Lillia & Cole: An Elevated Garden Wedding at The Perry House

Love Story

Lillia & Cole’s love story began during their sophomore year of college, a tale of serendipitous connections and unexpected romance. "We were living in the dorms, and Cole's dorm suite was directly below mine," Lillia shared. "We would all hang out in a big group, but our first date that broke us out of being just friends." That dinner was a thank-you gesture for Lillia driving Cole's best friend to the airport—a seemingly simple act that would change everything. "And we never stopped going on dates!" she laughed, reflecting on their eight-year journey.

The proposal was equally magical, unfolding at the base of the Golden Gate Bridge—a location deeply meaningful to both of them. "He told me that morning to pack an overnight bag," Lillia recalled. "I had an inkling the proposal was happening because he was nervous and although we are spontaneous people this was out of our normal spontaneity."

"I thought we would be making a weekend trip to Monterey," she continued. The surprise location held profound significance. "We love the city (we now live in SF) and SF and the Golden Gate Bridge have meaning for both of our families."

Adding an extra layer of sentiment, Cole's best friend—the same one Lillia had driven to the airport years ago—was secretly capturing the moment. "His best friend was hiding, taking pictures. It was absolutely perfect," she said, her eyes sparkling with the memory of that transformative moment.

Their love story was more than a chance meeting; it was a beautiful narrative of friendship, spontaneity, and a connection that grew deeper with each passing year.

Dreaming of an intimate celebration that felt like home, Lillia and Cole envisioned an elevated garden party with a timeless, classic feel. “We were inspired by our European travels,” they affirm. “We liked the simple but intentional, and kind of modern Victorian feel.”

Morning details

On the morning of their wedding, Lillia showcased her creative talents by personally designing multiple wedding elements. She designed everything from invitations to custom matchbook party favors. Her design work extended to all wedding signage, including bar signs, table numbers, and the seating chart.

The couple's rings told a deeply personal story. "Cole designed my engagement ring with his late grandmother's marquise stone and an emerald cut stone in the "toi et moi" French style," Lillia shared. The ring style held special meaning for her. "I love this ring style because it literally means "you and me" which I think is romantic but it also allows for creativity with mixing shapes and stones."

Their wedding bands were equally thoughtful. "We designed our wedding bands so they match each other," she continued. Cole's band featured a flat, thicker top, while Lillia's was thin and curved to perfectly fit around her engagement ring. "They compliment each other beautifully," she said, her voice filled with emotion.

For jewelry, Lillia chose elegant, understated pieces. "I had baroque pearl earrings that were absolutely gorgeous," she described. A tennis bracelet completed her look. "Neither have a special story behind them but I loved the simple and elegant look to them."

Bride getting ready

Finding the perfect wedding dress was a surprisingly swift journey for Lillia. "My wedding dress is called Goldie by Grace Loves Lace," she explained. "I had seen their dress designs online and went to their San Francisco store. Goldie happened to be the first dress I tried on!"

Despite finding her dream dress immediately, Lillia was thorough in her selection process. "However, I still tried other styles and went to a second shop to see if any other dress could out-do it," she shared. "None could, so I made the decision the next day!"

The getting ready process was filled with intimate moments and careful planning. "We did a brief getting ready shoot in the hotel with the bridal party," Lillia recalled. "My dress was a surprise to my bridesmaids so we did a first look of me in my dress at our wedding venue The Perry House." The getting-ready suite was filled with her closest loved ones—two bridesmaids, her maid of honor, an officiant, and her mom.

Her bridal look was meticulously crafted. "I had a veil. It didn't have any embellishments but it was longer than the train of my dress which was beautiful and dramatic," she described. Her accessories included cream-colored Prada sling-back kitten heels, baroque pearl earrings, and a tennis bracelet.

The floral elements were equally stunning, courtesy of Annik Kraft from Fancy Pansy Art and Design. "My wedding bouquet was a combo of all white flowers and greenery," Lillia enthused. The bouquet featured an elegant mix of roses, hydrangeas, calla lilies, amaranth, anthurium, orchids, and lisianthus.

As for her bridesmaids' dresses, Lillia gave them creative freedom. "My bridesmaids all picked out their own dresses. They got them from Reformation, Revelry, Birdy Grey, and Dressy Group," she explained, highlighting their individual styles while maintaining a cohesive look.

Groom getting ready

Cole opted for a custom suit from Tailor's Keep in San Francisco, choosing a unique plum jacket with a custom blue and purple paper fan lining. “ The look was a complete surprise for Lillia, so when we did our first look it was the first time she saw my wedding outfit as well!” he shares.

His getting ready photos captured the excitement of the morning. "My getting ready photos took place in the hotel suite where I got ready," Cole shared. "We then transitioned to a rustic stone wall across the street from our venue of more group pictures."

The getting-ready suite was filled with his closest family and friends. "I had my four groomsmen, dad, now father-in-law, and mom in the getting ready suite with me," he recalled. Both of his parents were part of his suit selection journey, with his mom and dad accompanying him to the custom suit appointment.

First Look

The first look was a profoundly intimate moment that would become the most cherished memory of their wedding day. "We read our personal vows privately to each other before reading them again aloud at the ceremony for our friends and family," Lillia reflected. "It was such a powerful and tender moment. I felt like the rest of the wedding day could be a catastrophe and I'd still be happy because we got to have our own moment declaring our love for one another."

The location was a historic park just a few blocks from their wedding venue—a picturesque setting with cobblestone pavement, large planters, and water fountains. "It was beautiful and secluded," Lillia described.

