Malibu Wedding with Modern Style
This isn’t your average pretty wedding. Nope. Not even close. It’s so unexpectedly modern. So clean, so refined, so undeniably gorgeous it’s almost hard to believe that it’s actually a real wedding. Oh but it is. The bride is the fabulously chic designer behind the brand JL Designs and her hubs is a crazy talented architect. So obviously, their wedding was going to reflect the insane sense of style and modern but absolutely luxe design sensibility that they share.
all photographs by Jasmine Star Photography
The wedding was held at a private residence in Malibu with the most incredible views on the planet. The couple decided on a classic modern look that they appropriately coined “Calvin Klein Meets South Beach,” with clean, modern lines and a beautifully chic style. They wanted it to seem as if they had simply invited their guests to the best cocktail party that they’ve ever thrown.
Carissa, the beautiful bride, took a completely edited approach to her wedding day style. From the sweet but subtle hints of bling in her bouquet (her grandmother’s engagement ring, her grandfather’s fraternity ring and her mother’s pendant) to to the beaded trim on her bridesmaids bouquets, every little bit of this wedding was a lesson in luxury. Oh and that gorgeous Nicole Miller gown…$450!
The cute pair kept the ceremony design really simple and streamlined so that the focus stayed on the ceremony itself and of course, on the jaw droppingly beautiful view. They splurged on bench seating and lined the aisle with tall glass vases filled to the brim with chunks of coral.
Lots more to come!
Palm Springs Wedding at The Ace Hotel II
You know how some people are insanely chic and it all seems so effortless? Well, Sarah and Andrew are definitely one of those couples. Their day was a study in retro — from the old records to the succulents to the wedding dress made from lace doilies — and I could not be more excited to share it. Abi Q Photography did a wonderful job of capturing the vibrancy and spirit of this crazy, beautiful couple. They had one of those weddings where style and fun go hand in hand. Apparently, Palm Springs isn’t just for bachelorette parties anymore.
Venue - The Ace Hotel / Photographer - Abi Q Photography / Wedding Coordinator – Laurie Lund / Flowers - Rancho Mirage Florists/ Dress Designer - Alina Pizzano / Bridesmaid Dresses - J Crew / Videographer – Jacob Morales of Moving Pixel Films / Photo booth - Capitol Photo Booths / Hair and Makeup – Monique Montano from Bravo Salon, Pasadena / Hair Piece – Tarah Thomas / DJ – Albert Gonzalez
xoxo, Erin of Erin Ever After
Palm Springs Wedding at The Ace Hotel
I have been patiently (or maybe not so patiently) waiting for the fabulousness that is The Ace Hotel to be showcased in all of its glory at an uber chic wedding. It is the IDEAL backdrop… a little bit retro and a whole lot of cool. So you can imagine my excitement, and maybe a bit of squealing, when I came across Sarah and Andrew’s October wedding shot by Abi Q photography. The blogger gods must have been shinning down on me because this lovely, lovely shindig is perfection squared.
From the photographer:
Ever since I did their engagement session, I have been waiting for this wedding. Not only are Sarah and Andrew an amazingly stylish couple, but they are also over the moon in love (which makes a wedding, hands down), and the location made their wedding all the more delicious.
Sitting on the bed of her hotel room, Sarah was a vision, and quite possibly the calmest bride I’ve ever met. She bustled around the busy tent-like room checking her bridesmaids’ makeup, doing her mom’s and, most importantly, enjoying her special day.
While the girls were joking and sipping on champagne, there was a knock on the door. When they answered it , a brilliant bouquet of flowers was waiting for the lovely bride and inside was a note from her groom. “Today I marry my dream girl and I don’t have a care in the world.”
More to come in a bit from Sarah and Andrew’s fab day.
xoxo, Erin of Erin Ever After
Los Angeles Wedding by Shannon Renee, II
It’s hard to imagine a more thoughtfully designed wedding than this one. Every detail, from the invitations to the mason jar centerpieces, was lovingly designed by the bride and her super cute groom…and in a way that was not only approachable and charming, but also incredibly elegant. Photographed by Shannon Renee Photography, we heart this wedding. Big time.
We had paper birds hanging from the lights outside where we had the ceremony. They were cut and put together by the bridesmaids from a stencil designed by my husband and strung up by the groomsmen. Our welcome wedding sign was painted by my husband and we used easels to put it up as well as the seating assignment board put together by hubby. Instead of table numbers, we had names of famous couples. We printed up photos of them and put them in wooden frames we found at a thrift store. The picture of us on the invitations was hand drawn by my husband. We scanned it in our computer and printed them out ourselves, then put everything together. We bought the envelopes and most of the paper from Paper Source and cut everything up on a cutting board we purchased. We also saved mason jars to be used as vases for the centerpieces.
