Taylor Pori and Ryan Lesinski were married on July 13, 2024, in Montecito, California, a setting both transportive and deeply considered. With family spread across the country—and grandparents at the forefront of every decision—the couple chose California not as a compromise, but as a destination that could hold meaning for everyone they loved.
Their story began years earlier at a post-grad toga party in Solana Beach, hosted at The Belly Up. Though both attended Cal Poly San Luis Obispo, they didn’t meet until after graduation, introduced by friends on a night that was equal parts chaotic and fated. Taylor left early; Ryan chased down her number. “I don’t know if it was the chivalrous gesture, the ’80s cover band, or the togas made out of bed sheets,” she says, “but we’ve been inseparable ever since.”
The proposal happened during a photo session at the Dallas Arboretum, one of their favorite places. The real reveal came later, when they returned home to find their kitchen filled with friends who had flown in from across the country. “I have never felt more loved in my whole life,” Taylor recalls.
When it came time to plan their wedding, the couple worked closely with Over The Moon The List Planner HauteFêtes, led by Dani Blasena, to create a weekend that felt timeless without being formal, elevated yet unpretentious. They coined their aesthetic the American Riviera—a blend of nostalgic Americana and the languid glamour of the South of France—perfectly suited to Montecito in midsummer.
The weekend was captured with warmth and movement by Over The Moon The List Photographer Ryan Ray, whose images preserve the emotion and ease of the celebration, and on film by Megan Pettus Films. Paper goods by Foundry Paper Co. echoed the sense of nostalgia woven throughout the weekend.
Taylor’s fashion reflected her desire to feel timeless, feminine, and entirely herself. For the ceremony, she wore a three-piece Lihi Hod look with an overskirt and lace overlay, found at NWLA Bridal. “I tried on dresses until the vision came to life,” she says. Family heirlooms played a central role: a pearl necklace from her great-grandmother—gifted by her grandmother shortly before she passed—alongside bracelets from Ryan that she still wears daily.
Beauty was kept natural and luminous, inspired by Rosie Huntington-Whiteley and Margot Robbie, and brought to life by Emma Willis, with bridesmaids styled by Janet Villa. Ryan wore a custom Ralph Lauren Purple Label tuxedo, finished with monogrammed Tiffany & Co. cuff links.
The ceremony took place at All Saints by the Sea, a storybook chapel overlooking the coastline. Florals by Toast Santa Barbara were intentionally restrained—soft greenery and simple white blooms that highlighted the church’s architecture rather than competing with it. A string quartet welcomed guests with Taylor Swift and Beyoncé before shifting to Bach as the ceremony began, subtly signaling the gravity of the moment.
“It was always important to us that the ceremony felt like an inflection point,” Taylor shares. “Sacred, meaningful, and very us.” One of her favorite memories came when Ryan, forgetting he was mic’d, leaned in mid-vows and joked, “Just stick it on,” as she struggled with his ring—prompting laughter that rippled through the church and grounded the moment in joy.
The celebration continued at Rosewood Miramar Beach, where guests arrived via Santa Barbara trolleys and were greeted with Aperol Spritzes, Old Fashioneds, and a custom-built orange grove on the Great Lawn. Live jazz by Elan Artists set the tone during dinner, creating a relaxed, Riviera-inspired atmosphere before the energy shifted indoors later that evening.
After dinner, the celebration transitioned into a Bagatelle-inspired after party inside the ballroom, transformed into an intimate, club-like space. Taylor changed into a Naeem Khan mini, styled by The Bold & Bridal, and made a sparkler-filled entrance to “These Words.” Performances by Soulcirque and live saxophone kept the dance floor full until midnight—when the wedding party ended the night by jumping into the pool.
Looking back, Taylor describes the ceremony as feeling “sacred yet authentic,” and the celebration that followed as an extension of the life they’ve built together—rooted in family, filled with intention, and never taking itself too seriously.
