Deidre & Michael

Deidre Stoken and Michael McClurg lived mere blocks from each other in Santa Monica without ever crossing paths. It took business grad school in Chicago to meet in 2005, and after a move to New York City, they ended up back at a breathtaking oceanside estate to say, “I Do.” The home’s 1920s architecture inspired their Great Gastby-style celebration. The 200 guests were welcomed with trays of sunglasses and umbrellas to stay shaded, and later found their seating cards swinging from ribbons off the branches of a tree.

Deidre complemented the blue and green colors of the setting with silver accents and fresh white blossoms—adding a lush touch to their ceremony bower. As the lights of the Santa Monica Pier glittered down the shore, the revelers danced on the patio, roasted marshmallows over the fire pit and sipped gourmet sodas and cocktails from the Prohibition-era hidden bar. Late-night snacks of sliders and Kaluha milkshakes kept the party going until the wee hours and sent the newlyweds off in style.