Humble Sea

Welcome Party

Avéline

Wedding Day

Reception

Our Wedding

It all started the place we love most: on the dancefloor. Lucas and I met at Lightning in a Bottle, a festival in a dusty corner of Bakersfield, California. Both being LIB veterans ourselves, we weren't anticipating what this year had in store for us, or how it'd shift the fabric of our lives so drastically. What started as a long caravan of cars on the side of the road turned into a group of 30 sheltering in tents as Bakersfield saw torrential downpour in May (for the first time... ever?). But somewhere between the mud, the music, and the chaos, lifelong friendships bloomed. So you may think the fairytale has begun, but really, the seeds have just been planted. Lucas and I spent the summer getting to know each other as friends before he moved to San Diego and I jetted off to Milan to study abroad. I got back from Italy in December 2019, and the world shut down not too long after. While I was sheltering in place with my best friend and roommate at the time, Carlin, in Santa Clara, Lucas was with Owen, Evan, Ryan, and Jess at their first place together in San Diego. One fateful weekend that year, the San Diego crew came home to Santa Cruz, and something finally clicked into place. I remember looking at Lucas like it was the first time, immediately nudging Jess to tell her how cute I thought he was. Later, under the stars on our friend Isaac's property, I'd learn the feeling was mutual. That weekend set into motion the rest of our lives —lives filled with lots of firsts, minimal poison oak (iykyk), but ever-growing adoration for each other. After graduating, I moved in with Lucas just a block and a half from the beach (a lifelong dream of mine!) in Ocean Beach—a little pocket of San Diego that feels a lot like Santa Cruz, which somehow makes everything feel full circle. The cherry on top has been sharing it all with our sweet pup, Linguini. This past summer, Lucas gave me the surprise of a lifetime when a paint-and-sip night at Isaac's turned into him asking me to be his wife where it all began 5 years prior. I'm a notorious planner and hard person to surprise, but they just kept coming as we arrived at an engagement party with our friends from near and far. It was the most magical weekend that made all my little girl dreams come true. We can't wait for the magic to continue as we convene in Santa Cruz in October of this year! We feel so blessed to have an amazing community around us, and to be able to share in the special moments of life with those that shaped who we are today. We can't wait to see you soon!

Our Story

Photos

Madi and Mackenzie were fated to become friends, and thankfully many of their mutuals knew that. After multiple "you guys need to meet", they finally did, and thus began a beautiful friendship filled with too many stories to count. Wherever life has taken them - to Milan, Catalina, or festivals all over California - Madi has always been one of Mackenzie's closest confidants, biggest supporters, and absolute best friends. She's truly the trifecta of smartness, kindness, and beauty. But be warned: she will haze you frat boy-style at the wedding.

Madi Tostrud

Carlin and Mackenzie met early in college at a Delta Gamma mom's weekend and the rest was history. They proceeded to become best friends and roommates, enduring the craziness of college, COVID, and generally turning from your teens to twenties together. Carlin is the kind of friend who always goes out of her way to make others feel loved and heard, who is always down for an hour-long rant session, and who will say the most outlandishly funny things that will have you in stitches for hours. While they now live across the country from each other, they relish their yearly visits galavanting in their cities, and our course their many daily Snapchats + texts. 

We can't wait to celebrate Carlin and her fiancé, Chris, at their upcoming April 2027 wedding, so make sure to congratulate them when you see them!

Carlin Ross

Ella is the youngest (and only girl!) of the 5 Porter siblings. 

[insert part from Lucas]

Ella has always made Mackenzie feel like part of the family, and Mackenzie (who didn't grow up with siblings), is over the moon to finally get a sister! 

Ella Porter

Maci is Mackenzie's longest friendship standing by her side on the wedding day. From middle school dance classes to becoming SVHS's EDM princesses, to navigating post-college life together, Maci has always been there. Many knew them as twins in high school, as they'd always be together in big stomper boots and complimentary outfits. You'd be hard pressed to find a heart bigger than Maci's, or a woman more intentional with her friendships. While M&M are now on separate sides of the state, Mackenzie always cherishes their time together on trips home and looks forward to the "at a concert, missing you" texts sent throughout the year.

