Emma Crowther and Matt Goodwin had been engaged for a while but had yet to make any real wedding arrangements: They had just settled down into a 90-year-old Spanish Colonial house in Brentwood and were busy with plans to reopen a hotel, The Surfrider Malibu. Then the issue of Emma’s visa came up (she’s Australian and Matt was born and raised in Ventura County), so they figured they should make it official sooner rather than later—and Emma’s astrologist determined the best day was a mere two weeks away.

Fortunately, Emma is also the international brand director of wedding style site The Lane, so she had an innate sense of how the weekend should unfold. On Friday they rented a 1957 Porsche Speedster and drove to the Santa Barbara courthouse to pick up their marriage certificate, then headed to the San Ysidro Ranch for a Champagne and oyster picnic, where they wrote their vows.

On Saturday, Emma and her mom, who flew in from Australia, went to the flower market and set the table. Emma’s best friend (who also was the officiant) lent her a cathedral-length Carolina Herrera veil, which Emma wore with a slinky slip dress from A La Robe. The couple was married in their backyard in front of a dozen of their loved ones before sitting down to dinner in the front garden. Venice-based chef Ella Freyinger prepared the meal, and their “wedding cake” was a berry pie from Gjusta. Emma’s brother played guitar as the group danced the night away. In the end, she says they wouldn’t have done it any differently: “The universe always has a plan!”

Written by KELSEY McKINNON.

 

This article originally appeared in the Fall 2017 issue of C Weddings.