Exclusive: Alli Webb and Adrian Koehler Family-Focused Solvang Wedding - Brides
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Alli Webb was "looking for what's next for herself, her career, her teenage boys, and her love life," she shares with Brides. As an entrepreneur, NY Times bestselling author, co-founder of the popular salon chain Drybar, and the mother of two boys, she had a lot on her plate. But, she wanted a partner to share it all with. Meanwhile, leadership coach Adrian Koehler was in "a season of rebuilding from the ground up" with his two young children.
After a conversation with Talia Goldstein, the founder of matchmaking service Three Day Rule, on her podcast "Raising The Bar," Alli decided to give it a go. Talia soon found Adrian a few weeks later over social media, and gave him Alli's number. "That call led to a five-hour conversation of laughing, story telling, countless smiles, and such a curious wondering," recalls the pair. The two finally met in October of 2018, when Adrian picked Alli up from the airport. "We both got very real on that first date with all of their stories of our pasts," they add.
A month into dating, Alli has already flown out to meet Adrian's whole family in Illinois. "Five months of dating and integrating this eclectic family, COVID hits," remembers the couple. "It was natural to move in together and increase the heat under this young relationship. Blending a family isn't for the faint of heart, especially for two Type-A, opinionated, and stubborn lovers. Throw a quarantined net around it and our best and worst came to the surface early."
Luckily, quarantine brought their two families together in a beautiful way. In 2021, Adrian proposed and Alli said yes. The couple decided to tie the knot a year later. "Because this was a second marriage, I really had the urge to do it exactly how I wanted, as opposed to my first marriage where my parents were guiding a lot of it," shares Alli. "This is a very different experience."
"I loved the idea of a short distance destination wedding only two hours from LA, where we live," she continues. "It felt really good to me to get everybody together, especially after not seeing so much of our family for so long with the pandemic. We wanted to get everyone together for more than just a handful of hours to celebrate the wedding."
So, the couple bought out The Landsby in Solvang, California for their spring nuptials. "As far as aesthetics, I wanted the wedding to feel dreamy and beautiful. We took over the entire Landsby hotel, so we were able to put our little personal touches (flowers, pictures, etc.) all over the hotel. Plus, we were able to control the music and ambiance! It was perfect!"
"When I was interviewing wedding planners early on, I met some that I didn't vibe with and I could tell they weren't going to give us the kind of attention or service that we wanted," says Alli. "I knew as a bride it can get really stressful, so I had to find the right fit." Luckily, the pair found Michelle Selko from Creative Light Design to get the job done. "The planning process was really seamless," the bride notes. "Michelle and her team are amazing and there was a ton of communication and they were really on top of things."
So, on May 21, 2022, Alli and Adrian finally said "I do" to their great love in front of 150 guests. Ahead, read all the details of the wedding planned by Creative Light Design and photographed by Max Wanger.
Photo by Max Wanger
Alli and Adrian wanted their wedding to reflect "garden-inspired elegance." Their minimalist invitations from Minted got the job done by highlighting an engagement photo and all the details of their upcoming nuptials in a classic and romantic script.
Photo by Max Wanger
Photo by Max Wanger
One of the favorite memories for the couple was "having 52 rooms at the hotel filled with our friends and family and spilling over into Solvang," Adrian notes. "[It was] so sweet to have everyone so close coming out of the season of Covid." Charming signage with floral accents filled the hotel to welcome guests.
Photo by Max Wanger
As a beauty business founder, it's no surprise that Alli truly glowed on her wedding day. "I got a few facials at The Beauty Sandwich days before and really just made sure I got a good night sleep," she shares of her skincare prep. As the president of the humidifier brand Canopy, she also knew how important it was to maintain the right environment for her skin. "I brought it to the hotel with us so my skin would stay really moisturized," she adds. "I have a pretty hydrating skin routine—my Canopy and infrared sauna is essential, tons of serums to keep my skin super dewy, and tinted sunscreen," she shares. "I'm obsessed with Joanna Vargas Exfoliate."