We are so excited to celebrate the long-awaited wedding of Maci and her fiancé, Ian, next year, after a whopping nearly 10 years of love!!

Maci Valle

Madison Kovall

If you can't tell by this photo, Shauni is truly sunshine incarnate. Mackenzie and Shauni became friends in high school and have grown together through so many phases of life. She's a yogi, animal and planet lover, hula hooper, chef, and many more titles, but what that really speaks to is her bubbly joy, thoughtfulness for all beings around her, and desire to create. While her wanderlust takes her all over the world, Mackenzie and Shauni always find their way back to each other. Shauni has always shown up with love, support, and a desire to dance, which reminds Mackenzie of the things that really matter to her.

Shauni Sweeney

Ariana Low

Mackenzie met Jackie on one fateful night on the streets of Ocean Beach where they connected over their golden retriever puppies. What started as a dog playdate quickly became a group friendship that changed Mackenzie & Lucas's lives for the better. Probably half of every week is now spent with Jackie, Josh, and their two pups Lox and Ollie, enjoying San Diego happy hours, planning our next group trip, or making dinners together. In their own pairs, Jackie and Mackenzie love to talk books over a glass of wine, and Josh and Lucas love to talk sh*t over a game of pickleball. 

Jaclyn Cohen & Josh Aronson

Mackenzie has had the unique privilege of getting to know Polina and Ian in two transformative times of her life, and eventually introducing them to each other. Ian and Mackenzie grew up through middle school and high school together, adventuring through the Bay Area, music festivals, and the general throes of being a teenager together. Polina and Mackenzie met early Freshman year of college when Mackenzie joined Delta Gamma and became part of Pol's family. Little did she know, that sorority family would turn into real life chosen family. 

Pol & Ian met one fateful night in the grungiest of Santa Clara bars, and the rest was history. What once felt like two circles overlapping is now more like one that was always meant to be whole. They just celebrated two years married, and there are really no words to describe watching two people you love become each other's people, too. 

Polina Bast & Ian Bast

Isaac Javed

Andrew Porter

Nick Porter

Gabe Porter

Kai Workman

Mackenzie & Lucas's fur son, Linguini, is a 4-year old miniature golden retriever that fills their life with endless joy, snuggles, and zoomies. While he won't be at the wedding, you can catch him at pre-wedding events or ask Mackenzie or Lucas to see one of their million photos of him.

Sir Henry Linguini

Cade Wright

Brian first met Mackenzie on a frigid NYE in Tahoe, where they stayed in a cabin together for the music festival Snowglobe. In a cabin of strangers, Brian quickly became a friend. It's clear Brian was meant to be in our lives, as he is loved by every single person he has met, and has developed lifelong relationships with many of Mackenzie & Lucas's close friends. Brian was a shining light during COVID, hosting many DJ dance parties on Twitch and keeping the community thriving while we all had to be apart. Brian is truly a brother to Mackenzie and Lucas, not only through his constant ribbing whenever we're together, but also through the way he always shows up for us, individually and as a couple. 

Brian Mendoza

Wedding Party

Thank you for joining us for our wedding weekend! We are so excited to see you soon.

Thursday, October 1stHumble Sea Brewing Co. in the Seacret Garden820 Swift St, Santa Cruz, CA5-7 pmKick off the weekend with us at one of our favorite breweries, Humble Sea! The party will be in the Seacret Garden, located at the back of the outdoor area. You will see a welcome sign near a blue wall that says 'Seacret Garden'. Follow that and head to the left to find the party!Wear whatever you want :)

Saturday, October 3rdAvéline1700 Granite Creek Road, Santa Cruz, CA, 95060Arrive at 3:30 pm, ceremony starts at 4 pmJoin us at Avéline, a sprawling estate in the Santa Cruz Mountains, to say 'I do' to disco-ing together forever!Attire is cocktail, with a touch of European summer flair. Imagine dressing for a garden party at a villa: colorful, breezy, elegant, and ready for a night of feasting and dancing. The ceremony and reception will be outdoors and held mostly on grass. Make sure to bring a jacket as it can get chilly after the sun goes down.Please note: Some directions, particularly Teslas, may route you to Granite Ridge Rd. That is not correct, please take Granite Creek Rd. and you will enter via a driveway with a small stone bridge and an open metal gate. Additionally, Aveline is located in the mountains so not all phone carriers have reliable service, but Verizon is one of the better carriers. Please plan accordingly for your transportation home! See our 'travel' page for more details.

