A Sun-Soaked Celebration in the Forest: Elena & Sam's California Wedding

Featuring the sweetest first-look photos and a bubble tunnel send off!

A forest fairytale dream, our real wedding couple Elena and Sam exchanged their vows in the High Sierra Iris & Wedding Gardens in California. Timeless and elegant, the couple's storybook day featured an adorable page boy with the cutest wedding sign, a spectacular outdoor ceremony in the woods and a stylish green and white colour palette. With their photographer and friend Brooke Battle Photography there to capture their day in all its glory, check out Elena and Sam's sun-soaked celebration below!

white rose flowers RSVP letters scissors polaroid photo
black brogue shoes and accessories for groom
white bridal heels shoes with white roses placed on them
white wedding bridal gown dress hangs up beside window

Before diving into the details of their fabulous wedding day, let's get to know the happy couple! Elena and Sam, who are both Ukrainian and based in Sacramento in California, originally met when they were introduced through mutual friends.

groom puts on his tie
groom puts on his watch
groom is ready as he stands at house door entrance

Fast forward to their sweet proposal story: "Our friend, and photographer, Brooke Battle, originally asked us if we would model for a styled shoot. I saw it as the perfect time to propose... Brooke had vow books filled out with fake vows written by Chat GPT in Elena’s book and my book was empty. We told her we that we had to read it to make it look real for the videographer. She of course had no idea that I was going to propose when it was my turn to read! After that, we all did a photoshoot that we used for our invitations!"

bride sits in the middle surrounded by bridesmaids and female friends
bride and her mother get ready together hands/arms in the air
bridesmaid/mother fixes up back of bridal gown and helps bride get ready
guests/friends have their backs to bride as she approaches them for a surprise
friends guests react to the bride
friends guests hug the bride

Wearing mix-and-match bridesmaid dresses, Elena shared a sweet first look with her bridal party before the couple's chic outdoor ceremony.

veil covers white roses flowers bouquet
veil covers white roses flowers bouquet and face

Our glowing bride donned a fabulous off-the-shoulder, wonderfully draped gown paired with a statement veil and a bouquet of foliage and white flowers, tying in with the celebration's chic green and neutral colour palette.

groom has his back to blonde bride who is walking towards him
bride approaches groom in forest
bride and groom stand on pathway to garden smiling they embrace
bride and groom stand on pathway to garden smiling

Sharing a second sweet first-look with groom Sam, the two headed over to their picture-perfect ceremony spot tucked away in the woods, where guests were shaded from the California sunshine.

aisle view of ceremony and guests seated
alter setting table covered in flowers
barrel covered in blue cloth and white rose flowers at the bottom
wedding band singer in pink dress drummer in background and guitarist
groomsman and bridesmaid make their way down the aisle during ceremony
here comes love of your life sign boy holding it up written in chalk walking down aisle

How adorable is their page boy's wedding sign?

two little flower girls in white dresses walk down the aisle
groom awaits his bride at the alter
Father of the bride walks his daughter down the aisle
bride and groom standing at the alter giving vows microphone
bride and groom hold glasses of wine and drink
bride and groom kiss at the alter trees in the background
bride and groom hold hands at the alter trees in the background

Surrounded by 150 of their closest friends and family, Elena and Sam exchanged their vows in a breathtaking outdoor ceremony in a glorious forest wedding venue, and included a Loving Cup unity ritual: "A friend got married there a few years ago and it always stood out to me because it was small, quaint but had that woodsy feel. When we initially called the venue it was booked out. Ironically enough, the only day they had a cancellation was June of this year, so we of course had to go with it!"

seating arrangement details for guests
white roses flowers
table setting decor flowers roses cutlery
table setting white tablecloth cutlery
water lily in pond

Elena and Sam had this advice for couples embarking on their own wedding planning journey: "Don’t stress the details. The marriage is about you, not having everyone else pleased."

bride and groom stand holding hands in forest setting
bride and groom all smiles as they walk on the green grass holding hands

From the outset, it was important to the couple to: "create an atmosphere of joy, celebration, and connection. So our priorities weren’t on the details. We let the vendors do their thing and just enjoyed getting married!"

close up of brides white rose bouquet veil and dress
bride smiles in garden
bride and groom standing in forest garden setting
bride and groom giggle and laugh together in forest setting
bride and groom from afar in garden surrounded by trees

Against the backdrop of the iris and foxglove-filled gardens, Elena and Sam's celebrations included a gorgeous photoshoot as the sun set over the Californian forest.

woman/bridesmaid gives speech
white wedding cake covered in flowers
bride and groom dance on the boardwalk to forest balcony setting

The couple's stylish outdoor reception went on to include plenty of heartwarming speeches, a first dance under twinkling festoon lighting and a chic two-tier floral wedding cake, before enjoying a bubble tunnel send off. Following their busy wedding festivities, the couple jetted off to Hawaii for their well deserved honeymoon.

bride and groom nighttime shot they're laughing

A very special thank you to Elena, Sam and Brooke Battle Photography for sharing this spectacular wedding celebration with One Fab Day! There are also plenty more gorgeous photos from their special day to check out in the gallery below!

For more beautiful destination Real Weddings, see here!

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