1. Real Weddings

A Whimsical, Modern Museum Wedding in San Francisco

Maddy Sanders (28 and a nurse) bonded with Matt Maly (27 and a software engineer) over favorite '90s bands at a freshman dorm party. “As unromantic as

Maddy Sanders (28 and a nurse) bonded with Matt Maly (27 and a software engineer) over favorite '90s bands at a freshman dorm party. “As unromantic as our introduction was, we’ve made up for it in the nine years since,” says Maddy, who wed Matt in a relaxed, eclectic indoor wedding at the Exploratorium in San Francisco, California, overlooking the bay. Shades of blue with yellow accents created cohesion in the wedding party’s attire. “The somewhat mismatched colors and styles went along with the casual feel we were going for,” says Maddy, who carried a garden-fresh bouquet with lots of succulents. Memorable touches abounded at the reception in the Observatory Gallery, where 70 guests sat at wooden tables topped with mercury-glass votive candles, greenery-filled bell jars and succulents in vintage silver cups. "The overall design [of our wedding] complemented the venue’s contrasting industrial-chic and natural design," Maddy says. "The reception, which was in the Observatory Gallery, had decor of solid wooden tables and brushed-metal chairs." The offerings at the reception’s food stations were a nod to San Francisco’s varied cuisines and included a Post Street Sushi Station with nigiri and maki. “We were nervous to be center stage for the night, but overall we felt very comfortable leading up to the wedding,” Maddy says. “I can only assume our relative ease as the wedding approached is entirely because of the thoroughness of our planning team. Everything was accounted for, and we were ready for the party.” —Carolyn Meers

Maddy and Matt commissioned their invitations on Etsy from J Press Designs, who created a custom map using a few of their favorite Bay Area spots—including their wedding venue, their first apartment, their first home and custom drawings of their two dogs. "We wanted something that was playful, and it definitely was," Maddy says.
"The flowers for the bridal bouquet had an asymmetrical loose shape to it, as though the flowers and leaves were picked straight from a garden," says Maddy, who asked Angella Floral Arts in San Anselmo, California, to help create her greenery-filled bouquet, which was made with billy balls, dusty miller, air plants, succulents and eucalyptus.
Maddy and Matt held their ceremony before a water and light reflection exhibit in the Exploratorium's East Gallery in San Francisco, California. "The East Gallery has sweeping views of the San Francisco Bay, Treasure Island and the San Francisco Bay Bridge," Maddy says. "The space did not require any decor."
Maddy and Matt held their ceremony in front of a water and light reflection exhibit at the Exploratorium. "The East Gallery has sweeping views of the San Francisco Bay, Treasure Island and the San Francisco Bay Bridge," Maddy says. "The space did not require any decor."
The Observatory Gallery at the Exploratorium in San Francisco, California, had terrariums and scientific elements set on shelves.
During cocktail hour, guests sipped freshly squeezed lime margaritas and cherry limeade sparklers.
"The centerpieces were very eclectic," Maddy says. Each table had some combination of bell jars filled with moss, ferns or orchids, stacks of vintage books topped with flasks filled with mustard yellow billy balls, vintage silver cups adorned with silvery blue-hued succulents with mercury-glass votive candles.
Memorable touches abounded at the reception at the Exploratorium in San Francisco, California, where 70 guests sat at wooden tables topped with mercury-glass votive candles, greenery-filled bell jars and succulents in vintage silver cups.
Maddy and Matt designed their food stations to give their guests a taste of San Francisco's different neighborhoods. The "Post Street Sushi Station" had a variety of sashimi, nigiri and maki, and the "Ferry Building" station included Zuni-style roasted chicken.
“We were nervous to be center stage for the night, but overall we felt very comfortable leading up to the wedding,” Maddy says. “I can only assume our relative ease as the wedding approached is entirely because of the thoroughness of our planning team. Everything was accounted for, and we were ready for the party.”