Anybody who loves The Lord of the Rings has dreamed of getting an invite to Bilbo Baggins’ 111th birthday party. The paper lanterns. The flower crowns. The beautiful, hilly green countryside. Totally irresistible hobbitcore charm.
Inspired largely by that iconic celebration in The Shire, Shelby + Matt decided to use the decor + design of their Los Angeles wedding at venue/wildlife experience Reptacular Ranch to pay homage to all their favorite books, movies, and video games.
You most likely already know the bride + groom from their iconic YouTube channel, Girlfriend Reviews, where they keep their 1.4 million followers laughing, weighing in together on all things video games.
Teaming up with event designers + planners from Grounded Events, Shelby + Matt created a whimsical wedding day packed with playful easter eggs and nods to the things they love best: The Legend of Zelda, The Lord of the Rings, Super Mario, and so much more.
We are totally swept up in the fantasy feel of Shelby + Matt’s sunny southern California wedding, and can’t wait to show you all of the glorious photos that The Shalom Imaginative snapped of their day!
Eco-consciousness was an important part of the wedding planning process for Shelby + Matt. These charming invites from Whole Weddings were printed on seed paper, so guests could plant them in their garden and watch the wildflowers grow!
Any LOTR fans will respect Matt’s wedding day accessory choices. This shards of Narsil Lord of the Rings tie pin is a perfect example of the thoughtful + unique ways these two included their favorite franchises in their special day.
Pocket Square Clothing created Matt’s vibrant green two tone wedding suit and marked the momentous occasion with hidden wedding date embroidery under the collar.
Colorful groom style like Matt’s is one of the wedding trends we’re so excited to see right now!
The First Look
Our Favorite Memory From The Wedding The first look and the time following it was amazing. It was such a huge relief to see each other and then be able to goof off together as we continued getting ready for the aisle. All the anxiety and jitters melted away as soon as we reunited and after that it felt like we could really start enjoying the day. Also, our vows were pretty awesome in our unbiased opinion, and it was a joy to make them light hearted and silly to really capture the essence of our relationship while still being full of love and meaning. The animal encounters, petting zoo, and beer burro were the icing on the wedding cake!
We’re utterly enchanted by Shelby’s strapless Sarah Seven wedding gown. The plunging illusion neckline detail and the asymmetrical gathered skirt add a unique edge to the otherwise timeless bridal silhouette.
Hair stylist Katie Lazar celebrated Shelby’s classic bob with a chic half up half down bridal hairstyle, and Beth Follert Makeup went for rosy, shimmery glam.
We spy some super fun floral wedding nails! Plus that gorgeous single stone engagement ring by Sofia Kaman 💍
If you’re loving the timelessness of Shelby’s bridal look, definitely explore our list of the best elegant wedding dresses for even more inspo!
The Ceremony
Instead of having guests throw rice or confetti when they were pronounced husband + wife (choices that are often not so kind to the environment), Shelby + Matt went with old world style bells that their friends and fam could ring!
J Flowers was behind the day’s whimsical floral creations. We’re very into the romantic fantasy vibe of the blush, yellow, and purple color palette.
Our Musical Choices Processional: “Gusty Garden Galaxy” from the Super Mario Galaxy soundtrack
Recessional: Wii Sports title music
First Dance:
How iconic is this embroidered floral + tulle mother of the bride dresses from Mac Duggal! Perfect for the fantastical feel of the day.
Can we just say: we love to see a groom rocking some chic sneakers. Matt’s white Saint Laurent low tops were a perfect match for his playful yet sophisticated wedding day look.
Another thing we love to see? A bride wearing her glasses on her wedding day! Shelby looks amazing in her octagonal wire frames.
Check out this Chicago loft wedding and this pastel wine country wedding for even more bespectacled bridal inspiration!
Getting married at a venue that’s also a wildlife experience means meeting the animals!
“Shelby has a deep love of animals which she learned from her father, a bird trainer who has passed away,” remembers planner Alexandra of Grounded Events, “so it was extra special to incorporate so many unique animals from the property into their celebration.”
The Reception
We are completely charmed by this creative card catalog reception seating chart!!
Shelby used her flair for thrifting and doing DIY projects to bring so many of the reception’s thoughtful decor moments to life, and these hand stamped library-inspired escort cards are a perfect example.
Guests enjoyed delicious eats from Philly Jay’s Steaks and Pickles & Peas, and Compostable LA was on hand to make sure the day’s environmental footprint stayed small.
Into the idea of prioritizing the planet on your big day like Shelby + Matt did? We’ve got you covered with all kinds of green planning inspo in our list of eco friendly wedding ideas.
Shelby handmade hundreds of pinwheels (a nod to Zelda) and thrifted tons of books to create the reception’s festive + literary vibe!
It all reminds us so much of this whimsical literary wedding in wine country!
Planner Alexandra recalls another clever way the bride + groom kept the decor environmentally conscious: “Most of the flower arrangements were also comprised of plantable live wildflowers that guests could take home, sharing the love and beauty beyond the wedding day.”
Very into all the vintage-inspired color that La Piñata Party Rentals added to the tabletop decor with these antique-style tinted glass goblets.
Smoking Gun was there behind the bar creating these pet-inspired wedding cocktails and pouring beer from Voodoo Ranger and spirits from Liquid Catering for Shelby + Matt’s guests to sip all night long.
This two tier wedding cake from Big Sugar Bakeshop with edible flowers from Eat Your Flowers is the definition of storybook wedding whimsy.
Our Advice To Those Planning Now Put together an event that you would want to be a guest at. Our whole goal was to make it as fun as possible without going too far into Bar Mitzvah territory while still dancing on the line of fancy event. We wanted our guests to have experiences that they would hopefully remember for a long time and in our minds, focusing on the typical wedding budget breakers like florals and food just was not a priority as much as the actual moments our guests would participate in. That being said, every couple is different! So our advice in a sentence: Plan the wedding you'd be bummed to miss out on attending and focus on fun!
And don’t miss their wedding video below by The Shalom Imaginative!
Congrats, Shelby + Matt, on your whimsical wedding! Bilbo Baggins would be so proud. GWS wishes you all the best!
photography: The Shalom Imaginative // venue name: Reptacular Ranch, Sylmar, CA, USA // event design: Grounded Events // planning: Grounded Events // florals: J Flowers // wedding dress: Sarah Seven // hairpiece: Sarah Seven // bride’s shoes: Loeffler Randall // bride’s ring: Sofia Zakia // hair stylist: Katie Lazar // makeup artist: Beth Follert Makeup // groom attire: Pocket Square Clothing // groom’s shoes: Saint Laurent // groom’s ring: Jewelry by Johan // videography: The Shalom Imaginative // paper goods: Whole Weddings // cake: Big Sugar Bakeshop // tabletop rentals: La Pinata Party Rentals // furniture rentals: La Pinata Party Rentals // linen rentals: La Pinata Party Rentals // music: Golden Bell Music // cocktails: Smoking Gun Bar Staffing // food truck: Philly Jay’s Steaks // food truck: Pickles and Peas // event staff: Event Helpers LA // beer: Voodoo Ranger // alcohol: Liquid Catering // cake flowers: Eat Your Flowers // composting: Compostable LA // engagement ring: Sofia Kaman