crowd-pleasing appetizer, bruschetta, the hubs made his delicious sausage pasta coated in a decadent white wine sauce, Marielle made garlic bread and vanilla cupcakes, and JP poured the wine. It was perfect.

Part of me can't believe that I'm 30. I don't feel sad about it necessarily, but maybe in denial. Ha! Perhaps that's something to explore in another post. Truly though, I feel lucky to have amazing people who love me in my life and I have a feeling that my thirties are going to be even better than my twenties. Cheers to that, right? Yes, I have to remind myself sometimes but there is so much to look forward to, and many more adventures on the horizon.