Remember when you could travel anywhere you wanted to get married?! Those were good times. So we’re throwing it way back to 2019 today (which seems like a lifetime ago).
Courtney and Ash decided to make the journey from Australia to get married in the same place she proposed – Half Moon Bay in California. They were joined by just two friends as they said I do at the HastingsHouse in a gorgeous little garden area.
I love everything about their wedding day style! A perfect look for an amazing couple!
Check out more and some Q& A with them below.
Photography: Ian Chin Photography
Ceremony: The Hastings House
Reception/Dinner: Ritz Carlton
Event Planner: Stratford & Pearl
Officiant: Officially Hitched
Q: How did you meet? Tell us about the proposal.
A: We meet when he became my housemate in early 2017. My housemate and I had just had another move out and he became our third. In Feb 2018 when we were in San Francisco, I proposed to him at the Ritz Carlton in Half Moon Bay; he said yes! Just a few months later, he came out as transgender and had always secretly wished he could’ve been the one to propose. So in Feb 2019, at his own birthday celebrations, whilst playing Pictionary with friends – he proposed to me by having me guess wedding on our turn in the game. He then turned around and then turned back with my brand new sparkly engagement ring and re-proposed. It was so magical.
Q: Tell us about your wedding! What was the inspiration behind your day? Did you have a specific theme, style or color palette?
A: We wanted something small and intimate that was just for us. My family childhood friend lives in San Francisco and we’d been engaged in Half Moon Bay. We are from Australia, but we knew we wanted to get married back where we were in engaged; in Half Moon Bay and wanted her and her partner to be involved. We were able to speak with our wedding planner at ease who arranged everything for us without a hitch on the big day! There was no real them or style; we just wanted simple, elegant and unforgettable and that is certainly what it was!We had a small intimate dinner with the four of us at the Ritz Carlton in Half Moon Bay. And when we got back to Australia my parents through as a Wedding Party with all our friends and family.
Q: Let’s talk wedding decor. How did you decorate your space for the ceremony and the reception?
A: It was simple with some flowers, but no guests, so no chairs or anything. It was in a nice little garden at Hastings House in Half Moon Bay. I had a lovely bridal bouquet of lillies and my maid of honour had a similar bouquet. We had our reception dinner at the same place we were engaged. At the Ritz Carlton.
Q: What was the most anticipated or special moment of your wedding day?
A: Seeing his face as I walked down the aisle. I was so nervous, but in total excitement. And I couldn’t wait to get all the magical photos of us on the cliff faces around the Ritz Carlton grounds.
Q: Let’s talk fashion. How did you both choose your wedding day look?
A: I honestly only had to go to one bridal shop and immediately found the dress I loved after only trying on 3 dresses. It was an amazingly magical experience. My husband found a long tail morning coat on a UK website, a year before we got married and then built his suit from that. It was very personalised and very “him”.
Q: Do you have any wedding planning or marriage advice that you’d like to share with other couples planning their day?
A: I couldn’t have done it without our wedding planner. She made the whole experience a breeze. I’d say to take the stress out of the day – hire a planner (if you have the means!). And that’s coming from a control freak! Haha
