1. Real Weddings

Suzanna & Damon: A Spring Wedding in Santa Barbara, CA

It was love at second sight for Suzanna Yip and Damon Hack. Although no sparks flew at their first rendezvous (arranged through friends) they felt obl

It was love at second sight for Suzanna Yip and Damon Hack. Although no sparks flew at their first rendezvous (arranged through friends) they felt obligated to give each other one more try. It’s lucky they were both open-minded, because on that second date the two stylish urbanites realized that they had a lot in common, and chemistry to spare. The Bride Suzanna Yip, 32, fashion director The Groom Damon Hack, 35, journalist The Date March 11 A little more than four years later, the couple spent the holidays in Damon’s hometown of Los Angeles. After ditching family and friends for a quiet dinner at the Malibu outpost of Nobu, Damon got down on one knee on a favorite beach and asked Suzanna to share the future with him. Soon they started planning a wedding that perfectly captured the freshness of spring.

To celebrate the beginning of spring, each escort card was tied to a blooming twig in a tiny terra-cotta pot planted with fresh moss.
The simple square invitation perfectly fit the theme of the wedding -- white,clean, and fresh -- just like spring.
Two daughters of the groom's best friend wore ivory silk empire-waist dresses with blush-colored sashes. They carried blossoms on their wrists, in their hair, and covering their petal-filled baskets.
The white fondant swag frosting made the cake look as if it were draped in fabric. The florist added tiny blooming branches, anemones, mint, freesia, and lilac.
The white theme was played out via white chairs, white embroidered tablecloths and, of course, more white flowers. Not much was needed in the way of decoration, since windows afforded breathtaking views of the Pacific Ocean. Even so, flowers and lanterns were hung from a massive chandelier for the perfect finishing touch.
Suzanna carried white peonies, lilac, gardenias, ranunculus, and champagne roses tied with a white ribbon.
The couple wanted a location that would be convenient for a cross-section of guests (she grew up in Hong Kong, he’s from LA) and warm and sunny in their chosen month of March. They decided upon the breathtaking Bacara Resort & Spa in Santa Barbara, which would almost guarantee good weather—emphasis on the almost. Turns out their wedding day fell during an uncharacteristically cold and rainy spell. Although they had to have the ceremony inside, and not on a bluff as planned, the couple found the indoor space -- which featured a cathedral ceiling with exposed beams—to be anything but a disappointment.
To match Suzanna's bouquet, Damon wore a garden rose, white ranunculus buds, and scented geranium on his lapel.
To play up the spring season, French tulips in moss-filled terra-cotta pots decorated the reception space.
During the ceremony the bride wore a slim-fitting strapless Reem Acra gown accented by beads and embroidery with a long matching veil. For the reception, the fashionista changed into a more party-appropriate light-weight flowing frock by Elizabeth Fillmore.