The Bride and Groom Threw 100 Heart-Shaped Stones Into the Ocean at Their Northern California Wedding

For the welcome party, the bride chose to wear an Orseund Iris set. “A trailing mini skirt that felt flirty and fun, paired with silver Versace heels with little bows,” describes the bride. Deciding on an after-party look proved difficult for Shayne, who tried on over 50 options. “Just weeks before, Miles’s childhood friend Jane Wade offered me one of her designs to borrow,” she shares. “When I tried on the chain-linked wool dress, I was gagged—it was stunning, and honoring her craft made it even more special.” While the dress made it to the venue along with the bride, not every piece did. “At midnight before the wedding day, I realized I was missing the wool undergarments for Jane Wade’s chain-mail, see-through after-party dress she lent me,” says Shayne. “In true cinematic fashion, Callista and her team orchestrated a same-day, cross-state dash—flying to Portland, retrieving the missing pieces, and returning just in time for the outfit change. It was pure wedding-day chaos, but made for an unforgettable story.”

The groom admits that while he is attentive to what he wears, his sartorial norm is baggy skate and ski clothes. “When it came down to choosing a wedding suit, I was so out of place,” Miles says. “I’ve never owned a suit—they don’t feel like me. I didn’t want to feel out of my own skin at my wedding, so the suit was a challenge.” A friend had introduced him to the designer Issey Miyake a few years prior, and he continued to keep the designer in mind for the wedding. Shayne, however, felt it was too informal. “Over the next six months, we tried on multiple different suits in a range of styles, and within this process, we both seemed to gravitate back to the Issey. I finally decided it was time to commit to my original vision,” he says. While Miles easily found the jacket he was looking for, it took some effort to scout the looser silhouette pants he was after. Once the suit was complete, he paired it with a Todd Snyder tuxedo shirt, black GH Bass mid-rise platform loafers, and custom “M & S” cufflinks that the bride gave him on the wedding day.

His final addition to the outfit was a GMT Master Rolex Pepsi Edition. “This watch belonged to my best friend Chris who passed away five-and-a-half years before our wedding,” explains Miles. “His mother surprised me in my office on a work day just a week or two before the wedding, and gifted me this watch. Once again, I’m not much of a Rolex guy, but I was honored to have Chris with me on the most important day of my life.”

The couple also helped craft the attire for the wedding party on the big day: Shayne admits she made a Google deck with aesthetics and color palettes for her bridesmaids right after she got engaged. She had them each choose a color between a seaside mix of ocean blues and coastal greens. “I linked 10 to 20 options for each person so they’d coordinate without feeling uniform," she explains. "Yes, very type-A, but I loved every second of it.” The groom had his wedding party all wear black suits with white button-up shirts and no tie. “We’re all a bunch of skaters and skiers, so it was a bit of a challenge to get these guys dialed in,” Miles says. “I’d guess the majority of this crew didn’t own a suit until this event. Honestly, the dudes really pulled it together here. I was pleased with how everyone looked, especially when together as a unit.”

Festivities kicked off with an outdoor welcome party at the Gualala Art Center. “Miles’s family organized it, and it felt perfectly like them—his dad is an art collectsor and nature lover, so being surrounded by towering trees next to structural art pieces was perfect,” says the bride. “String lights, heaters, and a spread of charcuterie, pizza, wine, and beer kept it simple but magical."

The next day, the winds were blowing along the cliffs of Sea Ranch Lodge. “The ceremony was unforgettable—mostly thanks to the wind, which turned my veil into a full-on drama accessory and kept everyone on their toes,” jokes Shayne. The procession began with Miles walking down the aisle to “Iris” by The Goo Goo Dolls, followed by the wedding party as an instrumental version of “Moon River” played. Miles admits he was filled with nerves ahead of his walk down the aisle. “Mainly because I didn’t get through my 10-minute vows once without sobbings,” he says. “I’m not afraid to cry in front of people. I was more nervous about completely passing out or not getting any words out of my mouth.” Tears were spilled, but the vows were successful. “The moment I stated my vows, a calmness took over,” says the groom. “I was flowing and loving every moment.” The bride adds, “Miles had to pause multiple times to compose himself, which is hilarious and endearing for someone I’ve mostly seen tackle high-adrenaline sports without missing a beat."

Once the couple was pronounced married, Shayne says she felt like they just won the Olympics. “All the nerves—walking down the aisle, saying our vows—melted into this incredible feeling of accomplishment and closeness,” she shares. The newlyweds went to take photos, then reconvened with their guests. “Everyone was having a blast, the evening was spectacular, the wind calmed, and temp was perfect,” shares Miles. “We all enjoyed stories, bevs, and some snacks.”

The couple and their guests moved to dinner, which was set at a long table in a meadow. The reception dinner was filled with speeches from friends and family, as well as a family-style dinner of ceviche, braised beef, risotto, seasonal vegetables, and California wine. At each seat was a handwritten note for guests beneath a heart-shaped rock, an idea given to them by Callista & Co. based on their love for finding these stones. Later in the night, everyone at the wedding would throw their stones in the ocean together. “You can imagine finding 100 heart rocks in the wild is quite the task. We searched SoCal beaches, Oregon forests, and even dug through piles at a decorative rock distributor in Portland,” describes Miles. The couple also designed all of the letters based on their vellum invitations. “Each one had so much detail, a beautiful note, and a photo of us and the guest from our history together.” The bride adds, “We walked the table making sure to chat with everyone while half the guests were crying over their notes. This was easily my favorite part of the wedding, second only to our vows—seeing everyone feel so honored and included made it all feel so meaningful.”

The evening moved indoors for more drinks, shot-skis, and dancing to a curated playlist of “hyphy music from the ’90s and early 2000s.” As Miles describes it, “It was very non-traditional and very nostalgic, so the entire party was really letting loose.” When Shayne went for her after-party outfit change, Miles made the spur-of-the-moment decision to put on her Jane Wade balaclava. “It was very me and felt like my days on the ski hill,” says the groom. “I can’t tell you exactly what happened after that, but the night cruised onward and the beautiful moments were plentiful.”

Looking back, the newlyweds wouldn’t change a thing. “Hearing from close friends that our wedding was probably the most memorable they’d ever attended—because of the thoughtful, sentimental details—makes me proud of all the time and energy we put into making it feel personal,” says the bride. “It was chaotic, emotional, and completely us, and the fact that everyone felt included and part of our story makes it feel even more special.”