Ashlyn and Wiley’s coastal California wedding is proof that a change of plans can sometimes lead somewhere even more beautiful.
Just two months before their wedding, the couple learned that their original venue had flooded. Rather than letting the unexpected setback define the experience, they worked together to relocate and reimagine the entire celebration at Montage Laguna Beach. Against sweeping Pacific Ocean views, their new vision unfolded through romantic florals, luminous candlelight, elegant draping, and a guest experience designed to foster genuine connection.
The celebration was as meaningful as it was beautiful. Ashlyn and Wiley first met at church, where an introduction between mutual friends sparked an immediate connection. Their shared faith remained at the center of the wedding day, especially as they exchanged vows and stepped into the future they had chosen together.
As both the bride and a professional wedding planner, Ashlyn approached the design with intention. Rather than focusing solely on aesthetics, she and Wiley built the day around the people they loved. Passed caviar, live music, an audio guest book, and a live painter created memorable experiences throughout the evening, while their inventive “people assignments” encouraged guests to meet someone new – and may have quietly doubled as matchmaking for a few single friends.
“Love isn’t about everything being perfect. It’s about choosing one another through the imperfect parts and finding something good there anyway.”
How did you two meet? What were your first impressions of one another?
We met at church. We had mutual friends but had never previously met. When I first saw Wiley, he was introduced to me in a group conversation. He was kind and bold and so handsome! I was instantly in love.
-Ashlyn
My cousin told me I needed to meet this girl. I saw her sing on the worship team at church. So my cousin introduced me to her at church, and I instantly thought she was beautiful but also felt an immediate connection.
-Wiley
Tell us a funny story relating to your wedding day or relationship!
Instead of doing traditional seating assignments, we came up with something we called “people assignments.”
Every guest received a card with their name on it, and on the back was the name of someone we had paired them with to find and meet during the reception. We added a few conversation starters to break the ice, but the real fun was watching guests figure out why we had matched them – whether it was a shared interest, the same career, or simply two people we thought would get along.
The funniest part is that for a few of our single friends, it was a little matchmaking in disguise. We’re still waiting to see whether any of those pairings turn into their own love story.
Describe a hurdle you had to overcome in your relationship or during your wedding planning.
About two months before our wedding, our original venue flooded, and we had to find a new one almost overnight.
It would have been easy to panic, but instead we treated it as an opportunity and landed on Montage Laguna Beach, which ended up being more beautiful than anything we had originally planned. We had to redesign nearly every detail of the day in a short window, from the florals and layout to the vendor logistics.
Looking back, it taught us that we work well as a team under pressure and that some of our favorite parts of the wedding came directly out of that scramble.
Any special ways you incorporated your family or family history into your wedding day?
My dad passed away a few years ago, and I knew a traditional, slow father-daughter dance would have been too emotional for me to get through, even dancing with my brother in his place.
Instead of highlighting the empty space where my dad should have been, we chose to celebrate the relationship we actually had. We played “Lord You Are Good,” a gospel song my dad and I loved and used to sing during car rides together, and turned it into an upbeat tribute that invited every guest onto the dance floor with us.
It ended up being the perfect way to begin dancing for the night – full of joy instead of grief, which is exactly how I wanted to remember him.
-Ashlyn
What part of your wedding day was most important to you?
The moment that mattered most to me was turning the corner and seeing Wiley standing at the altar. That image symbolized the future we were stepping into together and the choice to keep choosing each other every day from then on.
-Ashlyn
My favorite part was similar. Our wedding was so meaningful. It was incredibly beautiful, and we loved having everyone there, but the most important moment was our vows. Getting married to each other is what matters most.
-Wiley
What is the best thing you’ve learned from one another?
Wiley has a calm, problem-solving way of moving through stress that has made me more grounded.
-Ashlyn
I’ve learned to consider my actions and the things I say in a different way, and it has helped me grow in a lot of areas.
-Wiley
What is your favorite thing about each other?
My favorite thing about Wiley is how present he is. He was fully part of planning our wedding with me, not just along for the ride, and that same presence shows up in how he loves me every day.
-Ashlyn
My favorite thing about Ashlyn is everything, but I especially love her heart posture and how sweet she is. I love how consistent she is in loving me. We always have a great time together.
-Wiley
What was your favorite part about planning your wedding?
As both a wedding planner and the bride, my favorite part was having Wiley fully involved in the planning process so the day truly reflected who we are as a couple.
We had beautiful decor, but we were intentional about putting the guest experience first rather than simply chasing aesthetics. That led us to add details like a live painter, passed caviar, and live music because they felt true to us rather than trendy.
Our wedding was something we built side by side.
-Ashlyn
If you had one piece of advice for other couples, what would it be?
Choose each other on purpose every single day, not just on the wedding day itself.
Life will throw you curveballs – like a flooded venue two months before the wedding – and what matters most is how you handle them together rather than whether everything goes according to plan.
Build a relationship and a wedding day that genuinely reflect who you are as a couple, not what you think either one is supposed to look like.
What is the most honest thing you can say about love?
Love is a daily choice, not simply a feeling that appears and remains on its own.
It means choosing your person even when plans fall through, when grief sits alongside joy, and on the days that look nothing like you imagined.
The most honest thing I can say is that love isn’t about everything being perfect. It’s about choosing one another through the imperfect parts and finding something good there anyway.
Venue: Montage Laguna Beach / @montagelaguna
Content Creator: Branded By Bridgette / @brandedbybridgette
Music: Jordan Kahn Orchestra / @jordankahnorchestra
Walking Caviar: Dear Caviar / @dearcaviar
Live Painter: Lisa Rainey / @lraineyart
Rentals: Bright Event Rentals / @brighteventrentals
Hair & Makeup: Fiore Beauty / @fiorebeautyinc
Audio Guest Book: After The Tone / @afterthetone.co
Candles: Luxury Candles California / @luxury_candles_california
Florals: Honey Bloom Florals / @honeybloomflorals
Photo + Video: Sunset Weddings / @sunsetweddings
Draping: Illuminate Event Services / @illuminateeventservices
Groom & Groomsmen Wear: Friar Tux / @friartux
Bridesmaids Dresses: Azazie Bridal / @azaziebridal
Wedding Dress: Avery Austin / @averyaustinofficial
Bridal Veil: Jay Kay Braids & Bridal / @jaykaybraidsandbridal
Planning & Design: The Ashlyn Company / @theashlyncompany
Publisher at The White Wren and Bajan Wed, Award Winning Photography + Videographer at Live View Studios, Dad, 80s music lover, crunchy health advocate
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