Real Weddings: Cristalle Volpi and Jeff Barajas

For Cristalle Volpi and Jeff Barajas, it was work that brought them together. Well, kind of. Interior designer Cristalle was having trouble with a remodel she was working on, and invited architectural designer Jeff out for lunch at Walton’ s Fancy & Staple to ask his advice. “Jeff asked me if I called for help for real or just wanted to go out,” laughs Cristalle. “It was strictly professional!” Soon after that lunch in downtown Austin, Cristalle and Jeff began dating. Four years later, during a trip to California’s Big Sur, Jeff proposed with a custom ring from Franzetti Jewelers.
When it came time for their wedding, the couple knew they wanted to return to Big Sur. And so, along with 30 close friends and family members, Cristalle and Jeff embarked on a two-week wedding/honeymoon to Glen Oaks, a luxe motor lodge and campsite nestled among the spectacular redwoods. Says Cristalle, “We love nature and you feel submerged in nature there. Austin is so bustling and lively and this is the exact opposite. No cellphones, no computers, no TVs. It was like the ultimate relaxation.” Cristalle and Jeff decided on a morning wedding, and exchanged vows among the trees. “We got up at 8 and showered and had coffee. Then I started getting ready. It was just really small and simple,” explains the bride. After an afternoon reception at the nearby Roadhouse which included biscuits and gravy and a celebratory mimosa toast, guests returned to their rooms to change before joining the bride and groom on the nearby Pfeiffer Beach to watch the sunset and pay tribute to the newlyweds.