"We wanted our wedding to be romantic and timeless, to draw inspiration from old-world Tuscany, but to still incorporate some modern, personal twists. Purple has always been my favorite color, so I knew right away that we would have a dusty lavender color palette. To offset the purple, we also chose to incorporate darker plum and copper accents.
We got married at the Villa del Sol D’Oro -- a beautiful villa nestled in the sleepy city of Sierra Madre, just about 15 minutes away from the home I grew up in. We immediately fell head over heels for the Villa’s gorgeous grounds and elegant architecture and loved how it almost feels like you've been transported to a Tuscan Villa when you're there. Such a perfect little slice of Italy tucked away amidst the hustle and bustle of Los Angeles!
Josh and I live in Virginia Beach, where he is currently stationed, but I grew up in Pasadena, which is why we decided to get married in Southern California. Our wedding was a destination wedding for about 95% of our guests. We had friends and family traveling in from California, New York, Florida, Pennsylvania, Indiana, Delaware, Virginia, Maryland, the District of Columbia, North Carolina, Maine, Washington, Texas, Alabama, Oregon, Hawaii, and Thailand. However, Josh’s best man (also an officer in the Navy) definitely traveled the furthest: the day before our wedding, his nuclear sub (which had been submerged for months patrolling the Pacific) resurfaced, and he miraculously was able to step off, travel to LA, and arrive just in time to be Josh’s best man at our wedding. We feel so incredibly lucky that we were able to have so many of our loved ones together in one place and that so many people were willing to travel to be there with us on our special day!" -bride and groom
Did you include any family heirlooms or special traditions?
We asked my mom’s close friend Donna to officiate our wedding (my parents introduced Donna to her husband over 30 years ago, and Donna later hosted my mom’s baby shower when she was pregnant with me). My mom and Donna collaborated on our first draft ceremony script, which Josh and I then heavily edited. We really wanted our ceremony to be short, sweet, and unique to us and our story. Apart from an occasional reference to mitzvahs and Josh’s breaking of the glass after the pronouncement, our ceremony was secular. There were no readings, but we did choose to write our own vows. Reading and hearing our vows to each other was easily my favorite part of the ceremony.
My Aunt Julia, who is a professional cellist, flew with her cello (and my Grandma Susan) cross-country from New York to play all of our ceremony music. My mom, Josh’s parents, our wedding party, and our officiant entered to the prelude of the Bach Cello Suite #1 in G major. After a dramatic pause, Julia began playing Saint-Saëns' "The Swan”, and I walked down several flights of stairs and, eventually, the aisle with my dad.
Do you have any advice for couples planning their weddings now?
Josh: No matter how much you plan, the day will never go as expected. Just enjoy the ride -- the little things aren’t as important as marrying the person you love!
Molly: At some point on your wedding day, remember to take a momentary pause from the celebration. Take a deep breath. Take it all in. Look around at all the special people who have come together to share your special day. Be filled with love, joy, and gratitude. It all goes by too quickly, but the memories you make and the moments you share will last a lifetime.
Photography: Kati Rosado Photography | Venue: Villa del Sol d’Oro | Event Planning: Vanessa Michelle Co. | Floral: Of the Flowers | Stationery: Kelsey Malie Calligraphy | Videography: Fiske Film | Wedding Cake: Takes the Cake | Rentals: Archive Rentals | Hair: Blushing Beauty | Makeup: Blushing Beauty | DJ: Second Song | Wedding Dress: La Sposa | Groom's Attire: The Black Tux | Bride's Shoes: Bella Belle Shoes | Bridesmaid Dresses: SHOP REVELRY | Veil: Karoza Bridal Inc. | Wedding Ring: Susie Saltzman | Bracelet: Tiffany & Co | Watch: Daniel Wellington | Submitted via: Matchology