JOURNAL
Julia & Ryan’s Romantic Black-Tie Garden Wedding at Waverley Country Club
Waverley Country Club was the perfect setting for Julia and Ryan’s timeless black-tie garden wedding. Nestled along the river, their day unfolded with a balance of romance, southern charm, and playful details that felt deeply personal.
A Ceremony Overlooking the River
Guests were welcomed with parasols and hand fans before making their way to a garden chair-lined aisle, where florals framed the path in lush shades of hydrangeas, garden roses, cosmos, and larkspur. At the end of the aisle, Julia and Ryan exchanged vows atop a custom round platform, surrounded by a floral nest and shaded by market umbrellas. The river view created an unforgettable backdrop for their promises.
A Celebration of Style & Story
Every detail was intentional, starting with the custom invitation suite — a nod to the classic charm of the Masters golf tournament, the suite incorporated a refined palette of green and butter yellow, hand-drawn illustrations, and a green-and-white envelope liner that set the tone for the celebration.
Fashion carried that spirit forward. The wedding party was beautifully classic — bridesmaids in butter yellow silk gowns, including the iconic “Andy” dress from How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days. Guests leaned into the festive black-tie garden theme with brightly colored gowns, lively patterns, and undeniable southern charm, making the celebration feel vibrant and stylish.
Thoughtful Guest Experiences
At cocktail hour, guests discovered a custom seating chart wall that doubled as an interactive experience. Mounted envelopes held each guest’s table number, along with a charm pull — a playful nod to Ryan’s New Orleans roots and the tradition of the cake pull. The couple continued this theme at the reception, where each table number corresponded to a charm, with the meaning of the charm elegantly printed on the back.
Custom touches extended everywhere: a fabric-draped bar menu, personalized koozies and matchbooks featuring their golden retriever Bailey, and a floral-framed Sperry tent entrance. A lounge vignette under café lights, just steps off of the dance floor, created a chic space for conversation and late-night dancing. Bailey even joined the celebration in his tuxedo bow tie, stealing hearts during portraits.
Heartfelt Moments & Late-Night Magic
The reception unfolded with timeless traditions and personal surprises. Julia shared a first dance with her grandfather, while her grandparents celebrated their 68th wedding anniversary on the same night. In one of the most touching moments of the evening, Julia and her cousins surprised the couple by interrupting their anniversary dance, each handing Julia’s grandmother a single ivory rose.
Guests enjoyed a champagne tower, a dessert bar featuring Russian and American sweets, and late-night sliders paired with glass bottles of Coke — disco balls gleaming nearby. Under the Sperry tent, friends and family filled the dance floor, creating a night both elegant and joyfully unforgettable.
A Timeless, Personal Celebration
Hints of butter yellow, creamy ivory, and light olive carried throughout the design, weaving a thread of understated elegance from ceremony to reception. From the florals to the fashion, from Bailey’s bow tie to the anniversary roses, Julia and Ryan’s Waverley Country Club wedding was a celebration that honored family legacy, personal history, and the timeless joy of gathering together in style.
VENDORS:
Planner: Shauna , J29 Events
Photographer: The Tenneys
Video: Hawthorne Moon Productions
Venue: Waverley Country Club
Floral Design: Seventh Stem
Rentals: Magnolia Rentals + Arden Event Collective
Lighting: Greenlight Creative
Linens: BBJ LaTavola
Candles: Yummi Candles
Beauty: Lisa Boehm Beauty
Entertainment: Blue Wave Band
Signage: Rebecca Lozovinskiy
Dessert: Banquette
Dog Sitter: Wags & Garland
Elegant Black Tie Northern California Wedding | The Historic Benbow Inn
On a perfect fall October day, the clouds parted and the rain stopped, making way for a sunny and elegant wedding along the Eel River at The Historic Benbow Inn. Guests traveled to Northern California for a classic, yet modern, white on white affair to celebrate the marriage of Cortney and Michael.
Cortney and Michael. These two are the real deal. They met while attending Humboldt State University, and had an instant spark on their first date when they dined on artisan pizza and fine wine (as college students). They are deeply rooted in their faith, are extremely close to their family and friends, share a love of travel, and enjoy helping others and giving back. On paper they sound incredible but then you meet these super models, and feel their warmth; they are such good people with huge hearts - they far exceed anything on paper. It’s easy to see why so many people made the journey to the middle of NOWHERE for a weekend of fun in Northern California. It was our honor to help them bring their vision to life and to work alongside them and their lovely families on their special day.
Clad in dapper black tuxedos by The Black Tux, Michael and his FOURTEEN groomsmen (many were also former athletes at HSU) looked almost as good as Bronson, their bulldog. A true case of “who wore it better?”
Can you handle the cuteness? Bronson, you’re such a stud and you definitely set the bar high for all other wedding dogs.
“White on white on white.” This is how Cortney described her wedding vision last year when we first started chatting. The Benbow Inn provided the perfect backdrop for their stunning white on white color palette. Bridesmaids wore gorgeous Katie May off the shoulder floor length gowns while Cortney wore the most incredible Pronovias bridal gown. All white bouquets by Flora Organica Designs completed their elegant bridal look.
Before attending the wedding ceremony, guests were treated to a “pre-ceremony mingle” on the lawn adjacent to the ceremony. Escort cards affixed to each champagne glass directed guests to their seats for the wedding reception.
Flora Organica Designs built a subtle arc of pampas grass, white hydrangeas, white roses, and lush greens to frame the ceremony space and altar. The back of the aisle was flanked with similar pieces - all of these florals were later repurposed for the reception.
Have you ever seen a more beautiful couple? #NewlywedGoals
The James Zeller Trio band serenaded guests during cocktail hour with a variety of jazz and Americana tunes.
The Historic Benbow Inn has a spacious terrace overlooking the lawn and The Eel River. The white exterior and detailed Tudor design set the backdrop for their white on white wedding vision. Minimal and clean, the settings were refined, with a very modern table number that blended well with their overall style.
The most adorable sweetheart setup overlooking all of their guests with the sunset and river behind them. It was gorgeous.
After cutting their cake, guests transitioned indoors where we were all delighted to an endearing first dance by the newlyweds. Cortney’s glamorous gown was made for twirling; they looked like movie stars. Guests immediately got their dance game on and the party was hoppin’ thanks to the Accurate Productions team.
Before it got too late, guests joined Cortney and Michael along the rivers’ edge for their sparkler “send off.” Ken and Nicole of CKC Image captured the day perfectly but really flexed their muscles with these jaw dropping starry night shots.
Cortney and Michael’s wedding day was perfection on all levels. Cheers to you two! Thank you for letting us witness your love.
Vendor team:
Photography: CKC Image
Videography: Christie Seaverns
Venue: The Benbow Historic Inn
Florist: Flora Organica Designs
Hair: The Linden & Company Salon & Spa
Makeup: Two Beauties
Dress: Pronovias
Bridesmaid Dresses: Katie May
Groom/groomsmen Tuxes: The Black Tux
Band: The James Zeller Trio
Linens: La Tavola Fine Linens
Cake: Ramones Bakery & Cafe
Officiant: Matt Messner
Table Numbers: Minted