A Classic Santa Barbara Wedding Inspired by 'Father of the Bride'

When planning her California wedding on May 4, 2019, bride Christina Jacke turned to her favorite Nancy Meyers films for inspiration: "Father of the Bride" and "It's Complicated." "Both are very classic and highlight Southern California in such a nice way," she says of the wedding scenes. "We wanted to recreate something similar for our wedding—classic California vibe yet, fun."

Christina and fiancé Corey Printup discovered their Santa Barbara venue, Four Seasons Resort The Biltmore, thanks to a recommendation from her mom. Nestled along the coast, the location offered gorgeous gardens and stunning ocean views, making their nuptials feel like a destination affair right outside of Los Angeles.

Planning the modern-yet-traditional wedding was made easy through the couple's wedding planner, Lindsey Hartsough of Magnolia Event Design. "Lindsey and her team were able to capture our vision perfectly," adds the bride. That vision included an overflow of white and green flowers, a neutral color scheme, and an emphasis on the party—"We wanted everyone to have a good time!"

Ahead, see Christina and Corey's classic wedding day from start to finish, as planned by Magnolia Event Design and photographed by Alixann Loosle.

A chic palette of gold, white and gray defined the nuptials and the couple's invitation suite was everything one would expect for a luxe springtime event.

"I immediately loved the way I looked in it," Christina recalls of finding for her Netta Benshabu gown. She slipped into the strapless lace and tulle number with the help of her mom, who joined the rest of the bridal party as they prepared for the eventful day ahead.

When asked for dress shopping advice, Christina says, "Take your time and have fun!"

Sticking to the classic theme, Christina carried a bouquet of all-white flowers accented with greenery.

Her bridesmaids followed suit with petite white bouquets that matched her own and were clad in neutral Vera Wang gowns. Christina admits, "I wanted my bridesmaids to wear something clean and classic. I have always liked the look of neutral colors in a bridal party."

Corey and his groomsmen wore custom black suits and shoes from Hideoki Bespoke—but the groom's look wasn't without extra special customization! Inside the sleek jacket was his name in embroidery, while the outside collar boasted a sweet phrase: "I Do For Life."

For Christina and Corey, the simplest wedding decision was choosing the venue. She says of the Four Seasons locale, "We immediately fell in love after viewing and did not feel the need to look at any other places." The ceremony was held outdoors on the resort's grounds.

Rockrose Floral designed the couple's stunning ceremony arch, which mimicked Christina's bouquet with its abundance of white florals and greenery.

While the couple saved their first look for the wedding altar, Christina and Corey did meet ahead of the ceremony. "We prayed together before the ceremony but were back-to-back so we could not see each other," explains the bride. "It was a special moment and I am so glad that our photographer, Alix, captured it beautifully."

Christina was escorted down the aisle by her father—a processional that brought the groom to tears as he saw his soon-to-be wife for the first time.

The ceremony was officiated by a family friend and after exchanging vows and sealing the marriage with a kiss, the newlyweds recessed down the aisle as husband and wife.

"The entire day was perfect! The most special part is that we had so many loving family and friends to help us celebrate," says the bride.

Corey proposed to Christina in Palm Springs in July 2017—just 200 miles southeast of where they eventually said "I do." "Corey proposed at sunset and had a candlelit walkway, photographer, and handwritten note for me to read before asking me to marry him," she recalls. "It was a really special moment."

Following the ceremony, guests made their way to the seaside patio of the Four Seasons resort for cocktail hour. The space was fitted with a circular bar, chandeliers, and a sleek lounge area (that would convert to a cigar bar that evening), and guests enjoyed passed plates of seared ahi tuna, mini crab cakes, and Kobe beef meatballs.

As cocktail hour came to a close, guests found their seats on a modern lucite seating chart framed in gold.

Christina and Corey's reception décor was a mix of classic and luxe as gorgeous white and green florals juxtaposed with the lucite table numbers and gold plates, vases, and flatware. The ballroom was made intimate with dozens of candles, too.

To kick off a night of dancing, Corey and Christina shared their first dance to a live performance by Grammy-nominated artist MAJOR., which was a complete surprise to the bride. "Christina had mentioned once to Corey that MAJOR.’s song would be a perfect song for the first dance. Corey set out to hire him to sing especially for his bride on their wedding day," the couple's planner recalls. Of course, the unexpected gesture became one of Christina's most memorable moments from the entire day.

They finished the night with a four-tier wedding cake featuring layers of lemon pound cake and tiramisu before jetting off to Hawaii for their honeymoon. The bride says, "The most special part is that we had so many loving family and friends to help us celebrate. The entire day was perfect."