As for the rest of her beauty look? "I wanted the makeup to be simple—the lip to be pink and my nails pink," notes Alli. "One of my bridesmaids, Sarah Gibson Tuttle, is the founder of Olive and June. I wore 'Pen Pal,' one of their new colors. It was the perfect pink."
Photo by Max Wanger
Speaking of pink, the hue absolutely had a presence in Alli's wedding look. The bride wore a custom-made dress by her dear friends Emily Current and Meritt Elliot of THE GREAT ."I knew I didn't want a traditional dress and I didn't want the experience of walking into a store and buying something off the rack. I think I was avoiding doing a lot of things I did the first time," the bride reflects. "I wanted something unique and special."
Photo by Max Wanger
"Because my dress has big poofy sleeves, I wanted my hair to softly fall on my shoulders," says Alli. "I had considered hair extensions, but I decided that I wanted to be natural. I'm very proud of my hair and how much it's grown. I wanted something soft and romantic with big curls—a version of how I normally wear my hair. I think it's important for brides to still feel like themselves—but like a really fancy version."
Photo by Max Wanger
"The bouquet was created using delicate garden roses from Rose Story Farm in hues of mauves and pink shades," shares planner Michelle Selko. "We wanted the bouquet to feel effortless as if Alli just walked through a garden and picked the most beautiful stems."
Photo by Max Wanger
Alli said the easiest part of planning was choosing her best friends to stand by her side as she said "I do." "I had four bridesmaids—Paige Appel, Sarah Happ, Sarah Gibson Tuttle, and Lauren Gallo," she shares. "Because I was wearing a pink dress, I wanted the girls to be in something different. The girls wore these beautiful ivory dresses from BHLDN, which just fit them so well and looked so beautiful."
Photo by Max Wanger
"The flower girls wore these little tulle skirts we actually ordered from Etsy," continues Alli. "Finding flower girl dresses in the same sizes for everybody was a tough process. They were so cute! The ring bearer, Scout, wore what the groomsmen wore as well."
Photo by Max Wanger
As for his wedding day prep? "Adrian is pretty easy," shares Alli. "I think we had the call time for three hours before we had to be ready. He only wanted an hour, which I understood. I did cut his hair a couple days before the wedding, so it was nice and fresh."
Photo by Max Wanger
Adrian chose "simple and classic" attire with a black suit and tie from Generation Tux. The groomsmen mirrored this elegant style as well.
Photo by Max Wanger
Photo by Max Wanger
I wanted to work with vendors who had really great customer service and a bend-over backwards mentality.
Photo by Max Wanger
Upon arrival, the couple treated guests to beautiful welcome baskets with locally-made treats, including delicious sparkling wine from One Hope Winery. "I loved working with companies that were up and coming," notes Alli. "For the most part, I wanted to work with vendors who had really great customer service and a bend-over backwards mentality (which is how I've always operated my businesses), and people who were excited about our event."
Photo by Max Wanger
The outdoor ceremony absolutely echoed their dreamy garden wedding vision. "We wanted the aisle to feel like we were walking through an English garden with fresh flowers growing from the ground up," share the couple. "We created the florals using seasonal local blooms that represented spring in its most beautiful form."
Photo by Max Wanger
Photo by Max Wanger
"We created a growing garden-inspired altar by attaching fresh florals to the hedge that was already at our ceremony location," continues the couple. "We wanted it to feel natural, whimsical, and that we were surrounded by nature's beauty."
Photo by Max Wanger
Photo by Max Wanger
Photo by Max Wanger
After a very cute procession of the flower girls and ring bearer, Alli's father began to walk her towards the altar. "I came out of my bridal suite, which was on the second floor of the Landsby Hotel, which overlooks the courtyard that we're getting married in. My dad walked me there, until a set of stairs that goes down to where the wedding was," reflects the bride.
Photo by Max Wanger
It was all very emotional.
Photo by Max Wanger
"At that point, my two sons, Grant and Kit, picked me up and walked me down to Adrian. It was all very emotional," she reminisces.
Photo by Max Wanger
Photo by Max Wanger
Since they didn't do a first look, Adrian reflects one of his favorite moments was "Alli's reveal of her breathtaking custom dress that she has worked in secret on for months and months. I was delighted," he says.
