When you’ve got an absolutely stunning Olympic gold medalist and a handsome NBA player for the Bride & Groom, and you pair them up with Marisa Nicole Events at one of the prettiest places in Malibu, Cypress Sea Cove? The results are bound to be gorgeous. Andrew Abajian captured an amazing (read: out of this world) film that had me in tears and left me with a swoon-y smile, and Iris and Light gracefully set those moments still with their imagery. See it here.
From Marisa Nicole Events Lauren & Jrue are a match made in heaven! He is an NBA player for the New Orleans Pelicans, she is an Olympic gold medalist and professional women’s soccer player, and together they are two of the kindest people on earth.
For “the look” of Lauren & Jrue’s day, we set out to design a naturally elegant, coastal affair that felt comfortable for their friends and family. As the backdrop for these love-bird’s vows, with the ocean on one side and guests on the other, Lauren & Jrue stood at the foot of a simply adorned cross where they made their love legal in the eyes of both God and California. We utilized long wooden banquet tables, paired with wooden vineyard chairs, and a simple lace to create the base for our dining area. Lauren just loved the look of super neutral flowers featuring pops of the colors that were already on the property (pale pinks, peaches, magenta and purple). We used soft, ruffled blooms, clean orchids and candles galore on the to create a sense of ‘easy romantic elegance’ through the table-scape. Hung from trees and tucked in every nook and cranny of the venue, we utilized lanterns to give the party an enchanting feel once the sun had set. One of my favorite areas was the luxe lounge, which we housed in an open wooden cabana under a ceiling of twinkle lights. It was just gorgeous!
Lauren’s family got involved with executing the day of aesthetic details as well! Lauren’s mom and sister put together sweet treats for the guests to take home. Lauren & Jrue love lemon drops, so they filled mini mason jars with the candy, attached a tag and voilà , a fab favor that brought pops of yellow to the table-scape. Laurenâ??s brother-in-law did all the chalkboard art! Along with the overall look of the day, the cuisine was very important to these lovebirds. Lauren & Jrue love soul food and wanted to bring a touch of southern flair to their celebration. During cocktail hour, we served catfish tacos, mini crab cakes and fried chicken & biscuit bites. Dinner was served family style and all the old picnic favorites were present: barbecue short ribs, stuffed chicken, mac & cheese, cornbread, okra, sweet potato bites; yum!
Neither Lauren nor Jrue drink alcohol, so along with a full bar for the guests, we wanted to do something special for the couple. They are crazy about lemonade, so with a sweet gazebo as the backdrop, we founded a lemonade stand in their honor, featuring three specialty flavors for guests of all ages to enjoy. The couple also wasnâ??t into the idea of a traditional wedding cake; so we said, ‘forget the cake’ and brought in the best pies we could find in the whole of the state. The couple cut warm peach pie instead of cake and the guests went crazy over all the a la mode pie options!
The couple, with their friends & family, danced the night away under a ceiling of bistro lights, hanging lanterns and stars, slowing down only to pop into the photo booth for a quick selfie! A good time and good eats were had by all at Lauren & Jrue’s oceanside, southern romantically elegant fête!
Photography: Iris And Light | Cinematography: Andrew Abajian | Event Design: Marisa Nicole Events | Event Planning: Marisa Nicole Events | Floral Design: Enchanted Garden Floral Design | Wedding Dress: Monique Lhuillier | Ceremony Venue: Cypress Sea Cove | Reception Venue: Cypress Sea Cove | Bridesmaids' Dresses: J.Crew | Catering: Command Performance Catering | Makeup Artist: Marisa Lafayette | Hair: Mount Tabor Park | DJ: Zuno Productions | Day-Of Signage: Prim & Pixie | Photo Booth: Vintage Vault | Pies: Avila Valley Barn | Portable Restrooms: Andy Gump | Rentals: A Rental Connection