A Bohemian Redwood Forest Wedding at Deer Park Villa in Fairfax, California

Brit Eames and Will Thies fused Southern elegance and laid-back Cali vibes to bring their vision for a bohemian bash with refined flair to life.

“Will and I are from incredibly different worlds, and we wanted our wedding to represent the coming together of people, ideas and cultures,” Brit says. “Will is from the greater Atlanta area of Georgia, and it was very important to him that our wedding have an old-world elegance: tuxedos, oysters on the half shell and Etta James. I grew up barefoot in the redwood groves of Sonoma County, California. I wanted Spanx-free, over-oaked Chardonnay and The Mamas and the Papas.”

Verdant Marin County served as the backdrop for the day, injecting an intimate and whimsical feel to the festivities. All of the decorative details drew inspiration from the natural setting, from the greenery-filled floral arrangements to distressed wood accents and illustrated stationery. String lights twinkled overhead, casting a warm glow over the forest floor as the sun began to set.

Amplifying the evening’s carefree feel was an iconic VW minivan that served as the event photo booth—a funky extra that went over big with guests. A geometric altar (the handiwork of Brit’s father) and hand-lettered acrylic signage brought unexpected polish and modernity to the décor.

During cocktail hour, Hog Island Oyster Co. set up a farmers market stand where they served up freshly shucked shellfish—just as Will had envisioned. “It was elegant, but with that dirt-between-your-toes feeling that I wanted so much,” Brit says.

Musician Brian Bergeron of Ivy Hill Entertainment provided the soundtrack for the evening, playing some of the couple’s favorite tunes from Tom Petty, Elvis and Van Morrison to Bob Dylan, Elton John and Jackson Browne.