lauren + nils

The iconic Chapel at Seaside set the charming coastal scene as Lauren and Nils said “I do” at their beachside wedding. With help from local wedding planner Peach and Pearl Events, the day was filled with joy, laughter, and happy tears as the couple celebrated with their families.

As Lauren got ready for the day, hair and makeup artist Sara at Swoon Styles perfected Lauren’s natural bridal makeup and effortless bridal updo. As for Lauren’s satin wedding dress, it is a beautiful combination of two gowns in our Build-A-Bride collection. She loved the flowing A-line wedding dress skirt of our Penny Clark gown, which is in a luxurious mikado fabric with buttons down the back. It is also a wedding dress with pockets, making it a favorite amongst our brides!

Lauren paired this modern ball gown skirt with the bodice of our Iris Everly gown. This ruched wedding dress bodice features a dramatic strapless scoop neckline. Lauren is the first bride to combine these two gowns, and we absolutely love how the classic styles pair together! With our Build-A-Bride concept, brides can easily mix-and-match two wedding gowns together to create one unique look personalized to their exact style. This elegant wedding dress combination is exactly how Lauren pictured herself on her wedding day.

The couple shared a sweet first look under the oak trees by the chapel. Nils wore a custom bespoke suit by Mobley & Sons that complemented Lauren’s classic wedding gown. The bridesmaids wore muted pink bridesmaids dresses, and the flower girls wore precious tulle flower girl dresses with flower crowns that tied in with Lauren’s fresh floral bouquet by Fisher’s Flowers.

When it came time for the wedding ceremony to begin at The Chapel at Seaside, musician Chris Alvarado serenaded the room with acoustic music. It was important to the couple that they incorporated their family into the ceremony, as Nils is originally from Germany and brought in his family from out of the country. His cousin did a live German translation of the ceremony alongside Lauren’s cousin, who served as the officiant. Lauren told us of the ceremony, “It was lovely–so many joyful tears!”

After exchanging vows, the newlyweds exited the chapel with a petal toss and hopped into a 1955 black Thunderbird for sunset beach photos with wedding photographer Chloe Brennan. Afterwards, they joined their guests at Ruskin Park, a gorgeous outdoor wedding venue across from the chapel. With the sun officially set, the dance floor was lit from overheard twinkle lights, and guests enjoyed a catered dinner by Townsend Catering Company and live music by Blanton Reed Band. The tiered wedding cake by 30A bakery Sweetly Sisters featured fresh flowers and greenery that cascaded down in an organic display.

The newlyweds and their guests danced well into the evening, and rather than a traditional send-off, the entire group migrated to the after party at a nearby home to continue the fun. Every detail from the wedding day felt sentimental, intimate, and perfectly curated for this adoring couple.

It was an honor to create a timeless wedding gown for Lauren that made her feel beautiful, and we loved being a part of her wedding day. We wish her and Nils so much love and happiness!