Pastel Woodland Persian Wedding at The Ritz Bacara

There are weddings that are beautiful, and then there are weddings that feel like you’ve stepped into an entirely different world… Alyssa and Nick’s day at the Bacara in Santa Barbara was the latter. It had this pastel garden feel, layered with Persian tradition, tarot, and little personal touches everywhere, but it never felt like “a theme,” but honestly, an experience. It just felt natural and really intentional. It’s a place every Santa Barbara wedding photographer recognizes, but they brought something different to it 🙂

If you’re planning a Santa Barbara wedding, you can explore more real SoCal celebrations here

One of my favorite parts of the day was how they structured it. They flipped the usual timeline and did cocktail hour before the ceremony. “After our first look, we headed back to our suite to eat leftover breakfast donuts and watch bunnies hop through the beach foliage before we said our vows.” Come on… that is way too sweet. Just the two of them, slowing things down before everything picked up again. Those are the moments like these that make us lean into our approach as documentary wedding photographers to capture the “little moments” that no one else might see, but the image has so much emotion and nostalgia.

Alyssa also added lilies into the design. “I wanted to incorporate lilies… in memory of my beloved mother who died in 2016.” Lots of big emotions all day.

And then the tarot details carried through everything. “I had so much fun designing our guest ‘advice’ cards, which featured tarot-themed representations of the wedding party.” Each one matched the person it represented, which is such a fun idea. “The most meaningful to me was The Aeon… which included a favorite photo of my mother holding me as a child.” 

And then the tables had these little vintage bronze animal “mascots” … so stinking cute! The woodland theme is just adorable 🙂

The ceremony design followed their idea of creating a “fairytale garden on the beach.” The Bacara already has strong architecture and ocean views, so they let that lead. “Our florist combined David Austin roses and magnolia with colorful ranunculus and local greens.” 

This is where our documentary approach really matters, you can read more about it here.

The Persian elements were a huge part of the day. Their Sofreh Aghd included family heirlooms and symbolic pieces that grounded the ceremony in tradition. Being a Santa Barbara wedding photographer means seeing a lot of oceanfront ceremonies, but the florals at this one were truly breathtaking.

“The Persian Zodiac also made an appearance in the custom toile that we used.” They created their own version together, which is such a cool nod to both Persian culture and Southern tradition.

This wedding is a great example of how cinematic wedding photography doesn’t have to feel staged. It can still feel grounded, personal, and real. This is what I love most about being a California wedding photographer, capturing days like this through a natural wedding photography approach, letting moments unfold as they are. Alyssa and Nick’s wedding was cinematic without trying to be, emotional without being staged… a perfect blend of documentary wedding photography and storytelling that feels timeless.

Curious about pricing? Contact us here

Alyssa and Nick’s Dream Wedding Pro Team:

Venue: The Ritz Carlton Santa Barbara

Event Planner: LuckEleven Events

Poppies: MioGallery

Sofreh Aghd: Maison De La Fork

Linens: BBJ La Tavola

Floral Designer: Storylines Floral Co.

Equipment Rentals: Amigo Party Rental

Makeup Artist: Emily Lynn & Co.

DJ: Dart Collective

Photographer: onelove photography