Taylor + Troy | Chic Outdoor Wedding

In college, Taylor was interning for a baseball team for the Los Angeles Angels farm system when she found herself smitten by one of the players. While she was assisting with a community event where the players were present, she locked eyes with her future husband, Troy Montgomery. Shortly after, Troy told his friend — who ended up being his Best Man — that he would marry her that day, and the bride had the same thoughts. “I went to lunch with my mom after the event and told her everything I possibly could about this boy I had met for 5 minutes,” Taylor says. Out of fear of losing her internship, she chose not to take Troy up on any of his advances, but his persistence paid off. “The minute my internship was over I reached right back out telling him I was ready to have that drink! We went out on our first date, and the rest was history,” Taylor recalls. 

The couple currently resides in Denver, but when they lived in California they frequented a local coffee shop. The couple headed down to Kraemer’s Coffee for their usual Saturday morning coffee. “Little did I know that I was going to get more than a Kona Mocha!” the bride exclaims. The owners were in on the proposal and had the ring hiding in the back of the shop while Taylor’s family was across the street watching through binoculars. “Meanwhile Troy ‘got up to go to the bathroom’ and came back with a ring and proposed in front of EVERYONE there that morning,” Taylor says. “It was really sweet and really fun! We ended up doing our engagement pics in the coffee shop for good memories!” 

A Vision of Green

For their 175-guest chic outdoor wedding, Taylor had a particular vision in mind, “As crazy as this sounds, I knew I wanted an outdoor wedding and an outdoor wedding where I could have gloves!” The bride also knew she wanted a venue that made a statement and one that was packed with the color green. They landed on Green Gables Wedding Estate in Southern California in November when it wouldn’t be too warm and she could wear the gloves she dreamed of. 

Taylor describes their wedding day design as “timeless, chic, and classic with a modern twist”. They opted to let the colors of the venue speak for themselves while adding additional touches of emerald green, black, and white. The stunning classic black and white invitation suite was designed by our friends at Epitome Papers. “Taylor and Troy were hands down one of my favorite couples we worked with last year,” says Evelyn, owner of Epitome Papers, “Taylor was so creative and excited about her wedding invitations. It was a blast making the gold-flecked menus for her, helping her pick out vintage stamps, and overall the lovely modern classy design she selected. We even designed her holiday cards a few months later! I love it when our couples become long-term clients and friends.”

As guests entered the ethereal ceremony space at the venue for this chic outdoor wedding, they were greeted by towering trees with lush white and green floral and custom black and white acrylic welcome signs. Taylor says the ceremony was romantic and that she and Troy “poured our hearts out to one another! So many people feel weird about doing that in front of everyone they know, but we figured that’s what we were there for!”

First Time’s The Charm

Taylor, a buyer and fashion merchandiser, grew up a dancer wearing dramatic outfits consisting of sparkles, feathers, and lace, and she didn’t want her gown to feel like another costume. “With all that into consideration, I wanted something bridal yet elegant but one that also had a wow factor!” she says of her dream gown. She walked down the aisle in the first dress she tried on. “I knew it was the one because nothing compared to it after the fact! When I put it in for a second time, everyone was BAWLING and I knew the search was over!” She goes on to say that Posh Brides and Grooms of San Diego helped her find this perfect dress and she also gushed over Nedra’s help.

During the ceremony, Taylor dazzled along the aisle with a sleek tight bun and a gorgeous red lip. She accessorized with green earrings and chunky green heels. “My veil was cathedral length for dramatic effect because let’s be honest, I’m a little bit dramatic in general,” she self-proclaims. 

One piece of advice the bride has for engaged couples is to not be afraid to have a wedding party with uneven numbers. “I had more bridesmaids than Troy had groomsmen and that’s because we chose these people based on our relationships, not numbers for photos!” The bridesmaids looked lovely in gray floor-length gowns with the Maid of Honor wearing the same dress in black. The groomsmen donned classic black tuxes that were timeless and classic. 

Family and friends then found their way to the draped reception space. “After the ceremony, it was time to CELEBRATE the only way we know how to: margs and lots of dancing,” Taylor says. Troy says this was his favorite part of the day “running into the reception being able to see everyone’s face smile back at us!” Tables had sleek black satin runners along the tables with matte black plates and gold flatware. The venue provided a seasonal farm-to-table menu of fish, meat, and “sweet potato cinnamon goodness”. Their three-tier cake was black with shimmering gold flakes and fresh floral details. Next to it was a groom’s cake for Troy that honored his time playing baseball at Ohio State University. They also had a churro cart for guests where they could select different toppings. Yum!

The couple infused several personal elements into their chic outdoor wedding including a unique guest book alternative. “Because Troy played pro ball for so long, he and I were long-distance for most of our relationship. We used to leave each other voicemails to listen to when we really missed each other,” the bride describes. “Because voicemails were something that he and I always did for one another, we had all of our guests leave us a voicemail instead of having a guestbook. We used the company After The Tone. It’s really sweet to hear everyone’s voice and meaningful messages! And when people were tipsy they left more voicemails so it only got better!”

Taylor says the highlight of the day was at the end of the evening when they were partying surrounded by their closest family and friends. “My favorite moment of the day was dancing ON THE STAGE singing all of our favorite songs with all of our favorite people!”

The couple jetted off to Maui for their honeymoon the day after their chic outdoor wedding. Taylor says the best part was being able to just relax. “You don’t realize how exhausting your wedding day really is until it’s over!”

If you are currently engaged, the bride says, “My best advice would be to not get too wrapped into ‘planning a wedding’ and more wrapped into planning a day that symbolizes you and your partner and all the paths you’ve crossed to get to one another. Your family, friends and even vendors love the two of you for who you truly are, so make sure your day is just that!”

Vendors Cont.  — Groom’s Cake: Creations by Shay | Churros: The Churro Cart | Entertainment: Greg Gomez | Bridal Gloves and Earrings: Etsy | Bridal Shoes:  Loeffler Randall | Beauty:  Hair by Aubree Pendergraft, Makeup by Sage Aarons | Rings: Emerson Jewelry | Signage: Velvet Fox Designs |  Audio Guest Book: After the Tone |  Custom Bar Napkins: Shutterfly

All images by Allie Lindsey Photography