A Formal Ballroom Wedding in a Historic Mansion in San Francisco, California

After connecting through the personals section of the humor website The Onion, Heather and Christian met up in San Francisco in 2005. Before the end of the first date, Christian asked for a second, and Heather felt the connection as well. “I liked how genuine he was. He was very honest with the fact that he liked me,” she says.

Following Christian's romantic beach proposal four years later, the couple tied the knot at a San Francisco mansion that combined stately style with whimsical charm.

Christian sported a bespoke Giorgio Armani Black Label tuxedo. “He tried on more options than I did!” says Heather, who wore a strapless Oscar de la Renta gown.

Heather carried a giant cluster of white sweetpeas tied with a 1940s ribbon. “I couldn’t stop smelling them,” she says. “One of my guests said, ‘I’ve never seen a bride enjoy her flowers more!’”

A sprig of lily of the valley and a faux gold leaf gave Christian’s lapels a special touch.

Heather arrived in her own modern-day carriage: a vintage Rolls Royce.

Whimsical touches balanced the couple's grand 150-person fete at a mansion overlooking the Golden Gate Bridge. The mansion's courtyard was the setting for both the vows and the cocktail hour.

Heather, a one-time florist, opted for all white blossoms.

Peonies, variegated bush ivy, and double tulips sprouted from stone urns.

Before handing his daughter over to Christian, Heather's father offered the groom this advice: "As long as you're going in the same direction together as a team, you're unstoppable."

Guests rang wedding bells, placed on each chair, during the newlyweds’ recessional.

A square of Heather's mother's (left) wedding dress was sewn inside the bride's gown.

Buttery yellow linens and crisp white flowers created a soft, inviting atmosphere.

Lemons gave cloud-like clusters of white freesias and hydrangeas a sunny pop.

Paper leaves inscribed with guests' names were tied to an array of different flower stems.

Hand-drawn signs from calligrapher E. Danae called out the signature cocktails: Dirty martinis (Christian’s pick) and Bellinis (Heather’s favorite).

Stately flourishes reflected the mansion's Beaux-Arts architecture.

A German toy--a nod to Christian's heritage--topped a lemon cake filled and iced with vanilla buttercream.

Hank Maninger, lead singer of the swing band Stompy Jones, crooned away at the couple's reception. “They were the first group I saw live and danced to as an undergrad,” says Heather. “They were memorable to me, and I kept running into them over the years.” As a nod to their wedding locale, the couple chose the song "I Left My Heart in San Francisco" for their first dance.