Photos: Catherine Marie Taylor

HI Real Bride and TV writer Lauren took the time while her industry was on strike to shop for a wedding gown. Her timing turned out to be perfect when she came across the 2009 Oscar de la Renta wedding gown she fell in love with on our Instagram. Like we always say, the right dress always finds the right person! 💛

Tell us about your wedding day and surrounding events! Where did it all go down? Did you have any particular inspiration or musts when choosing the location?

We got married at the Montecito Club in Santa Barbara on June 29, 2024! My husband is from LA, and I’ve spent almost 10 years here, so we liked the idea of it being local. But we really wanted something with an ocean view, a lot of space, and solid infrastructure so we wouldn’t have to bring in a kitchen and all of that. We also didn’t want anything that had a typical carpeted ballroom. We didn’t find exactly what we were looking for in LA, so we expanded our search, and with the help of our planner, we found Montecito Club, which was exactly what we were looking for! We also had a welcome party the night before at the Kimpton Canary rooftop, which was great because it’s in the center of town and gave everyone a nice view of the city, as opposed to the ocean, which we had on the wedding day. We also did our after-party and brunch at the Mar Monte Hotel, where we had a room block for guests.

How did you and your partner meet? What was the proposal like?

We met on two different dating apps. In 2017, we met on the League, a dating app that believed itself to be better than the other apps but actually wasn’t. We went on one date. It was a great date, but soon after, my husband Jacob moved to Malaysia to teach through a Fulbright program. We never spoke again. But miraculously, in spring 2020, we rematched on Bumble. Jacob was supposed to be teaching in China at the time, but because of COVID, he had come back early. Luckily, this time, he was planning to stay in LA (and therefore was open to a relationship) because he was starting law school at USC in the fall.

He proposed at home on our back porch. I was completely surprised. I was on my way back from a friend’s bachelorette in Ojai, and he had my friends delay me in getting home so he could propose at sunset. He also had his friend hiding there to take pictures. It was perfect!

Describe your Happy Isles dress! When did you know it was the one?

At first, I thought I wanted a loose-fitting dress. But then, after trying a few dresses on, I realized I really liked the mermaid style. The only problem was that all the ones I saw felt similar - like things I had seen before. A friend introduced me to Happy Isles. I was scrolling through their Instagram and saw this vintage Oscar de la Renta dress in a post from May 2023. I didn’t start dress shopping until August 2023. I was immediately obsessed with the dress - I thought, “Wow, that is exactly what I’d want, but I’m sure it’s not available 3 months later.” I made an appointment anyway, and lo and behold - the dress was still in the store. And it fits me perfectly? It was crazy. I knew I had to have it, and luckily, my mom agreed!

What did your partner wear down the aisle, and did you share outfit pics before the big day?

He wore a blue suit from suit supply, a champagne-colored tie, a white button-down, and brown leather loafers. I love his outfit. We had an amazing stylist at Suit Supply help us - Ojan at Century City. Cannot recommend him highly enough. So yes, I knew exactly what he was wearing (he wanted my help), but he had not seen any of my outfits (wedding dress, after-party dress, night before, or brunch outfit) beforehand, and I’m glad he didn’t!

How did your guests respond to your outfit/s? Were there any standout reactions?

Everyone was obsessed with my wedding gown and thought it was so cool that it was vintage, and I feel the same! I got a lot of “You look like a celebrity” and “That’s the coolest dress,” which is exactly the response I wanted. I’m so thankful to Happy Isles for providing the dress of my dreams.

Where did you shop for accessories and how did you style your look/s?

I got my veil from this amazing designer, Olga Napohaku, who my planner, Marni Farmer, recommended. My earrings were from Kimai. My bracelet was from a brand called Bondeye, which I purchased at Goop Brentwood. My shoes were Prada. Because the dress is so special, I just wanted accents that weren't too over the top but still had a uniqueness to them, the same way my dress does. Oh, and my engagement ring and band are from KatKim!

What was the most memorable aspect of your dress shopping experience? Is there anything you would like to highlight or share with other brides considering an appointment at Happy Isles?

