What is more romantic than an alfresco dinner served family-style at sunset?
Words by CAROLINE CAGNEY
Photography by BRANDI CROCKETT
The beaming newlyweds.
Kate Friedman and Oscar Weis grew up 10 blocks away from each other in Santa Monica, but they didn’t meet until a mutual friend hosted a dinner party in New York City in 2017, when they discovered that they had each moved to N.Y. by coincidence. “I remember locking eyes with Oscar as soon as I stepped out of the cab,” says Kate, who knew she had found the one over a weekend getaway with friends in Southampton six months later. “Right away he felt like my human CBD,” recalls the freelance copywriter. “He has the most calming presence and made me feel so safe and centered.” Five years later, while on a vacation in Milos, Greece, Oscar, who heads marketing at a San Francisco start-up, popped the question on a secluded beach, followed by a boat ride and a private beachside dinner.
With that, the couple wed last October before 175 guests at Thacher House in the Ojai Valley. The property — which consists of a main house and three cottages set amid olive groves and lavender fields roamed by chickens and goats — is a nod to the groom’s mother, celebrated English interior designer Kathryn M. Ireland, whose 1740s farmhouse in the French countryside was where Oscar spent summers as a child. They were also lucky enough to receive pointers from Ireland: “I frequently sought input from her on design-related topics,” says the bride, who infused familial elements into the events including the tablecloths and chuppah, which were sourced from Otis Textiles, a line of fabrics founded by Ireland and Oscar’s brother Otis.
Following the ceremony and cocktail hour, guests gathered at sunset for a sit-down dinner lit in the romantic glow of candles among dusty pink floral arrangements and bowls of overflowing fruit. “We loved the idea of a European-esque family-style meal that felt like one big dinner party,” says Kate. The newlyweds opened the floor with their first dance to “Lightning” by Cannons. “It came on the stereo as we were driving around Milos the day we got engaged,” recalls Kate. “When I heard the lyrics, I cried because it captured exactly how I feel about Oscar.” At the end of the night, the pair were — to no one’s surprise — the last two on the dance floor. “I’m not sure if anything will ever top that moment for us,” says Kate. “It was the most fun dance party we could have dreamed of.”
The bride in Vera Wang.
Antique china from Thacher House.
Wedding guests.
The groom with his mother, Kathryn M. Ireland.
The father of the bride officiates the ceremony.
The table was adorned with pale blooms and textural greenery.
“There’s something about Ojai that has always felt so spiritual and grounding,” says Kate. “We were so excited to show our guests [that] magic.”
Planner: LITTLE CREEK EVENTS
Florist: HOLLYFLORA
Dress: VERA WANG
Entertainment: DART COLLECTIVE
Catering: JENNIFER NAYLOR
Dessert: BIGG CHILL
Hair: SHANAN CABLAYAN
Makeup: CARLY FISHER
Feature image: A kiss in a field of lavender.
This story originally appeared in the Summer 2024 issue of C Weddings.
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