Caroline Fearon and Chris Lederhouse first met toward the end of their freshman year at Northwestern University. However it wasn't until months after that, during their sophomore year, when he asked her to be his girlfriend on Valentine's Day.
Nearly ten years later, in June 2023, Chris proposed. He surprised Caroline with massages and dinner at Cavallo Point, one of their favorite hotels directly across the bay from their apartment in San Francisco. “We took a walk around the hotel grounds before dinner, and when we neared the Golden Gate Bridge, he got down on one knee,” she remembers. “I was so absorbed in the moment, I didn’t notice that a photographer had been following us from a distance the whole time.”
When it came time to plan their October 19, 2024, wedding, the couple knew they wanted a destination that felt like home. “We loved our past visits to Santa Barbara,” Caroline says. “I grew up outside of San Francisco, and Chris’s mom’s side of the family is from Ventura, so the California coast feels like home to both of us.” They fell in love with Klentner Ranch, nestled in the foothills with sweeping mountain views and a distant glimpse of the Pacific. Working with Vanessa Noel Events, they designed a weekend that combined “a moody garden party with airy coastal California.”
For Friday night’s rehearsal dinner and welcome party, Caroline wore a reimagined two-piece wedding set that belonged to her mother. “I was lucky to have my mom’s two-piece wedding gown from the ’80s, which I altered to have a more tailored fit,” she says. She paired the look with a vintage mother-of-pearl purse to match the silk organza details.
Caroline wore Danielle Frankel’s Eloise tulle dress for the ceremony—simple, architectural, and effortlessly elegant. For the reception, she changed into a lace halter dress made by a local atelier, featuring climbing roses and thorns to echo the moody garden theme. Both looks were paired with Gianvito Rossi’s Roslyn pumps. “They have a unique sculpted heel that looks delicate but is sturdy enough to walk on grass—very important!” she says with a laugh. Later in the evening, she changed into Netta Benshabu’s Monroe mini, a sparkling corset-style look with a tassel hemline, paired with Cliot Peppiatt’s crystal pearl bag—a gift from her friends.
The couple exchanged vows at Klentner Ranch, facing the mountains as the Santa Barbara String Quartet played. “Our ceremony was set facing the mountains with a processional down the venue’s grand staircase and across the polo lawn,” Caroline shares. “We worked with our florist, Jenn Sanchez, to design a meandering aisle with a floral hedge for the altar.”
Both of their mothers read selected passages, and the pastor from Caroline’s childhood church officiated. “I was excited to recite my personal vows that had been informed by a decade of shared life experiences, challenges, and growth,” she says. “It was such a joy to share and revel in those memories, and look forward to the future together.”
After the ceremony, guests enjoyed cocktails and passed appetizers by the pool while watching the sun set over the Pacific. When dusk fell, they made their way down the candlelit staircase to the reception tent, where an ethereal scene awaited. Bella Vista Designs draped the tent in Champagne-colored linens, accented by bougainvillea vines and vintage chandeliers. “The tent foyer contained a seating chart covered in hanging amaranthus, which then opened to the main reception space,” Caroline recalls. The tables were dressed in red floral-patterned linens and mossy centerpieces that sprouted tall, feathery grasses. Kelly Brown Photography documented the evening with her signature romantic style, while Kim Alvarado Films beautifully brought the celebration to life on video.
Dinner by Whoa Nelly Catering began with persimmon arugula salad, followed by a choice of slow-cooked salmon, grilled hanger steak, or cacio e pepe. “Dinner was complemented by red and white wine, an open bar with cocktails, and Champagne in scalloped coupes,” Caroline says. Her father gave a welcome toast, followed by speeches from her older brother and Chris’s triplet brother, before the newlyweds took to the dance floor for their first dance to “Real Love Baby” by Father John Misty.
Their tiered wedding cake by Lele Patisserie was covered in raspberries to emulate the traditional Italian mille-foglie, cut just before the dance floor opened to all guests. Music from Dart Collective’s New Design kept the celebration going well into the night. “My favorite part of the reception was entering in our late-night looks while the band played ‘Sweet Caroline,’” Caroline says. “Everyone was busy getting down on the dance floor, and it was so much fun to surprise everyone mid-song with our third look.”
When the reception ended, guests boarded shuttles to a cocktail bar in Santa Barbara’s Funk Zone for a lively after-party. “We enjoyed late-night snacks, a fantastic DJ, and danced under a ceiling of disco balls until the early morning hours,” Caroline says.
For their honeymoon, the couple headed to Australia and Fiji. “We figured if we were going to take time for our honeymoon, we might as well go far!” Caroline shares—a fitting start to the adventure ahead.
