California Wedding with Classic Elegance
Please raise your hand if you’re a sucker for a really good love story. As I suspected, many of you are! I’m cheesy. I admit it. I’m totally the cheeseball who loves hearing the love story behind the wedding. Especially love stories of coincidence. Where people just happen to sit down next to one another at a restaurant or bar, only to walk down the aisle and profess their eternal love to each other a year later (I wasn’t kidding about the cheeseball stuff). Well today’s Manhattan beach wedding definitely satisfies my love story sweet tooth. And with wedding coordinator, Beth Helmstetter and photographer Chelsea Elizabeth on task for this wedding, it’s delivering some serious eye candy.
Kurt and I were both living in Manhattan Beach, literally on the same street, about 10 blocks from each other when we first met. We were both watching football at a local sports bar, sitting right next to each other. I was rooting for my beloved Michigan Wolverines, and apparently he was intrigued because his parents also grew up in Michigan. He called me a couple of days later, and we’ve been together ever since!
After a year and a half, Kurt got my Dad’s blessing and completely surprised me with his proposal! It was a typical Monday evening… I got home from work and we went for a run along the ocean. We ended up walking around the Manhattan Beach pier to cool down from our run, where Kurt got down on one knee and asked me to marry him. I was so caught off guard and thought he was being completely spontaneous. Then he pulled out the most amazing ring I had ever seen, and I realized it was for real!
We were both so excited, and started the planning shortly after! I knew I would need a lot of help with our wedding, so after receiving a referral for a planner from a friend, we met with Beth Helmstetter. She helped us so much throughout our planning and gave us so many wonderful ideas. We knew that we wanted our day to be romantic and beautiful, and Beth helped put it all together. One of our favorite parts of our wedding were the long wood tables with the eclectic mix of vessels and flowers. And the candles!!!! We had candles EVERYWHERE! They really warmed the room (which was necessary because it was a bit cold and rainy!). We also had beautiful lanterns with candles that hung from the ceiling above the dance floor. They were so stunning and another one of our favorite parts of our wedding.
Our photographer, Chelsea Elizabeth, did such an amazing job too. She also shot my sister’s wedding, and as soon as we saw their pictures, we knew we wanted Chelsea to shoot our wedding. Whenever we show people who weren’t at our wedding our pictures, they always seem to comment about what a beautiful, sunny, typical California day it was… which is quite funny because it POURED! Somehow Chelsea captured the moments when the sun came out and made it look so sunny and beautiful! Even though it rained, we were able to get some great pictures before the ceremony. Our first glance was such a special moment. Kurt was standing on the Strand (where we went running the day we got engaged), and I walked up behind him. I was so excited to see him and excited for him to see me and my dress because it was the one thing during our planning that I couldn’t share with him. We have a great picture of our wedding party walking up Manhattan Beach Blvd — it’s one of my most special memories from the day. We were in the middle of the street and the pier and the ocean are in the background. As we were walking up the street, people were hanging out of the restaurants clapping and cheering. It was so much fun, and then the sky opened up, the rain starting coming down, and we ran to the nearest building! It was so much fun and I didn’t even care at all that it was raining! The entire day was so beautiful to me, and I wouldn’t change a thing if I could.
Sounds like an amazing day! Thanks Michele!
xoxo Chantale from La Belle Bride
Vendors: Wedding Planner: Beth Helmstetter / Make Up: Jami, Flore Beauty / Flowers: Holly Flora /Getting Ready: The Belamar Hotel, Manhattan Beach / Ceremony: American Martyrs Church, Manhattan Beach /Reception: La Venta Inn, Palos Verdes Estates / Photography: Chelsea Elizabeth / Calligraphy: Laura Hooper
39 Comments about “California Wedding with Classic Elegance”
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What a beautiful wedding! I especially love the bride's bouquet with just a touch of blue!
The glow from the candles is really amazing. Very pretty.
I LOVE the bridesmaid dresses, who is the designer? I love the colors you selected and the candles set the mood.
Where is your amazing dress from? Love the tiers of lace- they look stunning in pictures!
Wher is her bracelet from?
Beautiful pictures and a stunning couple!! I love the bride's dress, hair, and bouquet. And all the candles set a lovely romantic feel. Congratulations to Michele and Kurt!
can we get some info on that dress?? love it!!
GO BLUE!!
really gorgeous wedding. love this wedding style & love the long tables.
love this wedding style & love the long tables!
I LOVE her wedding dress! Do you know who the designer is?
Home! I grew up in Manhattan Beach. What a gorgeous wedding :)
I love her bracelt! Any idea where she got this?
Where in the world did you get that beautiful wedding gown?! It's exactly how I envision my dress. Please dish it out! And you did such an amazing job on the details.
I absolutely love that bracelet! Where is it from?
yes, I just melted. what a sweet story and a lovely wedding!
Arrrrrrr... sooooo sweet to see a beautiful couple so in LOVE!
Thanks for sharing these beautiful photos and story.
OMG how much more beautiful could this wedding have gotten! love the dress! love everything about it!
What a BEAUTIFUL wedding!!! i love the sweet details. do you know who the designer of the wedding dress is?
Wow, thank you for all the sweet comments!!!! My dress is a Cymbaline, a designer in Paris. I purchased it at Montclair Bridal in Santa Monica. You can find a bridal shop that carries Cymbaline at www.cymbalineusa.com. My sister bought that bracelet from White House Black Market and wore it for her wedding. Thank you again for all the lovely comments!!
The bridesmaid dresses are Watters and Watters. I bought them on www.netbride.com.
Prettiest bride ever!!!!! She looks like a model!
i Stumbled on this website and I HAD TO COMMENT on this fantabulous wedding!! The bride, the bridesmaids, the decor, the jewelry.. ALL OF IT..GORGEOUS
To the Bride: You have exquisite taste!
I checked out Watters & Watters website and can't find the dress, do you happen to have the style number? Thanks
Your dress is beautiful. My dress was Cymbeline too...... their dresses are nothing short of amazing!! Congratulations!
So stunning! That ring is seriously my dream ring... who designed it?
watters & watters #3278. hope that helps!
definitely elegant
I'm obsessed with the jewelry!
Her bouquet is SO pretty!
Maybe I should stop looking at wedding stuff nearly a year after ours, because I must say I recognized that was a Cymbeline dress instantly... (okay, maybe the fact that it already existed when I was looking for my dress and almost chose a Cymbeline too - easy in France - can count as an excuse).
It's the Comtesse model if I remember rightly...
I love de pictures!
I just bought the same gown yesterday. That's how I found this website. You'll find it if you google Cymbeline Comtesse. And it's funny, because the gown looks a lot different if I wear it. Maybe that is because I'm a lot smaller, but it looks lovely on you!!
I come from Holland in Europe and weddingdays are different with us on some parts of the day. We will have a townwedding, but it's not until the 25th of june 2011.
Thank you for the inspiration.
Michele,
I love your wedding!!! I too am planning my wedding at La Venta (it will be in August) and am wondering who provided you with those beautiful tables! Also, I love your taste and am having a difficult time finding a rehearsal dinner place, any suggestions?
Sara
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Awesome idea of bloog.I'm from Italy I read many fromulars about it.Kind regards from Poland.