Kathryn Duryea Wyndowe, founder and CEO of the direct-to-consumer home brand Year & Day, which counts celebs and influencers like Mandy Moore and Eva Chen as fans, and Matthew Wyndowe went to the same business school and lived in New York at the same time, but only met after they both separately made the move back to San Francisco. At a small party, thrown by Matt’s then-boss at Uber, the two finally connected. After a little more than three years of dating, Matt proposed at the Post Ranch Inn in Big Sur at sunset.
Since Big Sur holds such a special place in their hearts and is the perfect weekend getaway from the city, the couple decided to host their wedding there, nestled between the mountains and the coastline. “We find it relaxing, uplifting, and inspiring and wanted to bring these feelings to our guests throughout the weekend,” Kathryn explains. With that in mind, Fin Fellowes created a series of watercolor elements inspired by the ocean, local wildflowers, and redwoods for their invitations.
When it came to for Kathryn to think about what she might want to wear, she knew she wanted something timeless, and after some searching, she went with an Oscar de la Renta lace gown featuring a dramatic bow. Her something blue was a pair of satin Manolo Blahnik shoes, and she completed the look with pear-shaped diamond drop earrings from San Francisco jeweler Shreve & Co. “I carried a Lily of the Valley bouquet, wrapped in one of my father’s monogrammed handkerchiefs,” she says. “He passed away when I was 12, so it was symbolic of him walking me down the aisle.”
The groom wore a Ralph Lauren Purple Label tux with Salvatore Ferragamo shoes and his grandfather’s Patek Philippe watch. Knowing her fiancés love of physics, Kathryn gifted him a vintage Omega X watch, which was the first timepiece worn on the moon.
In the afternoon sun amongst towering California redwoods, a string quartet played “Mishima” by Philip Glass, as guests found their seats. For the procession, the music switched to classic Bach, and the bride and groom were joined together as Kathryn’s godfather, Leo Murphy, officiated the ceremony. They recessed to one of their favorite songs with a nod to their autumnal meeting—“Harvest Moon” by Neil Young.
As they moved into cocktail hour, décor reflected some of the vibrant colors of a California sunset, with oranges and yellows and continued in the dinner tent. The menu celebrated local cuisine and was served on Year & Day Daybreak plates with matte gold flatware, of course. Dessert featured their favorite cake and a buffet of other confections. “We don’t often eat sweets, but we treat ourselves on our birthdays with a Milk Bar birthday cake; it felt so festive and fun and looks great in a Daybreak bowl,” says the bride.
Then everyone hit the dance floor, as their band, Encore, got the party started. The newlyweds had their first dance to “Detectorists” by Johnny Flynn, and then once the reception formally ended, the bride changed into a white Rachel Comey jumpsuit for the after-party. In the lodge with a scotch bar and late-night bites, guests kept right on celebrating with the newly married couple.
