AS A BEAUTY EDITOR AT THE KNOT, I'll try anything once. Sometimes this is a super perk (hello, fancy facials). Sometimes it’s risky, like the time I went in for trendy highlights and came out a peroxide blonde. For better or for worse, I’ve tested (a

“We wanted our wedding to honor and merge our cultures, while staying true to our personalities,” Vishwarupa (Vish) Vasani (33 and works in public health) says of her marriage to Randall Tatem (32 and an attorney). The result was a mash up of Indian

With a background in interior design, Matthew Berthold (33 and a visual manager) put his creative skills to work for his wedding to Brian Lynch (35 and a senior manager of education and sales). “We wanted a Palm Springs meets Santa Barbara vibe,” Mat

Having met while at Cal Poly, Madi Ventura and Jordan Hines (both 25 and students) brought their college friends back to San Luis Obispo for their wedding at Greengate Ranch & Vineyard. “We wanted it to be a big party, so our overall theme was fun,”

It’s no secret that wedding food can sometimes feel a little one-note. But if the two of you are big foodies and looking to create a memorable meal for yourselves and your guests, “good enough” just isn’t going to cut it. While any meal cooked up by

For an undone bunch made for a winding vineyard, ask your florist to focus on a loose shape and soft, pastel colors. Here, fluttery pink lisianthus and light purple clematis are paired with roses, white campanulas and sprigs of wispy greenery and vin

WHY IT WORKS Saying “I Do” in autumn is all about embracing the dramatic atmosphere of the season, so concentrate on working with colors that pack on the saturation. Traditional fall shades like inky navy blue and rich burgundy get a very 2020 upgrad

Go for the wow! Instead of stretching your décor budget to include all. the. things, narrow in on one or two true heart-stoppers, like hanging florals, a neon installation that doubles as a ceremony altar or unique rentals. Your guests will be sure t

VENUE THE LODGE AT VAIL Clockwise from left: Furniture rentals, EventRents.com; linens, LaTavolaLinen.com; paper goods, SweetZionPaperie.com; cookies, SweetFleur.org; florals, PremaStyle.com. Cake, King’s Norsk Products; florals, PremaStyle.com; Airs

Katharine Fernandez (28 and a graphic designer) and Daniel Simpson (26 and an energy technician) met on a camping trip in the Mojave Desert and got engaged on a trip to Mammoth Lakes. “The Eastern Sierras are a very special place to us,” Katharine sa

When planning their Napa Valley wedding, Carolyn Potz (38 and a bakery owner) and Cynthia Wright (33 and an operations manager) focused the most on their ceremony. They worked with a minister to create one that felt inclusive, broke gender norms and

Allie Seiler (29 and an artist) and Alex Speiser (28 and a businessman) aimed to create a warm, inviting atmosphere at their autumn wedding. Soft lighting, muted fall colors and local foliage set the scene, but it was their ceremony that completed th

Sima Bhalala (30 and works in EdTech) and Nikhil Rao (32 and works in IT sales) let Indian traditions guide their wedding at the Montalvo Arts Center. They kicked things off with a musical baraat processional and married under a mandap, but shortened

OUR PRO Rachael Lunghi, floral designer at Siren Floral Co. in San Diego CLAIM TO FAME Rachael’s known for working with lots of lush greenery and unique textures, so expect the unexpected. DISCOVER sirenfloralco.com @sirenfloralco WHEN SHOULD COUPLES

THE SAGUARO HOTEL AND POOL PALM SPRINGS COST from $16,500 GUEST COUNT 200 ABOUT Color is the name of the game at vibrant Saguaro, which serves as a major pop of vibrant coral, fuchsia and neon purple among the desert sand. FARMSTEAD AT LONG MEADOW RA

POWDER: GETTY IMAGES; ALL OTHERS COURTESY OF VENDORS ■

NAIL POLISH: GETTY IMAGES; ALL OTHERS COURTESY OF VENDORS ■

STITCHED WITH LOVE MELISSA + DANE ALMA, KS “After Dane’s mom passed away, a dear friend and Sioux elder wrapped and blessed him in a morning star quilt,” Melissa says. “At our ceremony, she blessed us together as a couple in the same piece.” FAMILY T

FURRY FRIENDS RACHEL + KEVIN BALTIMORE “It was always important for Kevin and me to include our pups in the ceremony,” Rachel says. “They’re rescues and don’t handle large crowds well, so this was my way of having them with me as I walked down the ai

Selina + Nick 6 • 29 | LONG BEACH ■

ROAD TO LOVE JOEY + SCOTT CINCINNATI “Our genius designer paid tribute to the thousands of miles we traveled when we were long distance,” Scott says. “The path on the ampersand is the highway we drove to get to each other on I-71 in Ohio.” HOME SWEET

Northern California Marriage License Requirements GUIDELINES FOR OBTAINING A MARRIAGE LICENSE In Northern California, you must be at least 18 years old to obtain a marriage license. Those under 18 must have parents present and a court order to apply.

JOVE MEYER Owner Jove Meyer Events Jove is an NYC-based event designer known for throwing celebrations that take personalization to new heights. My partner and I are both major introverts—we don’t do PDA and hate being the center of attention—so a tr

FASHION STYLING Shelley Brown HAIR Yoichi Tomizawa using Bumble and bumble at Art Department MAKEUP Hector Simancas using Elizabeth Arden at Art Department PROP STYLING Kayleigh Snowden ■

THE TEAM CEREMONY + RECEPTION SITE A private residence, San Luis Obispo PHOTOGRAPHY Loretta Richert and Pamela Baker/Heirlume Photography DAY-OF COORDINATION Buonasera Events FLOWERS Chicas Botanicas FASHION Emily: Rue De Seine, Moondance Bridal, San