We are so thrilled to see Ashley & Brett’s Beverly Wilshire Hotel Wedding featured over on Style Me Pretty’s California page! We loved filming this wedding with exquisite details and most importantly a fantastic couple. Check out the feature HERE! And while you’re there, please take time to enjoy the amazingly gorgeous work from Jordana Hazel of Hazelnut photography. Jordana is one of our favorite photographers to work with on the day of the wedding!
Ian and I have been enjoying a wonderful off season of no weddings, locked in our edit cave editing feature films, and spending time with family and our pups. But there’s one thing about the off season that we don’t enjoy and that’s the absence of blogging and putting our couple’s films up on the blog. Ian and I were trying to figure out how we could continue posting in the off season that would offer something to our brides and grooms, future engaged couples, and really anyone who likes to read about wedding related topics. We talked about how much we loved our (now married) couples and wish we could involve them in more beyond their wedding day. That’s when thought we’d love to create a community where our previous couples could offer advice to future brides. So many brides (myself included) have things we learned after the wedding. Things we loved about our wedding day, things we would change, things we didn’t even think of. And we want to pass along that wisdom to others. That’s when we thought, “Why not have our past brides share this advice online on our blog?” And that’s how our “Reflections” post came to be.
Our first guest blogger is my friend Meagan. Meagan and I go waaaaay back. We have known each other since our freshman year in college and grew closer over the years as we pursued our degrees in Theatre at Cal State Fullerton. Since graduating college Meagan has had an awesome career in television and film and I’m constantly impressed by her. Since graduating we often get together over wine and cheese (or any other delicious food) and connect on all facets of life, including our weddings. Meagan got married back in 2011. I was beyond grateful that Meagan said yes when I asked her to be our first Bride Blogger. Thank you so much Meagan for offering your wisdom to couples who have yet to take that walk down the aisle.
Music Licensed from The Music Bed
Sometimes when we post a new film we like to point out something that we feel the couple did right on the day. Some moment that we want to pass along to other couples to keep in mind on their wedding day. That moment for Brett & Ashley was the getting ready portion of their day. During our final meeting with our couples we always remind them to soak up every minute of the day. From the second that you wake up that day, whether it be 5am for the brides who can’t stay asleep or 9am for the grooms trying to get as much sleep as possible in preparation for the day ahead, every minute of that day is your wedding day. Ashley & Brett were completely aware of this fact. When we arrived in Ashley’s beautiful room at the Beverly Wilshire the party was already started. Between the dance parties, the girls singing the UCLA fight song, and her friends reminding her that, “It’s all happening!”…it felt like the only thing missing was Cyndi Lauper’s “Girls Just Want To Have Fun” playing in the background. Over in Brett’s room, his calm demeanor and infectious smile lasted the entire day. Just like Ashely and her girls, Brett and his guys were having a blast and soaking up every minute of this day. It’s pretty rare to have a groom who makes it to the reception and then spends most of his time dancing his butt off, but Brett was an exception. Brett & Ashley owned that floor.
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Music licensed from The Music Bed
Elegance, class, and sophistication. These are the words that I think of when I think back to the day of Demetri and Marcie’s wedding. The event was stunning. From the views, to the details, to the couple. No corner was cut and no moment was forgotten. The bride looked stunning in her wedding dress. The groom looked handsome in his tux. The music filled the air from the moment that the guests arrived, with separate musical acts performing at arrival, during the ceremony, and at the reception.
The best part about this day however was not all of these details. It was the love that was united. Demetri and Marcie certainly have style in spades, but their true beauty is in their humble and down to earth love that they have for one another. It was the perfect day on the outside, because it was the perfect day on the inside. These two belong together, and they threw one heck of a party to prove it.
If you haven’t seen it yet, check our their Love Story.
Remember Jerry & Natasha and the awesomeness that was their day? I mean how could you forget. To this day we still talk about the amazing design and the extraordinary team behind their day. So we were overjoyed to see the stunning images by Heather Kincaid featured in California Wedding Day. Take a look at these images people! Heather is amazing. And while you’re at it, watch Jerry & Natasha again!
