A Green-and-White Palette This Wedding at Lindley-Scott House in Azusa, California, a Timeless Vibe

When it came to planning their wedding at Lindley-Scott House in Azusa, California, Linda and Jen prioritized making the day "an infusion of who Jen and I are as people," explains Linda. "We both love vintage music, outfits and an overall vintage feel so that was our primary mindset when setting up our wedding. It influenced our venue pick and the music we played throughout our wedding. Jen and I love the color green, so it was natural for us to pick a green and white color palette. Jen has a military (Army) background and the color green is a symbol of pride for her, while I enjoy outdoor hiking and scenic roads, so green is equivalent to a pleasant feeling. Jen and I discussed how we wanted our ceremony to be non-traditional, and so we asked our best friend to conduct a pagan ceremony since he was a practicing pagan. We described our ceremony as a coming together of two people in a formal, loving and equal sexual partnership." 

Linda goes on to explain that "our vision was to have a soft whimsical feel inside the reception area," following the couple's garden wedding ceremony. "To reach this aesthetic we started with live piano and violin music during the ceremony and cocktail hour. Once inside we had centerpieces that had lanterns and greenery around them. One of the venue walls was covered in white draping, which gave us a feel that we were in a cloud. As for floral elements, Jen and I pride ourselves on being simple in our lifestyle and our florals reflected that. Our sweetheart table was covered in eucalyptus, which was a beautiful natural look as well as a pleasant smell. I would describe our overall decor as soft, clean and whimsical." In addition to making the reception space feel whimsical, they also make sure to personalize it with nods to their cats. "In honor of our two cats, Theodore and Phillip we made specialty drinks named Sir Theodore and Prince Phillip that had their pictures on the menu sign," notes Linda. 

For Linda and Jen, it was important that their big day feel festive rather than stuff. "When we sat down to plan our day, we both agreed that this day was more of a party than a formal occasion.," says Linda. "While we had formal aspects, we wanted to ensure that people knew that they came to party. To accomplish that we agreed to get rid of many traditional formalities that occur at a wedding. We cut our ceremony to under 30 minutes, we skipped any formal dances with parents, and we did not throw the bouquet or garter. We were very happy with this choice because it gave us a lot of wiggle room to instead go around our venue and meet with everyone that attended. Some of our favorite parts were our first dance, and the ability to go around each table conversating and taking pictures with all our guests."

While Linda and Jen cut out many traditional elements from their wedding, one that they did keep was the first dance, which proved to be the most anticipated part of the entire wedding day. "We often would play the song Can't Help Falling In Love," by Elvis Presley, at home and dance in the living room. We would close our eyes and picture the same dance in front of our friends and family as Mrs. and Mrs. Altamirano. The moment did not disappoint, I began to cry because to me the song had substantial meaning," recalls Linda. "The song states that we couldn't help but fall in love, and as part of the LGBTQ+ community this resonates because I didn't choose this lifestyle but it is who I am and who I love."