Sophie and Andrew’s Simpson House Inn wedding was simply enchanting. Their spring garden party celebration embraced the setting of their historic venue and its English gardens, and friends and family enjoyed the warm hospitality of a cozy bed and breakfast in the heart of Santa Barbara.
Historic Victorian bed & breakfast
Simpson House, a Victorian-era estate from the 1800s, offers a romantic and private setting. Hidden on Arellaga Street behind tall hedges, the estate was converted to a bed and breakfast in the 1980s and declared a historic landmark in 1992. Sophie and her bridesmaids spent the morning of the wedding getting ready in the Robert & Julia Simpson room, a nod to the original owners and founders of the property.
Friends and family enjoyed festivities at Simpson House Inn all weekend long. Sophie and Andrew reserved the entire property (15 rooms total) to maximize their time at their charming venue. It was a great way to offer full wedding weekend immersion for their guests!
A modern garden party
Sophie’s custom illustrations on the invitation suite and weekend program of events set the tone for their Simpson House Inn wedding. Florist Anna Le Pley Taylor embraced lots of textured white florals with orange loquats and subtle pops of blue. Woven rattan chargers and floral dinnerware complemented green Primrose Laurel table linens from BBJ La Tavola.
Bridesmaids chose their own dresses in shades of soft blue and spring green. Sophie’s modern and sophisticated strapless gown was perfectly accessorized for garden party glamour with a long veil of flower petal appliqués. The bride also wore her late father’s military name tag on her veil as her “something blue.”
After the couple welcomed their guests to the ceremony with Aperol spritzes, martinis and a caviar bar greeted them at cocktail hour. Then, the couple kicked off the reception with a champagne tower. Field To Table served dinner family-style, and a dessert spread of cheesecake bars, chocolate torte, and made-to-order cannolis offered a sweet treat if guests decided to take a break from the raucuous dance floor (DJ Gavin Roy really knows how to keep the party going!).
Personal touches
Sophie and Andrew prioritized a celebration that felt authentic to them by including several personalized details. Friends and family found their seats via a custom gallery display wall curated by the couple. The gallery featured Andrew’s photography, Sophie’s artwork and poetry, and various contributions from relatives. Framed pieces included several original paintings by family members and a handwritten chocolate chip cookie recipe from Sophie’s mom.
In lieu of favors, Sophie and Andrew made charitable donations in their guests’ names. They asked their loved ones to drop their wine cork place card holders into a glass bottle corresponding to their choice of three charities: Root and Rise Hawai’i (founded by two of the couple’s friends), Project Bread (supported for many years by Sophie’s dad), or Nurturing Minds, an organization where Andrew’s mom volunteered and served on the board of directors.
Sophie and Andrew’s Simpson House Inn wedding was thoughtfully designed and impeccably executed in collaboration with Megan Rose Events. The couple and their guests were immersed all weekend in the serene oasis of historic charm, private garden elegance, and attention to detail. Absolutely one of my all-time favorites, here are just a few images to show off how special this wedding really was.
I could not recommend Emily enough as a wedding/special event photographer. Outside of being incredibly polished and professional, Emily is also just a wonderful and warm person. She’s truly someone I would be friends with. I had so many friends and family rave about her after our wedding, saying she made them feel comfortable and relaxed, and she kept everything running so smoothly. I don’t personally love having my photo taken, but Emily did such an incredible job making my husband and I feel comfortable during our engagement shoot, that I was actually excited and so relaxed for the wedding, knowing the photos would be amazing. She is incredibly fast, thorough, and runs a super well-oiled machine; she made my type A heart so happy, and she is just simply the best!
Simpson House Inn wedding
I’m so thankful to wonderful bride, Sophie, for the kind words about working together!
“Outside of being incredibly polished and professional, Emily is also just a wonderful and warm person. She’s truly someone I would be friends with. I had so many friends and family rave about her after our wedding, saying she made them feel comfortable and relaxed, and she kept everything running so smoothly.
I don’t personally love having my photo taken, but Emily did such an incredible job making my husband and I feel comfortable during our engagement shoot, that I was actually excited and so relaxed for the wedding, knowing the photos would be amazing. She is incredibly fast, thorough, and runs a super well-oiled machine; she made my type-A heart so happy, and she is just simply the best!”
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The feelings are mutual, Sophie and Andrew! And so much love to the professional team who made this wonderful day come to life.
Wedding planner: Megan Rose Events
Photography: Emily Loeppke
Florals: Anna Le Pley Taylor
Venue: Simpson House Inn
Catering: Field To Table Events
Bar services: Simply Cocktails
Cake: Lele Patisserie
Stationery: K Designs
Hair + makeup: Samara Beauty
DJ + MC: Gavin Roy Presents
Cocktail hour music: Chris Fossek
Rentals: Amigo Event Rentals + Party Pleasers
Linens: BBJ La Tavola
