Hello dear readers! Now for all the pretty photos of our cocktail hour, dinner reception, dance party, and design details captured oh so perfectly by Max Wanger! If you haven’t already seen our wedding invitation suite or part 1 of our wedding yet, pop over and take a peek.
Going to kick this post off with a lovely shot of me with my ‘maids in their cute b&w dresses, and Tim with his studly groomsmen.
Glitter heels in full effect!
Our cocktail hour took place inside, at the Solarium at Casa Romantica. The white archways and gorgeous chandelier are what sold us on using this venue.
Geronimo Balloons made these fun fringe installations to add a festive touch around what would later be the dance partay. Aren’t they great? We also had their signature balloons mark the entrance to the venue.
Our friend Tal from the Pharmacie conjured up fantastic cocktails that were the talk of the town. With ingredients like fresh pineapple juice, Aztec chocolate bitters and fragrant Torani Amer, I’m sure you could see why. Our guests begged us for recipes after the wedding.
A lot of the vintage barware for our wedding actually came from my own collection. I had only started to collect them at the beginning stages of planning our wedding… and then quickly turned into a bit of an obsession. Now I can’t walk by a gold-flecked glass without snatching it up. Many of these glasses were purchased on the cheap, at antique markets and thrift stores in Kansas. Some of them were as low as $1 per glass! See how I made the drink stirrers here.
Cocktail servers passed out vintage playing cards with quotes from the James Bond movies to our guests.
And here we are.. the 100 Layer Cake ladies! Jillian and Kristina, my partners in crime. We had some fun crafting nights and many conversations about this day! Thanks dearies, for all your help and support!
(Hey Junia, Sarah, Audrey and Joshua!)
Yeah! Rentals brought their gorgeous mid-century furniture and poufs to transform the fireplace area into a relaxing lounge. After the ceremony chairs were cleared away, they set up furniture outside too, so our guests could linger with cocktails and watch the sun set over the ocean.
The guest totes were so much fun to put together. Complete with a beach towel and sunnies, sparkling water, oranges and pistachios from a local orchard, our favorite chocolate sea salt almonds, and a California postcard all tucked inside a mini Baggu bag I had printed with Bernadette’s lettering. Our out-of-town guests were pretty happy to be welcomed with these treats after their journey to California.
Beautiful glassware, dinnerware and 24 carat gold flatware from Casa de Perrin graced white sequin tablecloths on our tables. I designed three different dinner napkin patterns and had the fabric printed at Spoonflower. Tim’s sister-in-law sewed them all up. (Thanks, Michele!)
Bash, Please came up with the clever idea of turning water bottles into table numbers, and dotted glitter-filled votive candles throughout.
Pretty florals from Honey and Poppies below.
Here’s a closer look at our lucite diamond favors. How fun are they?!
We worked with 24 Carrots to create a wedding menu that used as many local ingredients as possible. After all, we live in a state with an abundance of farm fresh food that we should be able to eat at our wedding, instead of the vacuum-sealed stuff many caterers use. Luckily, we talked them into using vegetables from local farms, which they were happy to work with us to find. Our guests feasted on kale and watermelon radish salad, roasted carrot and avocado salad, shrimp skewers and short ribs, grilled fingerling potatoes and broccolini.
The centerpiece of our wedding reception, this giant gold heart created by Bash, Please shimmered and glimmered all night long. I’m convinced everyone needs one of these puppies at their wedding.
Our golden wedding cake and little treats were made by Sweet and Saucy. The smaller cakes are from Porto’s Bakery and included a delicious coconut cream, tres leche, tiramisu and carrot cake. We served apricot bon bons on a tiered tray, chocolate-covered pretzels and potato chips, vanilla meringues, mini key lime tarts, chocolate peanut butter squares and See’s caramels. And the entire table was devoured in what seemed like minutes.
I purchased striped bags and wrote little phrases on them with a gold pen, for guests to take leftover sweets home.
Dinner is served! A seriously awesome jazz band and singer from Elan Artists played during our dinner reception, and it set the tone for a fantastic evening. I’d highly recommend hiring one of their bands for your wedding..they are amazing.
My sister gave the sweetest speech and had us all laughing and crying.. a moment I will remember forever.
Gianduia and cafe gelato cones harken back to our trip to Italy, where Tim proposed.
