Real Wedding: Eileen & Ryan

Chef and yogi-turned-woodworker Eileen O’Dea, 41, and woodworker Ryan Silverman, 43, met at a farmers market in L.A., where she overheard a gravelly voice ordering a taco in a very specific way.

“I turned to see who was speaking and we locked eyes. I told him I was very specific with my food too, and we started chatting,” Eileen says. The two began dating right away. Two years later, Ryan surprised Eileen with an Easter weekend proposal at The Biltmore in Santa Barbara. They married in an intimate beachside celebration at a friend’s private home in Malibu.

Vintage Creation

Eileen’s gown was born from a custom collaboration with friend Annamarie von Firley, owner of reVamp Vintage. She knew she wanted lace, silk, and two pieces. After a few sketches, they built it from there. “It was such a fun, organic process. The end was truly an ethereal creation,” she says.

Foraging for Florals

The bride and groom served as the own florists, picking flowers and greens from friends’ and neighbors’ yards. They placed an assortment if succulents, eucalyptus leaves, and silvery cuttings in vintage vases throughout the house.

A Woodworked Wedding

Eileen and Ryan made all of the wooden pieces involved in their wedding design. The duo created giant slab tables, around which they placed handmade slab benches and vintage chairs. They also made bowls, pizza servers, and plates for each guest.

Epicurian Ode

In a nod to their first encounter at the Mar Vista Farmers Market, the couple served tacos by Larry’s Tacos and pizza by Olive Wood Pizza.

Take Home Treats

In keeping with their handmade wooden aesthetic, Eileen and Ryan created the guest’s wedding favors from scratch. They hand-selected pieces of knotty walnut wood, smoothed them down, and branded them with their initials and wedding date. The slabs doubled as plates for the wedding dinner. “I love seeing them at my friend’s houses now, serving cheese and crackers, as a cutting board, or holding jewelry,” Eileen says.

Fit for Royalty

In their many thrifting adventures, Eileen and Ryan came across two thrones with lion and elephant embellishments that they reupholstered in light blue suede to serve as his and hers reception seating.