A Bold Backyard Wedding at a Private Residence in San Rafael, California

Carolyn Glidden (31 and a special education teacher) met Scott Worthington (33 and an MBA student) while working for the Peace Corps in Burkina Faso, in western Africa. “I was a science teacher in a rural village school, and he was a small business-development volunteer in a larger city,” Carolyn says. “There are no secrets in a village, and my friends predicted this marriage years ago.” The couple opted for a modern yellow-and-green backyard wedding for 95 at Scott’s parents’ mid-century modern home in San Rafael, California. “Scott and I are really drawn to clean, modern design. In terms of style, we wanted the day to feel elegant but not too ornate or fussy.” Neutral pale woods, crisp whites and yellows further brightened the event. “We wanted the flexibility of a private venue and liked the intimate, low-key vibe of a backyard wedding,” Carolyn says. Modern white Eames-style chairs were set up for the ceremony—they doubled as chairs for the reception dinner—and neutral stone vases held pale yellow king proteas and lots of greenery. “Scott’s parents’ house had such a beautiful backdrop that we didn’t need to accessorize very much,” Carolyn says. —Carolyn Meers