Chill Vibes Filled This Sustainable Wedding With Unique Touches in Carpinteria, California
Jacqueline Rabôt and Robby Massar met on what the bride describes as “a very quintessential LA evening: a friend’s movie night.” The atmosphere that evening encapsulated the essence of the city’s charm. On this cinematic night, they discovered a shared passion that intrigued them both. “We bonded over a mutual love of nature and camping,” Jacqueline explains. A few days later, a passive idea morphed into a tangible adventure. “We planned a camping trip to Malibu with mutual friends.” Little did they know this excursion would shape the course of their relationship. “And so our first date was spent camping together. You really get to know someone when you camp; you have to be quite adaptable and resourceful.”
The challenges of the great outdoors only strengthened their bond. “It was a blast, and we’ve been together ever since!” A few years later, Robby popped the question in a very significant locale. “On our third dating anniversary, he proposed at the same location as our first date in Malibu right before sunset during a picnic on the beach,” she smiles.
The couple wanted to shape their big day around their shared interests. “It was important for our wedding to reflect eco-friendly values,” Jacquline notes. Per that sentiment, the wedding and the activities surrounding it were entirely plastic-free. Inspired by the enchanting allure of distant shores and straight-from-the-sea food, the couple crafted an aesthetic that harmonized with the beauty of their location. “Since Carpinteria and the surrounding Central Coast of California are known as the American Riviera, the wedding was inspired by the Italian Riviera and its coastal cuisine.”
Jacqueline, Robby and their team (including family) meticulously curated elements that held deep significance to them. The wedding’s design bore witness to a ton of personal touches. “I sourced an exquisite deadstock patterned fabric from the LA garment district for the table runner, my mother and I hunted for gold cherubs and ornate candlesticks on eBay, and my mother-in-law bought vintage crystal vases for the flowers,” the bride details. “And my father and mother hand-lettered each guest’s name on the menus and table placements!”
The journey to fashion choices echoed the couple’s attention to detail. Jacqueline meticulously designed her wedding dress in collaboration with her patternmaker and sewer, perfectly representing her individuality. With a vintage cream-and-blue silk georgette skirt, intricate off-white eyelash lace trim and delicate covered buttons down the back, the bride carefully hand-picked every detail. “I wanted to use ornate gold jewelry as a small nod to my Sri Lankan heritage,” Jacqueline explains. “I worked with a local Santa Barbara tailor to create the dramatic veil with leftover lace from the dress.” This sentiment extended to her choice of jewelry, a gold headpiece, and meaningful family pieces as accessories. Her keen eye for fashion even spilled into other key areas of planning. “My friend Catharine Dahm designed our invitations, which we printed on a silk scarf. Some of the guests wore their invitation to the wedding: around their neck, on their bags or as an ascot!”
As the grand day unfolded, guests gathered, embraced by the serene alfresco atmosphere. The couple met at the altar against a backdrop of rolling hills and ample greenery surrounding the private ranch. “One of my favorite parts of the wedding was the ceremony,” Jacqueline says. “We asked my maid-of-honors mother, Kathleen, to marry us. My childhood friend, Nicole, recited a poem. And my husband’s friend, Ryan, sang a song. It was so special to include the people we love on such a special day.”
The reception mirrored their love for sustainable living: “Dinner was served family-style within the rows of the lemon trees.” Floral arrangements were not just decorations but poignant statements. “Our florist hand-picked lemon and olive branches, date palms, eucalyptus and various greenery from the local chaparral,” Jacqueline recounted. To infuse a contemporary allure amid the vintage ambiance, “we used a few purposeful stems to create a modern look for the floral arrangements,” she describes. “Our photographers shot our floral arrangements in front of a backdrop of black fabric, with the intention of highlighting the bold colors in the arrangements.”
The day culminated in a dance under the stars, surrounded by loved ones. Jacqueline’s father serenaded the crowd on the saxophone for the couple’s first dance to “La Vie en Rose” by Louis Armstrong was a defining moment. “The song shifted to Stan Getz’s “Só Danço Samba”, which transitioned the dance to a salsa. There was a moment where Robby lifted me in the air, in addition to a few dips. I was a nervous wreck!” the bride laughs.
Jacqueline shares her perspective on wedding planning. “I really wanted to strip down the idea of a ‘wedding.’ I wanted our guests to have an amazing experience and enjoy every moment. I remember thinking, ‘Why does it have to be done this way? I know that we can make it better.’”