Hey everyone! For those who are new here and checking out this post from our beautiful April 2016 wedding, I just wanted to make a little note that while Tor and I had spent a lovely decade together, we amicably split in early 2019 and divorced shortly afterwards. After much consideration, I have decided I am not taking down this post as it was still such a lovely day with friends and family, my time with Tor will always be a big part of my life, and since we do remain on friendly terms.
Three hundred and sixty five days. Fifty-two weeks. Twelve months. One year. It is so strange to think that it’s already been that long since the day Tor and I said “I do” and became husband and wife. Exactly one year ago today, surrounded by an intimate group of our closest family and friends, the wedding that marked the beginning of a new chapter in our lives was celebrated in a lavish vineyard just outside Santa Barbara. Since that special day, on April 2, 2016, we have continued to reflect back on what was surely the happiest day for us both.
I’m sure you’ve seen our features in The Knot and People magazine, as well as our Instagram pics here and there, but as you can imagine it’s really hard to not want to share what was such a beautiful day. They say your wedding day is a day you’ll never forget, and I remember each moment vividly in my mind as if it was just last month, not last year.
I’ll never forget waking up on that gorgeous Saturday. I had planned to sleep in a bit, since the wedding wasn’t until 5 pm and I wasn’t getting ready until around noon, but what bride could ever sleep in on her wedding day? My bestie and bridesmaid Addy brought me donuts in bed as the villa and surrounding vineyards were enveloped by a beautiful morning fog. My sister/maid of honor joined shortly after, although she was panicking because my nose sounded stuffy and she immediately sent for allergy medicine to be brought. She told me she did not want me to sound like an alien when I said my vows. Oh, Jess!
As my mother, my aunt, my four bridesmaids, my future mother-in-law, and myself got ready, I felt an eerie sense of calm and reflection. From my suite, I could see our vendors and wedding planners hard at work below getting the reception area ready with chairs, tables, tableware, flowers, etc. This was all being done to celebrate the love of my life and myself, and the love we share for one another. Everyone would be gathering in those seats for an intimate dinner post-ceremony just for us. As a little girl, I naturally always dreamt of what my future wedding would be like. What young girl doesn’t dream about being a princess on her wedding day (then again, I did dream about marrying at Walt Disney World for a good ten years!)?
But, when I was around 11 years old, I used to say to my sister that someone out there was going to marry me. There was a boy somewhere out there in the world destined to be my husband, and one day we will marry. Of course, I had no idea that man would be Torrance, and no at 11-years old I didn’t quite grasp the importance of marriage beyond the wedding day, but what I said was true. Someone out there would one day marry me and spend the rest of their life with me, and that man was just downstairs putting on his tux and adjusting his bowtie, and today was the day I had always wondered about.
I am a traditionalist, so Tor and I did not have a “first look” prior to the ceremony. Growing up in my large Italian family, none of my family members did that (except for my sister the year before) and I chose to do the same. At 5 pm, to the song “Courage and Kindness” from the 2015 film Cinderella, I walked down the aisle alongside my father, the first man I ever loved, towards my awaiting husband-to-be. It was windy, and my veil kept wrapping around my father and even knocked over a flower pot as I walked up the stairs to the ceremony site, but that’s to be expected at the wedding for two people who embrace all sorts of mishaps with laughter.
We would all laugh again later in the ceremony during our unity candle lighting since it was so windy (we did get the candles to light in the end!). Just before 5:30 pm, we heard the words we had been waiting to hear, “It is my honor and privilege to introduce you to Mr. and Mrs. Torrance Coombs!” Sealed with a kiss, Tor and I locked arms and walked towards our new life as a married couple.
During the cocktail hour, Tor and I went off to shoot some private portraits with our photographers so our guests could mingle, eat, and drink. We made a surprise appearance on the balcony for a “royal wave” so to speak, which was met with great enthusiasm from our guests. We kept our guest list small – only 60 people in total were there and it was all immediately family members and close friends who lived nearby in LA. As we looked down on our small gathering, we were grateful for each person who was there.
For our reception, we decided on one long table like royal weddings in Europe. There was also no designated side (bride’s side or groom’s side), so everyone could mingle and chat with each other. A lot of people wanted to make speeches, so we had my sister and maid of honor start, followed by two of Tor’s groomsmen, my father, Tor’s father, and then Tor himself.
My sister and new father-in-law made me cry, Tor’s groomsmen made us laugh, and my dad began his speech with the Star Wars theme song playing in the background. After a delicious five course dinner, it was time to share our first dance (to Coldplay’s “Fix You”) and cut our three-tier lemon and vanilla wedding cake.
Reflecting on the wedding day always makes me smile and feel a sense of warmth. It was a wonderful weekend celebrating love, and I am super excited to see what lies for us down the road. Selfishly, our love story is my favorite and I love writing new chapters to it. Our first major chapter was how we met, our second chapter was moving in together and living abroad, our third chapter was getting engaged, our fourth chapter was buying our first home, our fifth chapter was the wedding, and our sixth chapter was being abroad in Europe. I wonder what chapter seven will be.
