Firat and Gwen

Firat grew up in the gorgeous city of Istanbul. In the hours he wasn’t at school or playing tennis, he taught himself to become exceedingly proficient in computers. By high school, he set his ambitions on the American Animation Industry and attended Ringling School of Art and Design, Class of 2005.

Gwen was raised in Lansdale, Pennsylvania, a busy suburb outside Philadelphia. She focused on art and theatre in her youth which proved to be serendipitously perfect for her chosen career as an animator. She went all or nothing and applied solely to Ringling, 06’.

Firat and Gwen met over a game of poker in the Winter of 2004, and began dating shortly thereafter. By summer 2006, both had completed their respective stint at Ringling and both had been offered work at Sony Pictures Imageworks in Culver City, California.

Six years later, on a perfect Californian Sunday, Firat took Gwen to an Arboretum and proposed on a grassy hill. No, it was not a surprise. And heck yeah, she accepted.

Information

Saturday, June 16, 2012

Wedding and Reception will be held at:
Fair Hills Estate
1365 N San Marcos Rd
Santa Barbara, CA 93111

Ceremony at 4 o’clock
Cocktail Hour, Dinner and Dancing will follow

Attire:
Semi-Formal, think “Garden Party”.
Ladies, I encourage sandals, flats or wedges, no heels.
Gentlemen, summery suits, ties optional.

Santa Barbara

Our wedding will be held in the Hills of Goleta, overlooking gorgeous Santa Barbara, California. Since moving to Los Angeles, we have always treasured our short getaways up the coast to Santa Barbara. As both our families would be traveling to California anyway, we thought hosting our party there would offer our guests a more luxurious and city-free vacation. We invite you to check out some of our favorite spots in the area!

Dining

Bouchon -- our favorite fine dining in town,
The Hungry Cat -- pricey, but incredible raw bar
Lilly’s Tacos -- A hole in the wall joint with ridiculously good tacos. Ask for grilled onions!
D’Angelo’s Bakery -- An adorable bakery
Ellen’s Danish Pancake house -- A fun, casual diner on the way up to wine country
Cold Spring Tavern -- A biker joint tucked away with a lot of history. Tri tip sandwiches grilled up outdoors on the weekends.

Wine Tasting

No trip to Santa Barbara is complete without a wine tasting excursion in the Santa Ynez Valley. Here are some of our favorite vineyards in the area! (Most vineyards charge $10 for a tasting, which may be shared.)

Foley - by far the most delicious (and pricey) Pinot Noir of the Valley.
Kalyra - A fun, relaxed atmosphere with an Aussie Vibe. Reasonably priced and fun blends.
Lincourt - The little sister of Foley, more reasonably priced. Great summery whites.
Melville - Foley’s next door neighbor shares the same perfect valley for Pinot Noir grapes.
Foxen - Farther north, a rustic and casual tasting room.
Sanford - Tucked into a valley by itself, one of the most beautiful estates and delicious wines.

Touring

Santa Barbara Mission - Historical and Beautiful
Santa Barbara Botanical Gardens - a wonderful place to spend a few hours
Santa Barbara Zoo -- haven’t been, but I hear it’s great
Santa Barbara Courthouse - a gorgeous historical building and courtyard

Hotels

As our out of town guests are already aware, we were not able to acquire a block of rooms due to UCSB graduation weekend. If you need any assistance finding an available room, please contact us.

The Weather

June brings the famed “June Gloom” to the California coastal region. Morning gray skies burn off in the early afternoon. Expect temperatures in the high 60s and low 70s. Temperatures drop in the evening as the cool ocean breeze rolls in.