All my married girlfriends were saying how fast the day goes by and they were so right! Just really try to be present and enjoy every moment with each other. Take comfort in knowing that everyone will do what they can to help get you married! Not everything will be perfect and some things are really beyond your control. For example, our venue didn’t have air conditioning and it was a 100 degrees that day so it was incredibly hot. All you can control is your attitude. It really was so much fun. My face was hurting at the end of the night from smiling so much!
As for the planning process, it really can be overwhelming at times, especially at the beginning. I was really lucky because my husband is super creative and talented and was really involved in the process. There’s just so much information out there. Don’t second guess yourself too much because then nothing will get done. There will always be a ‘better’ dress, ‘prettier’ hairtyle, ‘nicer’ location. Also, really trust your instincts when choosing your vendors. For example, we saw a venue early on that we really liked but I didn’t find the owners to be particularly friendly or welcoming and that rubbed me the wrong way so we decided to move on. When we met with Shannon, the photographer, she was the first photographer we met. We were already impressed with her work and when we met her, she had an incredible energy and warmth, so we booked her without meeting anyone else. It’s really important to infuse the day with as much supportive and positive energy as you can. Take up your friends’ offers to help out. You’ll need it.
At the end of it all, it really is just one day. The best part is that you get to marry the love of your life, everything else is just pretty decoration.
Stationery made by bride and groom / Flowers by Betty Lang of Vanda Events / Chairs by Arcadia Party Rentals / Tables provided by Party Divine / Personalized Silk Fans by TheKnot.com / Music by The Richard Glaser Band / Gown by Sean Collection / Shoes by RSVP on Zappos / Earrings by Nadri / Tuxes by Calvin Klein / Bridesmaids Gowns their own, chosen in different shades of blue / Korean Buffet catered by Palace Catering / Desserts by Portos Bakery / Photography by Shannon Renee Photography
Los Angeles Wedding by Shannon Renee
This wedding is pure sweetness. Photographed by the lovely Shannon Renee, it’s one of those weddings that is so lovely, so completely charming, that you can’t help but fall in love. And the bride has taken the time to give us THE most amazing details about the wedding, from the stationery that they DIY-ed to the incredibly thoughtful advice that she has after all is said and done.
My husband and I both love vintage, classic and whimsical things. We’re both actors with some background in design; his in graphics and mine in costume. We’re both creative and wanted our wedding to reflect us and not be too traditional. Our venue was the perfect place to bring all the elements together. It was a hidden gem, a historical landmark built in the early 1900’s.
We were very conscious of our budget. We knew we didn’t want anything extravagant but its amazing how everything can add up. We really thought about what was important and if something wasn’t as important, we let it go. Some things we saved on was the dress. I really thought it was ridiculous to spend so much on something you wear once. I wanted something that looked vintage/old hollywood glam. I looked to used options as well as renting but I found it hanging at a Nordstroms! It didn’t need major alterations and I got them done in the store.
We didn’t have a traditional wedding cake. We opted to have mini dessert platters from one of my favorite bakeries. They were reasonably priced, probably less than half of a beautiful cake that probably wouldn’t have tasted as good. All the DIY elements helped our budget but I think it wasn’t so much about saving money as it was about making the wedding as personal as we could. We also couldn’t have stayed within our budget without our incredibly talented friends who lent their talents for little to nothing. Betty Lang not only put together the gorgeous bouquets and centerpieces and flowers in the ceremony, but also was the day-of coordinator and decorated the venue so beautifully. Richard Glaser of the band is a childhood friend of my husband’s. He played the keyboard during the ceremony and he joined the band for the reception as well as before the ceremony. We also kept our bar pretty minimal. Our bartender was a friend of ours and he mixed lemon drops as our main cocktail. We offered white and red wine, a dark and light beer, vodka tonics/juices and jack and cokes and served cava instead of champagne. We didn’t have a DJ and our ‘MC’ was a friend. Our officiant was also a good friend. It not only saved money, but it made it so much more meaningful and personal.
Stationery made by bride and groom / Flowers by Betty Lang of Vanda Events / Chairs by Arcadia Party Rentals / Tables provided by Party Divine / Personalized Silk Fans by TheKnot.com / Music by The Richard Glaser Band / Gown by Sean Collection / Shoes by RSVP on Zappos / Earrings by Nadri / Tuxes by Calvin Klein / Bridesmaids Gowns their own, chosen in different shades of blue / Korean Buffet catered by Palace Catering / Desserts by Portos Bakery / Phootography by Shannon Renee Photography
