Delaney Childs and Clayton Hendrix’s initial meeting—at a house party while attending the University of Nevada, Reno—was typical enough; but since then, their relationship trajectory has been anything but. “We instantly clicked,” she says. “After college we set off on a big adventure, moving to the San Francisco Bay area together.”
During the next 10 years, Delaney’s content creation career took off—allowing Delaney and Clayton to work together and travel around the world full-time—and the pair moved to Southern California. He recalled how much they connected with New York City, so that’s where he proposed, just shy of their anniversary. “Clayton completely surprised me with a beautiful rooftop proposal in the middle of Manhattan,” Delaney says. “Because I was never set on marriage in a traditional sense, I was never necessarily expecting a proposal, so I was completely shocked. Not to mention Clayton did an incredible job coordinating it to appear to be a work event. I was under the impression I was going to a brand dinner up until he got down on one knee.”
It was travel—without the actual travel—that inspired their wedding a year later, as well. “We wanted a European feel to our wedding, but we needed it to be in close proximity [to home] for our family,” Delaney shares. They stumbled upon Stonepine Estate in Carmel Valley, California, and it checked all the boxes. It also set the right tone for their vision. “Our colors were very neutral and timeless: black, white and cream, with a few hints of very pale pastels. The inspiration was classic and simple with a soft touch of beautiful mellow colors.”
For all three of her wedding looks, Delaney worked collaboratively with U.K.-based designer Veni Infantino on custom designs. “I wanted to wear a lot of variety throughout my wedding weekend,” she says. “For the welcome party, I opted for a short lace mini with detachable sleeves. For my wedding dress, I wanted something classic feeling, but still edgy, so I went for a strapless silhouette with a high slit. For the after-party dress, I let my love of texture show with a faux feather mini.” (Even the bridesmaids’ dresses were custom: The bride collaborated with Azazie on bespoke dresses for her crew.)
On the morning of the wedding—June 8, 2024—the girls got beautified by Devynne Johnson, Skylar O’Neill, and Cristina Glams. Then the big moment arrived. “Our ceremony was beautiful; the hillsides of Carmel Valley with the sun shining down made for the most serene backdrop,” Delaney says. The garden setting called for little decor, but Castlerock Events added floral vases to frame the altar. “It was intimate and intentional, with 100 of our closest family and friends. I truly felt euphoric, like I was on a cloud. It was one of the most beautiful moments of my life.”
For the outdoor reception, guests sat at long king’s tables around a checkered dance floor. Nick Williams Jazz Trio provided background music during dinner, and the maid of honor and best man gave heartwarming speeches—the bride’s favorite part of the day. “Following dinner, we hit the dance floor,” Delaney says. A Santa Cruz DJ Company DJ took over to amp up the party. “There was dancing, cake cutting, and a Champagne toast, followed by an after-party,” the bride says. And afterward, the couple set off on their next big adventure—a honeymoon in South Africa, a dream trip years in the making.
