"Before we kicked off wedding planning, Chris and I sat down to each write down the five most important elements of our wedding, so we didn't get too lost in the niche details. Without looking at one another's paper, we actually ended up writing the same things down: live music was critical, we wanted to do it somewhere where all of our family and friends could make it, strong and tasty cocktails from an open bar were a must, incorporate nature and natural elements into the setting and stunning, timeless photography to help us remember the day.
To ensure our family and friends could feasibly make it, we knew picking somewhere in Southern California would be best, as both of our families are from the area. We viewed tons of locations up and down the coast - by the beach, in the mountains, in garden settings. But we fell in love with The 1909 in Topanga Canyon. Chris and I live in Laurel Canyon, so the venue was nearby and had the same romantic, bohemian vibe and music history we love about the area. We wanted it to feel like we were getting married in the middle of the trees, but have the comfort of a traditional venue (seating, bathrooms, indoor options if it gets cold, etc). The unique part about the venue as well is we could bring in our own vendors and alcohol. We were able to really customize our wedding while having the beautiful, natural setting we wanted.
Once we had the venue nailed down, the rest came pretty easily. We wanted our aesthetic to be romantic, bohemian and relaxed, but with some more glamorous and luxe touches. My wedding planner Vanessa Michelle knew exactly what I was going for, and connected me with all of the right vendors to bring that to life. Florals were key to creating that natural/wild but artistic and feminine mood, and Christy from Honeycomb Affair completely nailed it.
Most of all, we wanted to throw a killer party for all of our friends and family, and to encourage dancing into the wee hours of the night. Many of the choices were guided by that wish!" -bride and groom
SCB Recommends: Molly Lichten Photography
Photography: Molly Lichten Photography | Venue: The 1909 | Event Planning: Vanessa MIchelle Co. | Floral: Honeycomb Affair | Stationery: Minted | Doughnuts: Astro Donuts & Fried Chicken | Hair: Design Visage | Makeup: Design Visage | Catering: Border Grill | Band: Lucky Devils Band | Hair: Design Visage | Makeup: Design Visage | Wedding Dress: Grace Loves Lace | Groom's Attire: Ted Baker | Bridesmaid Dresses: Jenny Yoo | Engagement Ring: James Allen | Shoes: Gianvito Rossi | Submitted via: Matchology