Last but not least, the wedding dance reception! Enter the most fantastic dress of my dreams.. a little Monique Lhuiller number that I could not live without. I’m certain it was made for me.
Tim and I took dance lessons for 6 months. We learned the ways of the rhumba and the cha cha cha, stepped on each others’ toes a few too many times, got totally frustrated when we still didn’t have our dance routine perfected a week before the wedding. And then we nailed it and had the best time laughing and twirling the night we finally danced in front of our family and friends. We danced to Lujon and Love is Strange. I can’t stop smiling remembering it..
Our guests took home a custom aromatherapy mist concocted by One Love Organics.
A party is not a party without The Flashdance behind the table. He had everyone grooving into the night, despite it being the most sweltering night of the year.
With the James Bond movie intro graphic as our inspiration, we recreated our own version with the Smilebooth’s help. Guests packed into the booth all night, wrapping feather boas around their necks, peering through a monocle, and petting Dr. No’s famous white cat.
Tim and I sped off into the night, in our vintage Stingray Corvette with a glittery “just married” sign, made by my gal Jillian.
We are in serious love with our wedding video, by Brian Morrow of Sharkpig. He has transformed wedding videography into something completely magical that always makes me laugh, cry and want to get up and dance. Tim and I filmed with him on various occasions at our favorite spots, leading up the wedding day. We were thrilled to be in front of his camera and a part of his creative process. Without further ado, our wedding video…
Whew, what a fantastically magical night! I hope you’ve enjoyed being a guest at our wedding day. We’re sure glad you stopped by.
I know words cannot ever express how thankful we were to everyone who made this day the most beautiful day of our lives. There were so many. Thank you from the bottom of our hearts! The creative geniuses below were a dream to work with and have our 1000% seal of approval to ensure the most spectacular party ever.
You can see photos of our wedding in the latest issue of Martha Stewart Weddings, in print and on the iPad).
The fun continues Wednesday with our honeymoon! Stay tuned..
Photography: Max Wanger / Event Planning: Bash, Please / Videography: Sharkpig / Location: Casa Romantica / Ceremony and dinner reception music: Elan Artists / DJ: The Flashdance / Flowers: Honey and Poppies / Rentals: Yeah! Rentals, Casa de Perrin, Signature Rentals, and Bountiful / Linens: La Tavola / Fringe and balloon installation: Geronimo Balloons / Wedding cake: Sweet and Saucy. Smaller cakes: Porto’s Bakery / Catering: 24 Carrots / Bartending: Pharmacie / Photo booth: Smilebooth / Transportation: Beverly Hills Rent-a-Car
Bride and bridesmaids: Hair, makeup and nail design: Fiore Beauty / Ceremony dress: Jorge Manuel, from The White Dress / Ceremony shoes and rehearsal dinner gown: BHLDN / Reception gown: Monique Lhuillier / Reception shoes: Nicholas Kirkwood / Veil: Twigs & Honey / Ceremony and reception clutches: Ila Handbags / Cocktail ring and reception earrings: Yael Designs / Ceremony earrings: Kenneth Jay Lane / Glow: Plush Tan / Blue Print Cleanse / Bracelet: Rose Bowl Flea Market / Bridesmaid dresses: Kirribilla, Theia, ASOS, C. Luce / Flower girl dress: Weddington Way / Bridesmaids’ gifts: envelope clutch from Roxy Marj, rhinestone bracelets from Rose Bowl Flea Market, embroidered hankie from Bumble Bee Linens, monogram stationery from Wiley Valentine, Essie nail polish
Groom and groomsmen: Groom’s suit: Versace / Groom’s tie: Zara / Cuff links: Thomas Pink / Shoes: Urban Outfitters / Socks: Urban Outfitters / Groomsmen ties: H&M
Design, decor and favors: Hand-lettering for invitations and coaster: Bernadette Pascua. Lettering on signage: Love, Jenna Calligraphy / Invite screen-printing: Diversified Images / Coaster printing: Mama’s Sauce / Dinner napkin printing: Spoonflower / Cocktail napkin, matchbox, flower to-go bag printing: For Your Party / Escort cards / Tassels for escort cards / Welcome bag: mini Baggu / Favor: lucite diamonds from Charming Creation / Custom One Love Organics aromatherapy mist / Ring pillow sewn by Michele Dawbarn
