When they were part of the same online group of digital creators who traveled to anime conventions around the country entering fan-edited music videos into competitions, Katie Lucas and Ryan Senese – now a game director and UX designer, respectively – met “in real life” at one such event. 

“At the end of the weekend, I had won my first ‘Best in Show’ and unknowingly met my future husband!” says Katie. They got to know each other, making it official one year later and then moving to Los Angeles. Before long, Ryan designed a custom engagement ring and proposed to his beloved at El Matador beach in Malibu. 

When looking for wedding venues, Katie and Ryan searched around the San Diego area, settling on a beautiful ranch that provided the perfect setting for the alfresco nuptials they dreamed of. “It was secluded, peaceful, and had an air of magic that was exactly what we were looking for,” describes the bride. “The entire theme of our wedding was ‘Midsummer Night’s Dream.’” To introduce the romantic theme to loved ones, gorgeous wedding invitations highlighted natural deckled edges, embossed lettering, and bespoke illustrations of florals, foliage, and butterflies. 

As a string trio played arrangements of music from the pair’s favorite video games, friends and family found their seats on either side of the aisle lined with autumnal florals and adorned with rugs to add a touch of whimsy. “You would never have guessed that was the case unless you knew the games. Everything was very beautiful and classy,” Katie notes. 

She was a vision in Claire Pettibone’s couture “Primavera” gown featuring long, embroidered tulle sleeves with three-dimensional blossoms, a feminine floral V-neck bodice with dusty rose peonies and soft green leaves, and a gathered embroidered tulle skirt, along with the designer’s “Les Fleurs” detachable cape sleeves for a modern take on a veil. 

“It all really felt like a dream, a beautiful dream.”

The bride walked down the aisle on the arms of her father and mother, who donned the same designer, wearing Claire Pettibone’s “Shangri-La” gown featuring exquisite gold French lace and a vibrant floral embroidery, to meet her groom. “Seeing her enter the ceremony site while accompanied by her parents is something I’ll never ever forget. The lighting was radiant, crisp, and perfect – just like her,” Ryan remembers of the moment. 

A heartfelt ceremony lovingly officiated by the father of the bride took place beneath a stately 500-year-old oak tree that was adorned with whimsical fresh florals, and the couple recited their own handwritten vows. “We both brought the collective house down,” affirms Ryan. 

A breathtaking outdoor reception took place underneath bistro lights and chandeliers suspended from several old-growth oaks on the property. Envisioning “a magical and mysterious faerie banquet laid out in the woods,” their wedding team certainly delivered. Long, dark-wood tables were left bare or covered with subtly patterned neutral linens, save for a few round tables showcasing bold crimson hues for a moody design addition. 

Centerpieces highlighted textural florals in rich fall jewel tones, including a variety of roses, ranunculus blossoms, japonicas, astilbes, mums, cosmos blooms, lisanthuses, dahlias, sweet peas, and more. Arrangements also showcased foliage, as well as fresh fruits such as pears and pomegranates, for more dimension. 

From the décor to the desserts provided by the bride’s favorite French restaurant that catered her parents’ wedding 37 years prior, Katie and Ryan wanted their wedding to reflect them as both individuals and as a couple. “Every element from the table plating to the music was selected carefully and with purpose,” shares Ryan. “All of our entertainment was selected to evoke a certain fairy-tale aesthetic, like a dark summer dream that is raucous, hedonistic, yet fleetingly ephemeral.” 

Attendees waved streamers in celebration as the newlyweds made their way to their convertible getaway car at the end of the night. “As we felt the crisp mountain air and with a panoply of stars overhead, I thought to myself, Did I just dream of the best day of my life, or did that actually happen?” the groom says. His bride affirms of the unforgettable experience, “It all really felt like a dream, a beautiful dream.”

This real wedding was originally published in the Winter 2025 issue of Inside Weddings magazine. 

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