The Big Day: Tobi

Posted on Apr 11, 2023 By Isobel Schofield

Your name: Tobi Britton

Your pronouns: she/her/hers

Where you live: Santa Cruz, CA

Where you got married: Radonich Ranch, in the Santa Cruz Mountains

Tell us a little bit about your wedding and how you and your partner made it feel special and personal:

Zander (my husband) and I wanted to host an event that felt like a big hug at a family dinner while being surrounded by nature. The venue offered an amazing open-air long table-style farm-to-table dinner, and that felt right for us. We (mostly me) agonized about small details, like mini surfboard ornaments we handmade--but in hindsight probably the thing that felt most like us was, rescripting the ceremony itself to be a little bit more about the bond of two families. Swapping out more traditional language for what we felt was more inclusive, and representative of how we wanted to join our lives together--in a partnership that we knew would have highs and lows, and the hope that our family and friends as chosen family would be there to support us through both.

You, your bridesmaid and mom all wore bryr clogs at your wedding. How did that come about?

Yes! My mom and sister. I didn't really have bridesmaids, but my family is Swedish so clogs are kind of part of daily life in our home. My Farfar (Grandpa) wears the equivalent of Bryr's worker clog daily. My mom has a pair of clogs for pretty much every occasion or activity--indoor clogs, garden clogs, dinner out clogs. When my husband first met my family he got a chuckle out of the pitter-patter of wood on wood you hear in my childhood home. My mom, sister, and I knew we wanted something a little fancier for the wedding day and were elated to find Bryr a local clog maker--the three of us drove up to San Francisco to pick our wedding pair out, and will have that memory for a lifetime.

If you could give any advice for future brides, what would it be?

Try to relax, and get a wedding planner if you can swing it. We tried to cut costs by doing everything ourself, including venue set-up, and I think towards the end I got really fixated on things being a certain way. If I could go back and shake myself I would remind myself to have some fun and forget about the details being perfect. They never will be, but it doesn't matter because that's not what it is about! Also, break conventions and honor what is true to you. I am a no fuss, no makeup gal--but got sucked into the "tradition" of everyone get ready for a million hours before, while my husband and some of our friends went surfing. In hindsight, I wish I would have joined for the surf and then just thrown my damn dress on!

Did you go on a honeymoon? If yes, where did you go and did you bring your bryr clogs?

Yep--we got really lucky and snuck our honeymoon in just before the pandemic hit. We went to Japan and spent sometime in Kyoto, Tokyo, and Hokkaido. I did not bring my Bryr clogs because we went in winter and my piggy toes would have been freezing.

Shop Tobi's clogs

Have you kept your clogs as a special memento, or do you wear them?

I actually can't really bring myself to wear my special wedding clogs--when I got them it was a practical decision with the intention that unlike some wedding shoes, I will wear these a million times again. But everytime I put them on they feel too precious. I guess I am more sentimental than I thought! I saved my dress for my daughter Zaia, I am thinking I will put them in the same box and maybe someday she will enjoy wearing them for some event.

Anything else you'd like to share about your wedding weekend?

Everyone who attended camped out at Costanoa on Highway 1, the wedding itself was really fun--but perhaps the best thing was being surrounded by our people in a beautiful setting all weekend.

Please share any vendors you'd like to share.

Radonich Ranch the venue

Nick Chao photographer