Music Licensed from The Music Bed
As event filmmakers, we have a very unique perspective on these incredible days. For the bride and groom there is typically a very long build up and then the actual day tends to blur by. They are left with a vague impression of what the day was actually like and what they experienced. Our view point is completely the opposite. We show up the day of and then for weeks and months afterwards we pour over every last second of film we created. We analyze each and every moment so that we can find the right shots to put into the wedding film. In many ways, we have a much better perspective on what happened and how the bride and groom felt than they do themselves. I would like to take this opportunity to tell Jerry and Natasha that they experienced their wedding day with utmost perfection. It can be very easy to succumb to the pressure of this day, but Jerry and Natasha did not. In fact they soaked up each and every moment. The amount of moments that we captured was so staggering that it took us twice as long to go through footage than it normally does. They lived their day. They experienced and appreciated how beautiful all the details were. They shared their love with their families and loved ones. And most importantly of all, they looked into each other’s eyes and connected with one another. The ceremony is what is supposed to unify two people, but Jerry and Natasha were inextricably bound well before they ever said, “I do.” As we watched the footage of them from their wedding day, we could see it. In each and every frame. The sheer delight at the sight of one another. The open and supportive arms as they held each other. The tone of their voices as their volume dropped so that no one could hear them but each other. These two were meant for one another. I could probably write a book on what love is and only use these two as examples, but I’ll stop right here because I can say it all with much more eloquence and pathos with a film. Watch. Experience. Enjoy.
P.S. We would very much like to thank Jerry and Natasha for finding us. At the time that we first met them we were not going to take on any more clients due to some serious family medical issues. With the help of Jodi Cohen at JOWY Productions we met with them despite our reservations. Upon meeting them we knew that we would love to work with them. They are passionate people and their passion fueled our passion. Working with them and creating this film have opened us up to our creative fire. They have allowed us to live in our imaginations and to remember that this is why we do this. So thank you. Speaking of creativity…if you haven’t watched Jerry & Natasha’s Love Story then you absolutely MUST! This film is a perfect example of our dream collaboration with a couple!
{wedding day details}
Hollywood Roosevelt Hotel: venue
JOWY Productions: planning
Heather Kincaid: photography
Eric Buterbaugh: flowers
The Butter End Cakery:cake
James Gang Encore: reception band
Jasmine Alise: makeup
Shann Beeman:hair
Kenneth Pool: bride’s dress
Vince Camuto: bride’s shoes
Dolce & Gabbana: groom’s tux
Salvatore Ferragamo: groom’s shoes
Amsale: bridesmaids’ dress
Weddings aren’t perfect. In fact 99% of the time something will go wrong that’s completely out of anyone’s control. BUT we always tell our couples, “As long as you get married, nothing else matters.” We truly believe this and so did John & Carolyn. The day of their wedding the clouds opened up and rained on San Diego almost the entire day. But that didn’t matter to Carolyn & John. Nothing could ruin this day. Even though their ceremony had to be moved inside, that did not damper their spirits. The only thing John & Carolyn were concerned about was marrying their best friend and partner in life. Elation and excitement was what everyone witnessed in John & Carolyn. During the ceremony, John came alive when he saw Carolyn walk down the aisle. I dare say he became giddy! And it goes without saying that Carolyn was just as giddy as John, if not more. You could almost hear their hearts fluttering…for reals. In their Love Story, they talked about how they couldn’t wait to start their lives together and being there on the wedding day, I can say without a doubt, that they really couldn’t wait. In fact John and Carolyn were so eager to kiss during the ceremony that the officiant broke the rules and let them kiss right away!