When Cole first saw Lillia, he was overwhelmed with emotion. "I thought Lillia looked stunning," he admitted. "I was blown away and couldn't hold back my tears. I had been looking forward to that moment for a year and a half."
Lillia was equally moved, particularly by Cole's unexpected outfit choice. "I was so impressed with his suit!" she exclaimed. "I had no idea he was going to wear plum, and he looked absolutely amazing. I loved the whole outfit head-to-toe and I was so happy he was able to express himself the way he wanted."

The moment was filled with raw emotion. "I also had happy tears because the way he looked at me and got emotional meant so much," Lillia shared. "I had also been looking forward to that moment since I bought my wedding dress."

Photoshoot before the ceremony

Lillia and Cole were fortunate to have multiple stunning photo locations that provided variety and depth to their wedding imagery. Their photoshoot captured their love through several picturesque settings.

Their first look photos were set on a cobblestone path with planters and a stone water fountain. The private vows were exchanged next to a large above-ground pond adorned with lily pads and water lilies.

Full bridal party photos were taken in two distinct locations: in front of Spanish-style arches near their first look spot, and in a second park with more greenery and trees.

Each location was carefully chosen to reflect their wedding's aesthetic—intimate, intentional, and beautifully curated.

Ceremony

The ceremony took place in the backyard of The Perry House, a location that perfectly embodied their intimate wedding vision. Music was a special element, with an acoustic guitarist setting the tone. Cole and the bridal party walked down the aisle to Elton John's "Your Song," while Lillia made her entrance to "Moon River" by Henri Mancini.

While they didn't include traditional elements like a flower girl or ring bearer, their ceremony was rich with personal touches. "Cole's best man held our rings," Lillia explained.

Their college friend served as the officiant, creating a deeply meaningful experience. "She had us take a pause at the start of the ceremony to look around the crowd of our friends and family," Lillia recalled. "It helped us take the moment in. It was really sweet and made me teary to see everyone's faces so happy to be there for us."

A surprise awaited the couple during the ceremony. "Our officiant kept a few aspects of the ceremony a secret," Lillia shared. "She had an analogy comparing Cole and my relationship to the Golden Gate Bridge. The ceremony was our first time hearing it and it was really powerful and meaningful to us. It made for a really impactful moment."

Though they didn't incorporate many traditional wedding customs, Lillia noted a special series of first looks. "I was lucky to do a separate first look with my bridesmaids, my dad, the groomsmen, and my now husband," she said. "It was hard to keep my dress a secret from everyone but it was worth it for a fun reveal with everyone!"

Wedding Venue & Decor

The couple's color palette centered around sage green, creating a harmonious and natural aesthetic. "Our main color was sage green," Lillia explained, "but we used a green color palette overall." The wedding party embraced this theme: groomsmen wore sage green shirts, bridesmaids selected various green shades and floral patterns, and the floral arrangements featured white and green tones.

White linens and chairs provided a clean backdrop, while candelabras around the venue featured sage green bows. "Cole's suit was the only plum which really popped with all the green!" she noted.

Personal touches were woven throughout their decor. "We had a memorial table of framed photos of past loved ones," Lillia shared. " It was important to us to acknowledge the people we wish were able to share in our special day." A mirror from her childhood home became their seating chart, and a white linen banner served as their welcome sign.

The venue selection process was thoughtful and intentional. "We researched online to start, and then toured three very different venues to compare feels," she described. They explored an urban location in San Francisco, a modern house in Monterey, and a small cafe-type venue on Treasure Island. "Our goal was to narrow down the wedding vibe we wanted and if necessary tour more venues with that same feel," Lillia explained. "However, we fell in love with the Perry House when we toured so we did not end up touring anywhere else."

Reception

Music played a central role in their celebration. "Our first dance was “Green Eyes” by Coldplay," Lillia shared. The parent dances were equally meaningful: a father-daughter dance to Paul Simon's "Father and Daughter" and a mother-son dance to Tom Petty's "Wildflowers."

The culinary experience was a highlight of the evening. An open bar featured specialty cocktails that reflected the couple's tastes—a spicy margarita and a bee's knees. "Cole and I love both of these drinks!" Lillia exclaimed.

Cocktail hour featured a charcuterie board with meats and cheeses, accompanied by passed hors d'oeuvres including crab cakes, bruschetta, and smoked salmon. Dinner was a delectable spread of pesto ravioli, penne bolognese, chicken and prawns, salad, vegetables, and potato gratin. "It was all so good and we got a lot of compliments from our guests about the food!" she recalled.

Desserts were equally impressive. A heart-shaped couple's cake from Layers Sensational Cakes was complemented by an assortment of donuts from Red's Donuts, along with gluten-free cookies and lemon bars from Neces GF Bakery.

The couple was particularly grateful for their vendors. "Our vendors pulled through!" they noted. Two vendors stood out: photographer Kat Lui and florist Annik Kraft. "They both went above and beyond for our wedding! They were responsive, creative, excited for our vision, fun to work with, and very skilled in their craft," Lillia explained.

Annik's floral arrangements were especially memorable. "The floral arrangements were our main decoration and Annik did an absolutely beautiful job. We got so many compliments on the floral variety and that the pears, figs, and grapes were real!" they shared.

Kat's photography captured the day's genuine emotions. "Our photos turned out unreal and the genuine expressions and energy you can feel through the pictures is such a testament to Kat's skill," Lillia said.