DOS Co-Designer Ashley Castanos’s Wedding Pt.1

WE BOTH COME FROM PRETTY LARGE FAMILIES AND WE WANTED TO KEEP OUR WEDDING ABROAD FAIRLY SMALL, SO WE DECIDED TO HAVE A SEND-OFF PARTY IN OUR HOMETOWN OF FRESNO, CALIFORNIA. WE DECIDED TO CALL IT THE “BON VOYAGE PARTY” AND WENT FOR A THEME THAT WAS TOTALLY OUR VIBE — A MISHMASH OF 1960S AND ‘70S PSYCHEDELIC HIPPIE THEME.

WE WANTED THIS PARTY TO FEEL VERY CASUAL, BUT OF COURSE HAVE SOME FLAIR. THE FURNITURE WAS ARRANGED AS SEVERAL LOUNGES COMPRISED OF VELVET COUCHES, MOROCCAN POUFS AND LOW WOODEN TABLES. WE HAD LOW SEATED TABLES WHICH CURVED ALONG THE DRIVEWAY AROUND A GIANT TREE WHICH HAD STRING LIGHTS HANGING FROM IT EVERY WHICH WAY. ONCE THE SUN HAD GONE DOWN, THE MIX OF STRING LIGHTS, LANTERNS AND CANDLES HAD COMPLETELY LIT UP THE BACKYARD AND IT WAS QUITE MAGICAL.

MY BROTHER-IN-LAW RECENTLY REMODELED THIS GORGEOUS 1920S CRAFTSMAN HOUSE (WHICH RENTS AS AN AIRBNB IN FRESNO; ‘SOME TOWER HOUSE‘ AND PUT A MID-CENTURY MODERN SPIN ON THINGS. THEY WORKED WITH MELISSA FROM POW WOW DESIGN STUDIO TO DO THE INTERIOR DECORATING FOR THE HOME, WHICH MADE IT EVEN MORE BRILLIANT FOR HER TO DO THE DECOR FOR OUR PARTY AS WELL! MELISSA IS A MAD GENIUS, WE WERE THRILLED TO HAVE HER AND HER TEAM COMPLETELY TRANSFORM THE YARD INTO A BOHEMIAN PARADISE.

THEY EVENT HAD A PSYCHEDELIC ROCK BAND, SUGAR CANDY MOUNTAIN, WHICH ADDED TO THE THEME OF THE NIGHT!

JESSE DUNCAN MADE SURE ASHLEY FELT LIKE A FREE-SPIRITED GODDESS… I MEAN LOOK AT THOSE WAVY LOCKS WITH THE FLOWERS WOVEN IN!

PHOTOGRAPHY: ELLIE KOLEEN // VENUE NAME: SOME TOWER HOUSE, FRESNO, CALIFORNIA, USA // EVENT DESIGN: POWWOW DESIGN STUDIO // PLANNING: EVENT PRO WEST // FLORALS: BLOOM GENERATION // HAIR STYLIST: JESSE DUNCAN // MAKEUP ARTIST: JESSE DUNCAN // CATERING: MATTIES PIZZA // CAKE: KATY CASTANOS (BRIDE’S MOTHER) // DESSERTS: AMPERSAND ICE CREAM // TABLETOP RENTALS: FIREFLY VINTAGE RENTALS // FURNITURE RENTALS: POWWOW DESIGN STUDIO // DJ: DJ LEONARD // BAND: SUGAR CANDY MOUNTAIN // PARTY COORDINATOR: ROCHELLE OF THE SOCIAL SPREE // INVITATION DESIGN: CAROLYN YOCUM