Next up in our real wedding extravaganza is a little number designed by the always fabulous Heather Balliet of Amorology. Otherwise known as the queen of wedding theme chic. Designed to capture the personalities of the bride and groom, this wedding is so filled to the brim with fun details, you’ll hardly believe your luck. From the GORGEOUS Indian ceremony to the beyond fun reception inspired by the couple’s love of the game Cranium, there is literally more goodness than you can ever imagine. Click here to see the whole shebang.
Click here to see the wedding in all its glory.
When Rebecca and Jayant came to us to help plan their wedding they new they wanted something fun and unique. They also shared with us that it was really important to them that their wedding be interactive. They wanted their guests to have a great time and really get to know each other, being that so many were coming from different places. In learning more about our cute couple, we soon discovered that Rebecca and Jayant met and fell in love at a hospital they both worked at; Rebecca an R.N. and Jayant a neurosurgeon resident. We also learned that Cranium was one of their favorite games to play together….and that was all it took. A little game of cranium and a neurosurgeon resident? What could be a better combination? The concept quickly began to develop and opened the door for our imagination!
We teamed up with Courtney of Brightly Designed knowing she would create the perfect invitations. We wanted the invites to be playful, so guests had to “selectaquest” their RSVPs and “cadoodle” their meal chocies…literally having to draw a picture of their entree! We chose a spice-inspired color palette of curry orange, saffron red and deep purple accents to bring everything together and as a nod to the Indian culture that was being infused as well as the vibrant cranium game colors.
Rebecca and Jayant did an amazing job blending their two cultures; careful not to exclude any of the traditions that were important to both of them. After the ceremony, the newlyweds surpirsed their guests with an outfit change where Rebecca introduced her gorgeous Winnie Couture gown. Guests were moved from the ceremony courtyard to the Grand Ballroom where they were met with a faux pharmacy where they were encouraged to write prescriptions for a good marriage on custom-made prescription pads. The pharmacy was filled with “Love Potion Number 9,” “Dr. J’s Kissing Elixir” and “Laughing Tonic” all good remedies to keep a marriage strong!
We named all of the tables after objects that were both meaningful to and representative of Rebecca and Jayant for a very personal touch. For the escort cards, each guest had a drawing of one of these objects that varied from bikes, books and flip flops, to pictures of Texas (the bride’s hometown), Rome and orchids – Jayant’s favorite flower. They then entered the reception room and had to find the “zoomed in” version of the drawing. It really added some fun as guests tried to find their images and got to know even more about the couple in the process! Each table name also had a little factoid about why that image was important to the couple :)
We all had so much fun with the details! We brought in hour glasses in various sizes and colors to reflect the timers you find in games like Cranium and Pictionary :) Robin Mathis, of Twigg Botanicals crafted all of the gorgeous flowers in the event. She used a mix of incredibly lush and rich flowers to create a elegant textured look, while still adding a playful component out of kermit and carnations in adjoining arrangements.
Each place setting held a customized menu, a flower and a Cranium card! We worked with their photographer and graphic designer to re-create personalized cranium playing cards like Creative Cat, Data Head, Word Worm and Star Performer. Using their engagement photos, Brightly Designed turned them into line art images on the cover for a more realistic effect. On the back of each card were multiple-choice questions, factoids and true or false questions about Rebecca and Jayant as well as marriage in general. It was a fun way to highlight the couple and their passions! I love how they turned out!
Place cards were actually created out of containers of custom-made scented playdoh in their colors, which also doubled as the guests’ favors! Everyone, even the adults, had fun making little clay creations!
Rebecca’s mom, Susan came to us with a special request. She wanted to surprise Rebecca and Jayant with hand-dipped gourmet candy apples. It was such a sweet gesture and the perfect way to play up the “apple a day” phrase, and again allude to their professions. :) So we turned to Michele Coulon who created amazingly delicious candied apples. We hand wrapped each apple and tied on a little favor tag that read “An apple a day” with the couple’s wedding date on it for an additional take-home treat! We also left several apples unwrapped as we knew no guest would be able to resit trying one! I was so excited when I found the oversized apple to display too. It looked like a game piece itself!
Jayant surprised Rebecca with a solo performance on his sax of, “At last.” It was one of the most romantic moments I’ve witnessed. We had Rebecca seated on the dance floor and Jayant was in the hall. He started playing as he walked in the room . Making his way slowly toward her, it was the sweetest serenade and he sounded incredible!
It truly was a privilege to work with Rebecca and Jayant and their families. Their warm hearts and generous spirits reminded us of why we love this job; we get to meet incredible people like them and learn about new cultures. Rebecca and Jayant, we love you to pieces and know your future will be filled with lots of love! You have truly touched us heart, mind and soul!
Photography: Sara France Photography / Cinematography: Benny Ek Media / Flowers: Robin Mathis of Twigg Botanicals / Event Planning + Design: Heather Balliet of Amorology / Ceremony + Reception Location: Estancia La Jolla / Invitations: Brightly Designed / Dress: Winnie Couture / Cake: Michele Coulon Dessertier / Officiant: Rev. Susanna Macomb