Everyone who helped me at Happy Isles could not have been nicer. As someone who isn’t particularly comfortable in front of a camera or changing in front of others, I couldn’t have felt more at ease with them. Also, without me even showing them the post from Instagram of the dress, I just described what I was interested in, and they immediately pulled my dress off the rack. I couldn’t believe it was still there, and I was even more shocked that it fit! I thought finding a dress would be stressful and complicated, but it turned out to be so easy with Happy Isles. 

Okay. Your HI wedding dress is a person. What is their name and describe their perfect date! 

She’s fun, flirty, elegant, unique, cool, and confident, but not in your face about it. Given that, I’d name her Jordynn.

Her perfect date is a wine bar, then dancing.

"I found wedding planning to be really stressful... What helped me through the process was talking to friends who had been through it, talking extensively to my therapist about it, Prozac, and trusting that the decisions I was making were all going to be okay."

Getting serious for a second. Did you ever feel like you were breaking the mold or challenging expectations while wedding planning? What were some ways you stayed true to yourself during what can be an emotionally complex experience?

I found wedding planning to be really stressful, and I felt a lot of guilt about it because I thought I should just be grateful and excited. But then I realized everyone felt stressed during planning, and it was actually totally normal and nothing to feel guilty about. It ended up being an incredible day, and I wish I hadn’t been so anxious, but it’s also just my personality, so I’m not sure it was really avoidable. There are so many decisions to make, so much money being spent, and so many people going out of their way to come that it’s a lot of pressure. What helped me through the process was talking to friends who had been through it, talking extensively to my therapist about it, Prozac, and trusting that the decisions I was making were all going to be okay. We also had an incredible planner who I knew I could trust with everything running smoothly (which it did!). Luckily, I didn’t have any parents or in-laws with strong opinions, so it was really up to me and my husband.

They say every wedding has a “wild card” moment. Did anything unexpected happen or surprise you during planning or day-of?

My parents are divorced and hadn’t seen each other in almost 10 years. I was so worried about how it would be for them to come together. But they handled it so well. At one point, I looked over and saw my mom and dad even dancing together. I was shocked. And really grateful.

Also, I fully tripped over myself when we were taking sunset pictures (luckily, no one was around). It was hilarious.

HOT TAKES: Do you have any wedding planning or dress shopping advice? Please pay it forward to our future brides!

If you’re not gonna do vintage, start early! I got my after-party dress from another bridal store 6 months before my wedding, and that was considered “rushed.” Also, don’t feel pressured to have people with you while shopping if you don’t want to. When I first started shopping, I was a writer on strike with a lot of time on my hands. My friends were all working. I thought I could wait until the weekend when they’re free, or I could just do this myself. I prefer to shop alone anyway. My mom kindly bought my dress, so I wanted her input, but she lives in Philly, so I didn’t want to wait for her to visit either. So I walked into Happy Isles, and when I found the dress, I FaceTimed her. She was basically there with me. And I’m glad I didn’t wait because the dress may not have been there if I did! And that’s the last thing I’d say - if you find a dress you love at HI, just get it. It probably won’t be there if you wait. Their stuff is too special!

If you had to choose your single best wedding day memory, what would it be?

Sharing our vows!! I loved reading mine to Jacob. I got a lot of laughs and tears from both him and the audience (exactly what I wanted.) And even more so, I loved hearing his (which the audience did too.) It was so amazing to put into words the love we have for each other and have the people closest to us hear it. And I know you said to choose only one, but I also loved dancing all night - our DJ was awesome.

Now that the wedding chapter has come to a close, what are some dreams you have for your future, both personally and as a couple?

We just bought a house, which was something we had been dreaming of for a while. We also went on an amazing honeymoon to Tanzania - I highly recommend it! We want to go on another long trip in the spring (we’re thinking Provence and Tuscany) and then try to start having kids. Personally, as I mentioned, I’m a writer, so I’m really hoping that the future involves me selling my own TV show and movie and continuing to write for great TV shows like I have already. I also really want to learn piano, but I doubt I’ll actually do that. 

And finally - shout out your vendors!

Photography: @catherinemarietaylor.co

Planning: Marni Farmer, @sosmittenevents

Venue/Catering: @montecitoclub

Florals: @gingersnapflorals

Videographer: @amariproductions

Music: @dj.kara , @weareblitznation

Cake: @lilacpatisserie

Hair: @ameenah.mohammed

Makeup: @amyhmakeup.la

Rentals: @partypleasers