Photography: The Why We Love
Venue: Sunstone Villa, Santa Ynez, California
Wedding Planners: Cake & Punch
Flowers: Anna Le Pley Taylor Flowers
Calligraphy: Linen & Leaf
Tableware: Otis & Pearl
Table and chairs: Archive
Catering: Omni Catering
Cake and desserts: Frost It Cakery
Hair and Makeup: The Blushed Company
Ceremony Dress and Veil: Lauren Elaine Bridal
Reception Dress and Cape: Lauren Elaine Bridal
Bridesmaids’ Gowns: Lauren Elaine Bridal
Bridesmaid’s shoes: Yosi Samra
Shoes: Valentino
Tor’s Tuxedo: Ralph Lauren
Perfume: Illuminum perfume (similar scent here)
Aw, your words are always so beautiful and reading how you passionately speak about your wedding day and the love of your life always brings up tears to my eyes somehow. Following you here on your blog and on instagram is always a pleasure and I’m always looking forward to seeing new pictures or posts from you. The pictures from the wedding are amazing and you are incredibly beautiful! Oh and Renly and Daenerys are so cute! Haha. Wish you all the best and happy Anniversary!
Aww thank you so much, Cindy!
The way you tell your story is beautiful. An utterly gorgeous day for a gorgeous couple. Happy Anniversary! My parents Wedding Anniversary is also April 2nd, and next year they will be celebrating 30 years as husband and wife. Here’s to many more chapters in your wonderful life together xx
Thanks, Jade!! It seems April 2 is a lucky day! Congrats to your parents!!!!
Just one word ….. beautiful. May you two have a lifetime of love and happiness together.
Thank you, Mary!
Listening to Courage and Kindness while reading your post.
Happy 1st Wedding Anniversary.
Thanks, Sharon! And I am honored to hear you’re listening to the song. I can’t listen to it or watch Cinderella without crying now! That’s what I get for choosing that song 🙂
Happy anniversary! Did you do anything special to celebrate? Gorgeous photos, you both look very happy 🙂
Thanks, Erika! We are doing a Santa Barbara & Arizona road trip to celebrate 🙂
I love that your cats were part of the wedding! I have 5 myself
Of course they were!!!! I’d love to have 5 but I think Tor would get frustrated haha
BEST POST EVER !!!
The photos are just amazing ! You, Torrance and your bridesmaids look absolutely stunning !
Your wedding is comparable to a royal one to me !!
You chose the perfect dresses, the perfect flowers and this location is magical !
I wish you a lifetime of happiness and a lot of new crazy adventures with your husband !
Aww thank you, Marine!
Oh my God, I got so emotional reading this post! Your wedding is absolutely a GOAL for me! 😍 As italian and traditionalist, I agree with your decision to don’t see Tor before the wedding. I always dream a wedding like yours: I love the location and I would like to find a similar one here but only for the party because, as a catholic, the ceremony should be celebrated in a church.
I never get tired of reading about your wedding! It seems like a fairytale and (with the royal wedding of Kate and William) is one of my favourite! 😍
Sorry about the lenght of the post; I wish you and Tor all the happiness and I hope to find someone who’s gonna love me like Tor loves you💕
Awww thank you so much, Francesca! I am sure you will have a royal wedding yourself!
What a beautiful wedding, it looked truly magical. Thank you for sharing with us. I love the pic of you both with cat babies😀
Thank you, Debbie! It’s definitely a family photo we use a lot 🙂
Truly beautiful. Your love for each other is inspiring to see. This post made me so happy for you and Tor – and makes me look forward to eventually tying the knot with my partner down the line.
I am so happy for you both, and wish you a lifetime of love and happiness! Happy Anniversary!
Savannah x
Aww thank you, Savannah! I expect you’ll have an exquisitely beautiful wedding 🙂
This post has me feeling all the feels. Your photographs are SO lovely, you looked gorgeous, and Torrance looked as dapper as ever. You two are so in love it makes my heart hurt. Congrats to one year, and here’s to many more! 🙂
Thank you so much, Maggie! We will definitely be looking back on these pics for years to come.
If ever there was a perfect wedding, you two had it. So romantic and royal, beautiful and exquisite. Congratulations and may you always be as happy as you are now.
What a beutyful wedding ❤❤❤❤ was such a cute thing the way how you discribe this day… I kind felt like I was there. I need to confess the you style is an inspiration for me.
Xo from Brasil 🇧🇷
Hello to you both ❤️
I recently stumbled, quite fortunately, across this jewel of a site.
Can I just say that as a fellow romantic, who always felt out of place in a world so focused on the highlight reels of life, the need for likes and followers and the lost art of love and romance, I feel like I have finally found a blog I can relate to. Full of hope, honesty and the purest affection for first love, the world and beauty, I am both truly humbled by your words and thankful to be amongst other true romantics.
I pledge myself a forever fan of The A List and thank you for it.
Best wishes for 2018.
Gratefully,
HT x.
Your wedding pictures are amazing. You both look stunning and very happy. Have loved looking at these beautiful pictures. My husband and I married in Verona, Italy 11 years ago. The one of you two on the balcony reminds me of Gulietta’s balcony😀