Adults only

We love your kids and hope to see them soon, but our wedding will be adults-only, with the exception of our flower girls and ring bearers. The property isn't best suited for young children, and we hope this allows you to truly unwind and celebrate with us.

Details

Airports

The closest airports to Santa Cruz are San Jose (SJC) and San Francisco (SFO).

Transportation

We recommend renting a car if flying in. Many options are available at SJC and SFO, but if you're a Costco member, check out Costco Travel.For guests staying at The Hilton or Four Points in Scotts Valley, shuttles will run at the following times:To the event: Shuttles board at 3:00 pm, leave by 3:15 pm.From the event: First shuttle starts at 8:30 pm and will run on a half-hour basis until 10:30 pm.If you're looking to call an Uber or Lyft at the end of the night, please note that service at Avéline varies by carrier. It may be useful to schedule a ride ahead of time.

Accomodations

For your convenience, we've reserved a room blocks at the following hotels:Four Points in Scotts Valley. Use <a href="https://www.marriott.com/event-reservations/reservation-link.mi?id=1769109691827&amp;key=GRP&amp;app=resvlink&amp;_branch_match_id=1537516174236498538&amp;_branch_referrer=H4sIAAAAAAAAA8soKSkottLXTywo0MtNLCrKzC8p0UvOz9UvSi3OyczLtgdK2ALZZSCOWmaKraG5maWhgSWQsDAyV8tOrbR1DwpQqytKTUsF6s5Lj08qyi8vTi2ydc4oys9NBQAtZYyhYAAAAA%3D%3D" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">this link</a> to book. Must book before September 2nd for discounted rates.Hilton in Scotts Valley. Use <a href="https://www.hilton.com/en/book/reservation/deeplink/?ctyhocn=SJCSVHF&amp;groupCode=90Y&amp;arrivaldate=2026-10-02&amp;departuredate=2026-10-04&amp;cid=OM,WW,HILTONLINK,EN,DirectLink&amp;fromId=HILTONLINKDIRECT" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">this link</a> to book. Must book before September 9th for discounted rates. Please note, the discounted rate will not be valid if you purchase through the following channels:Advance Purchase Reservation through HiltonPoint Redemption Reservation through HiltonThird-Party booking sites such as: Expedia, Booking.com, Travelocity, Etc. If you're traveling with a group, we recommend checking out the wide variety of options on Airbnb and VRBO.

Travel & Accommodations

There are so many great trails in Santa Cruz with a variety of difficulty. Our favorites for you to check out are:Wilder RanchLand of Medicine BuddhaFall CreekHenry Cowell (tons of different trails here, and river swimming!)Nisene MarksPogonipWest Cliff or East Cliff (easy and flat oceanside strolls)

Hiking

Santa Cruz Classics

If you're looking for some quintessential Santa Cruz experiences, we recommend:The Boardwalk (rides, arcade, mini golf, and bowling)Seymour Marine Discovery CenterRoaring CampSanta Cruz WharfMount Hermon Adventures (aerial ropes course and zipline)

To Eat

The Santa Cruz food scene has made some strides in recent years, and there are plenty of yummy places for you to check out:Bantam (wood-fired pizza)Home Soquel (new american)Harbor Cafe (breakfast and lunch)Zoccolis (sandwiches to-go)Stagnaro Bros (the best clam chowder and seafood)Laili (mediterranean)The Buttery (bakery and sandwiches)Mentone (italian)Bittersweet Bistro (american)

To Drink

There is no shortage of beer and cocktail spots! Here are a few of our favorites:Beer Thirty (30 beers, ciders, and kombuchas on tap)Woodhouse Blending &amp; Brewery (local brewery with yummy bites)Sante Adarius Rustic Ales (two locations)Venus Spirits Cocktails &amp; Kitchen (house-made spirits &amp; more)The Apéro Club (natural wine)Copal (oaxacan, aka mezcal and margs)

Lucas & Mackenzie

Lucas & Mackenzie

L&M

Welcome Party

Wedding Day

Reception