When your resume boasts experience as a photographer and now a wedding planner, you are probably going to have a few opinions about your own wedding day. It's why it comes as no surprise, that this luxury outdoor Bel Air Bay Club wedding climbed to the top of our must features. With Michael Bennett Kress Photography behind the lens and a Monique Lhuiller bride to boot, well it's a total win for us. From the cliff tops of California with the Pacific coast ocean views, touches of white and greenery by Joji Rose Design, this stunner is just too dreamy. Top this list of magic all off with a couple who clearly have a deep and abiding love for one another (check out how they look at one another in each fab image) and you can say this one is a day to swoon over.

Luxury Outdoor Bel Air Bay Club Wedding

Kendal and Matt originally meet in Virginia while she was shooting a wedding near the University of Virginia where he was attending grad school. Set up by a mutual friend they quickly became an item. So much so that after only being together for a year, she followed him to the west coast for a job offer he accepted. Once Matt proposed it was an easy decision that Kendal would take on the responsibility of planning their wedding. Her first two priorities? Venue and band! Anyone who lays eyes on the historic Bel Air Bay Club, built in 1927, falls fast in love with its Mediterranean appeal. Instead of creating something entirely different to an already stunning location, Kendal focused on accentuating the venue's beauty. Dark green leaves like Italian ruscus and white ranunculus flowers certainly did the trick. She also incorporated in grays and bronze accents to tie everything together, starting with the invitations, all the way down to the napkin rings. She made it a goal to accomplish at least two things on her to-do list week. Stressful, but do-able. The story behind her beautiful Monique Lhullier gown was one for the books. Kendal says, "Most women (including myself) dream of finding their dress at a stunning bridal boutique, sipping on champagne while trying on dresses for close family and friends. My story is a little different. A few times a year, Monique Lhullier holds a sample sale somewhere near Ventura, CA. If you've ever heard anything about designer bridal sample sales, they're no walk in the park. A 10 a.m. entry time means setting up camp the night before. Literally. Designer dresses ranging from 40-70% off are worth losing a good night sleep for most people, but I refused. I used modern technology, a simple App called "Task Rabbit" to hire someone to wait in line for me. A hundred dollars later and we're swapping places at 8 a.m. to put me in line for the first group of people to enter the sale. One of my bridesmaids accompanied me, which usually causes a disturbance with people in line behind you if you aren't swapping out head for head, but we got really lucky with nice neighbors. All of that aside, we made it into the warehouse and found the dress-to-be in a snap. The dress was perfection: the exact size for me, not a SINGLE alteration needed." Talk about happily ever after!

Photographer: Michael Bennett Kress Photography Event Venue: Bel Air Bay Club Dress Designer: Monique Lhuillier Makeup Artist: Kat Laskey Floral Designer: Joji Rose Design Lingerie: Plum Pretty Sugar Bridesmaid Dresses: Donna Morgan