This Bride Wore a Sustainable Dress Made From Organza Scraps for Her Mendocino Cliffside Wedding

On an overcast summer day, Sophie and Dave wed at the historic Switzer Farm on the Mendocino Coast where the redwoods met the ocean. Laura Vassar, the Brock Collection co-founder whom Sophie met while at the CFDA, designed her off-the-shoulder wedding dress along with Patricia Voto of One/Of.

Sustainability was a huge priority for Sophie. “We wanted to make the most environmentally thoughtful dress we possibly could—which we knew would be a challenge as we didn’t want to sacrifice anything about the look or fit, both of which ended up being quite intricate,” she explains. “The Italian silk organza was left over from another project and most of the lace was Victorian. Patricia, being the genius that she is, even tried to source most of the pieces from California so that we could avoid more shipping.” The bride paired the look with earrings from Irene Neuwirth.

Sophie’s two best friends from college were her maids of honor, while Shmee–the friend that introduced them—served as their officiant. The couple’s one-year-old son, Gabe, was Dave’s best man. The two took turns holding their son throughout the ceremony while their guests huddled under clear umbrellas, just as the skies began to open. “At one point when I was saying my vows in the pouring rain, Gabe started blowing raspberries on my shoulder,” she remembers. “Dave, Shmee, and I just started laughing. It was so perfectly imperfect and a true representation of our family and how I hope we can always respond when things go sideways.”

Afterwards, everyone gathered on the 19th-century Victorian farmhouse’s porch for cocktail hour. The affair was punctuated by a lullaby for Gabe, sung by all guests as the baby approached his bedtime. “When I got pregnant with Gabe, Dave started singing a remix of ‘Somewhere Over the Rainbow’ and ‘Moon River’ to him in my stomach every night—then, when Gabe was born, we started singing it to him every night before he went to sleep,” Sophie says. “Hearing everyone’s voices join in with ours was truly one of the most special moments of my life.”

Like her dress, the bride also made sure the reception was as eco-friendly as possible. Their caterers served locally-sourced food, including black cod caught just down the road in Fort Bragg. Their florist chose blooms from flower farms in Mendocino and Sonoma counties, which they composted after the wedding. For dessert, they offered pies by baker Sharon Garner, who made them from fruits grown in her own garden. Invitations and place cards were also made from bamboo rather than paper.

Sophie and Dave first dance was to “Mother I Just Can’t Get Enough” by the New Radicals. The upbeat tone brought the crowd to the dance floor, and they never left: “We took everyone back to the Inn at Newport Ranch for the after-party of my dreams,” says Sophie. The night ended with everyone dancing under a disco ball to “All I Wanna Do” by Sheryl Crow. “It does seem cruel that you can’t then go back to be a guest at your own wedding,” the bride says, reflecting on it all. “Thank god for the photographs.”