Fashion editor Nicky Deam and creative director Ted Kapusta lived on opposite sides of the country before they met during a New Year’s Eve party in Palm Springs. “We immediately hit it off on the dance floor,” Nicky says, who was living in New York at the time. “We then snuck away for a late night bite at the restaurant before getting busted by our friends—all of whom ended up being part of the wedding.” By the next year, Nicky had relocated to Los Angeles.
After five years together, Ted was planning on surprising Nicky with a proposal outside a fashion show during Paris Fashion Week. “She would have killed me,” he now admits. “Instead, I tucked the ring into her anxiety medication and proposed on a Saturday morning at home saying ‘With the help of modern medicine, I promise to make you happy for the rest of your life.’”
After she said yes, the couple chose Santa Ynez wine country as their wedding destination, mainly because of its proximity to their home in L.A. and because it combined Nicky’s British heritage with their shared love of California. Mattei’s Tavern, originally a roadhouse from 1886, provided the perfect backdrop. “The compound felt like a cricket club was dropped in the California countryside.” The two set the date for October 28, 2017 and hired Ann Johnson Events to help execute their vision.
Nicky, who works in fashion, always knew she wanted to wear Lanvin for her wedding. “I adore their minimal silhouettes and raw fabrics,” she explains. “Once I found the dress, I had a small train added and a custom veil made to echo the lace of the dress.” She kept hair and makeup simple, opting to wear it half up with simple Cartier drop earrings and a tennis bracelet. “For the reception, I switched into a Valentino dress and Jimmy Choo heels so I could dance freely,” she adds. Ted, meanwhile, wore a Paul Smith suit with a Burberry tie and shoes.
As for their wedding party, bridesmaids were in a combination of navy and blush Ulla Johnson dresses, while the groomsmen each wore a blue suit paired with one of Ted’s ties that he’d worn for memorable dates in the couple’s relationship.
When the wedding day arrived, the groom first walked down the aisle to the theme song of Stranger Things, which made guests, and the bride nervously waiting in the cottage, collapse in giggles. A mutual friend officiated the ceremony, giving sage marriage advice and referencing both of their personalities and strengths throughout. The couple chose to read their own vows, which they describe as equal parts funny and sentimental.
The reception that followed started off with a cocktail hour that featured a wealth of local wines, plus a few feast tables with local meats, cheeses, and vegetables. Dinner was a three course meal served family style at long, candlelit tables that surrounded the outdoor dance floor. “Our good friend Ric hosted the evening with loads of personality,” says Ted. “When we were announced for the first time, Nicky walked out with a friend of ours who looks exactly like me before he quickly appeared to cut in during the first dance.” (The newlyweds chose “Happy to be Stuck With You,” by Huey Lewis.)
After they cut the cake, the couple moved the party to the indoor wood paneled bar and surprised their guests with a live set from The Bones of J.R. Bones, a musician they love who came out from the East Coast for their wedding. “It was a great way to kick off the party and get everyone on the dance floor,” Nicky says. As the dancing continued into the night, their guests even took song matters into their own hands. “A few of our friends who work in music took turns DJing, which was so lovely because they brought all of their different vibes.” What better way to kick off the beginning of a marriage?