{wedding day details}
El Cortez Don Room: venue
Jim Hjelm: bride’s dress
MaxStudio: brides shoes
Perry Ellis: groom’s suit
Ann’s Plans: coordination
Betwixt Studio: photography
Artistic Productions: dj
Artquest Catering: catering
San Diego Flower Patch: flowers
Where do I even begin about Jerry & Natasha?! These two people are spectacular people. They have a spectacular relationship. And they have a spectacular love story. (You will see what I mean when you watch the film.) Since Jerry & Natasha were having a red carpet, Hollywood themed wedding extravaganza they wanted to star in their own film as well! They collaborated with us every step of the way to create an amazing film that really got to the heart and soul of their relationship. They premiered this film on a huge screen at the rehearsal dinner that was at the Sony Pictures Lot. Everyone who was invited to the wedding was at the rehearsal dinner, so every guest was able to see how Jerry & Natasha came to be.
I really could go on and on about them and their wedding that was last Saturday, but I won’t. Instead I ask you to make sure you have an uninterrupted 11 minutes to watch their film. Close your door, put on those headphones, grab a box of tissues and watch this. You won’t be sorry. We are so proud of Jerry & Natasha for opening up to us, trusting us, and allowing us to capture their story.
And while you’re at it, don’t you want to watch Jerry & Natasha’s wedding highlight film?
Lily was studying in snowy upstate New York at Hamilton College. Ethan was also in some snow. But Ethan was all the way in Boulder, CO getting his undergrad. At this point Lily and Ethan had not met. After both of them had gone through some relationship troubles they both decided they needed a change of scenery. As fate would have it they individually chose Tokyo as their next destination. They enrolled in the same study abroad program. Lily and Ethan finally met in remote Hakone. Outside a 7-11 on a park bench was where Lily and Ethan became enamored with one another. They needed a change of scenery and found each other on the other side of the world. If this isn’t fate, I don’t know what is.
Their wedding day went off without a hitch. A huge shout out to an amazing team of vendors who made it happen. Kelley and her team at Picture Perfect Events could not have been more amazing!
{wedding day details}
The Langham Huntington in Pasadena: wedding venue
Picture Perfect Events: wedding planner
Bonnie Tsang: photographer
DJ Orbit: dj
Fleuretica: florist
G2 Audio & Lighting: lighting
Theresa Huang: hair & makeup
One of the hardest things for a Bride and Groom to do on a their wedding day is to speak eloquently to their guests, and even each other. It is a whirlwind day, full of a lifetimes worth of anticipation. They have seen movies and heard songs and watched relatives and friends go through the ritual, only adding more pressure to their own special day. And when the day finally arrives they can very easily succumb to the thought that they do not have something to say that would be worthy of this momentous day. But there is a secret to speaking with gravity and meaning on your wedding day. The secret is the truth. Tell the truth. Dig deep down within yourselves and say something that you believe, something that you feel is an emotional truth. Meagan and Arron did just that. They put words to their emotions throughout the day. They expressed themselves and noted how they felt and they allowed us to capture that. It certainly does make our job easier, but it also makes the day more potent for those experiencing this powerful moment. This idea of putting words to feelings culminated at the end of the evening with Arron’s thank you speech. It started, as most speeches do, with a few thanks yous. At that point Arron took the opportunity to say something to Meagan, in front of all his guests, that he has probably said to her countless times before. Yet, these simple and honest truths came flowing from him with such sincerity, that no one listening could help the tears from welling in the corners of their eyes. Sure, we’ve all hear I love you before and will probably hear it another million times before we die… but this is his wedding day. This is her wedding day. There is only one wedding day, and Arron took that day and used it to its fullest glory and splendor. He told her he loved her… and he meant it. It was a beautiful moment. They are a beautiful couple, and it was a delight to film their day and to capture their experience for them. We are so excited for Meagan, our old friend from college and our new friend Arron.
{wedding day details}
United Methodist Church of Pasadena: ceremony venue
Pasadena Museum of California Art: reception venue
Just Chic Events: wedding coordinator
Love Me Sailor: photographer
Paloma Blanca: bride’s dress
Christian Louboutin: bride’s shoes
Next: groom’s tux
Dream House Productions: dj
The Little Branch: floral design
Takes the Cake: cake