Photo by Max Wanger
The couple got emotional as they each read vows to each other that they wrote themselves.
Photo by Max Wanger
Photo by Max Wanger
Photo by Max Wanger
The couple sealed their marriage with a kiss and walked away arm in arm with huge smiles on their faces as guests threw petals to celebrate their union.
Photo by Max Wanger
The newly blended family came together for a celebratory photo after Alli and Adrian officially tied the knot.
Photo by Max Wanger
Alli and her bridesmaids—and all their stunning bouquets—also got together for a charming snap. "We created these bouquets with the intention of making it feel like the blooms were dancing in the ladies hands," notes the planner.
Photo by Max Wanger
Photo by Max Wanger
Alli shares some advice for fellow couples about to say "I do." "Get as much out of the way and done as you can before the week of the wedding," she reflects. "Adrian and I left a lot of little details to the end that I wish we hadn't. Get as much done as early as you can!"
Photo by Max Wanger
Photo by Max Wanger
I really wanted to enjoy the process and I really did.
Photo by Max Wanger
"The hardest part of the process was trying to manage the million other things I have going on in my life—all the businesses I'm involved in, planning a wedding, and writing my second book," reflects Alli. "So, it was a lot to juggle and planning a wedding takes up a lot of brain space. That's what was the most challenging part but not necessarily bad—I really wanted to enjoy the process and I really did."
Photo by Max Wanger
Alli and Adrian truly made a commitment to their vows, and placed a line from each of theirs onto their wrists by world-renowned tattoo artist and friend Winter Stone". The phrase? "No matter what."
Photo by Max Wanger
Photo by Max Wanger
Alli's pink gown looked absolutely stunning in the golden hour light. "Emily is one of my dear friends from The Great and she didn't hesitate for a second when I asked her if she'd be willing to do the dress," shares Alli. "We built the dress together. We did lots of fittings, we pulled lots of different inspiration from dresses I liked and vintage dresses they liked."
Photo by Max Wanger
Photo by Max Wanger
A stunning seating chart welcomed guests into the reception. The design was accented with flower boxes full of greenery and rose-colored blooms.
Photo by Max Wanger
The reception courtyard felt light and airy with beautiful natural greenery and neutral hues. "Our farm tables had dancing florals placed in beautiful ceramic bud vases and ikebana-styled arrangements so the table felt delicate and not too heavy," shares the bride.
Photo by Max Wanger
"The one item we loved the most were the beautiful chairs that we rented from Found Rental Co," shares Alli. "The design of the chairs made it feel like we were all enjoying a beautiful evening in the garden under the star light."
Photo by Max Wanger
Photo by Max Wanger
"We used white ceramic plates with beautiful peach textured-linen napkins from Soirée 8, alongside nude and gold flatware," notes the bride. "It was the perfect feminine touch."
Photo by Max Wanger
Photo by Max Wanger
After cocktail hour, the couple entered into the reception and shared a first dance.
Photo by Max Wanger
Photo by Max Wanger
Dinner was an absolute hit, with a menu featuring dishes like crab cakes, rack of lamb, pan-seared salmon, and locally sourced vegetables. "We had a beautiful buffet that was specially curated by the amazing chef at The Landsby Hotel," share the couple. "The food was so important to us because we wanted to make sure everyone tasted the love that went into creating all the beautiful dishes that were specially picked out."
Photo by Max Wanger
"We had a simple delicate white two-tier cake," the newlyweds add. "Our floral designer added fresh blooms to make it have that perfect garden touch."
Photo by Max Wanger
Photo by Max Wanger
Photo by Max Wanger
Adrian shares one of the most special moments was "dancing with all our kids together to kick off the reception—a signal of the official blending of our family." The happy family took to the floor to the song "Hooked on a Feeling."
Photo by Max Wanger
Photo by Max Wanger
Photo by Max Wanger
Photo by Max Wanger
We did our wedding our own way.
Photo by Max Wanger
A night full of smiles and dancing with their family and friends topped off the magical day. "We did our wedding our own way," shares Alli.
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