Nine years after falling for each other as flirtatious high school juniors, Chelsea Oder and Josue Pineda wed at a beautiful seaside hotel in front of 220 of their loved ones. The romantic backdrop for the exchange proved perfect for the couple: “We had always wanted to get married at the beach – it’s very ‘us,’” says Chelsea of the location she and Josue selected for their wedding. “We’ve always vacationed at beach spots,” adds the groom, “and I felt it was special for us to be married overlooking the water.”

A grassy area with a magnificent view of the ocean served as the perfect site for the ceremony, and was accented with a beautifully soft color palette inspired by the Art Nouveau period favored by the bride. Thousands of roses in blush and ivory tones formed magnificent arrangements at the end of each aisle way, while an impressive arch made of florals and greenery welcomed guests to the area. A splendid trellis staged for the vow exchange boasted additional roses complemented by seashells.

Before the traditional Christian ceremony began, a Spanish guitarist played the melodies of Andre Segovia (a musical favorite of the groom’s late father) while guests enjoyed strawberry lemonade beneath punch colored parasols. “All of the music for the ceremony was very special to us,” Chelsea says. “We chose songs that have been important to us over the years, such as ‘I Want Her’ by Bob Dylan and ‘I Love Her’ by The Beatles.” Bridesmaids dressed in aqua carried bouquets of garden roses, hydrangeas, and hanging amaranthus accented with vintage brooches. Resplendent in a lovely lace gown, the bride held a large arrangement of pale pink florals that also featured an antique brooch. A single red rose was suspended from Chelsea’s bouquet to honor the father of the groom, and Josue wore an identical bloom in remembrance as well.

A poster for Moët et Chandon Champagne designed by artist Alphonse Mucha was Chelsea’s inspiration for the look of the reception décor. “The fluid lines, the vintage color arrangement, the swagged fabric, and the flowers in the poster were all carried throughout,” explains the bride. The design was recreated in paint on large glass panels that stood on either side of the stage. Reception tables dressed in vintage-inspired linens featured tall, unstructured centerpieces made of colorful roses, hydrangea blossoms, and black Dahlias surrounded by several smaller arrangements. “When we saw the reception room for the first time we nearly fell over,” Josue shares. “It was so amazing, and I saw all of the hard work that Chelsea put into designing our very unique wedding.”

Josue and Chelsea took delight in making sure every detail reflected their taste and style. “We were both very involved in the planning of our wedding,” states the bride. For a fun spin on guest sign-in, the couple had a photo booth on hand so pictures of guests could be snapped and affixed to a book. “Chelsea and I use every photo booth we see!” says the groom. “We have a collection of photo strips that run back to when we were sixteen, so it was very special that we got to share [our tradition] with family and friends.” Guests took home copies of the photos as favors, while the bride and groom kept the book as a treasured token.

Josue had taken the lead on the music for the evening’s entertainment, and the live band he selected kept spirits high and the dance floor crowded. The couple couldn’t have been happier with the outcome of their big day, and felt the details illustrated their personalities wonderfully. “The wedding was sophisticated, but fun and laid-back just like us,” concludes the bride. Josue offers simple advice to other grooms: “Support your fiancée in every aspect of the wedding – she deserves it.” He also adds, “I wouldn’t change one thing about our wedding, except for maybe making it last two days… it was extraordinary.”