High School sweetheart alert! These cuties have been together for (believe it) 15 years! Talk about “love is patient, love is kind.” When then finally tied the knot in this California wedding, coordinated by the lovely Kristeen LaBrot Events, the 15 years of hype was completely worthy. If it weren’t for Kristeen, I would have no doubt that it would have taken the full decade and a half to get every detail to line up perfectly – because it was just that good. I’m talking a silhouette artist, a custom gown, made to order flip books, and delish Filipino nosh. Phoebe Joy Photography was the lady behind the camera, and wowza! You’ll definitely need a link to the gallery, so here you go!
Eugene and I were high school sweethearts. We got married during Labor Day Weekend because we had started officially dating on Labor Day fifteen years earlier. Eugene proposed to me two years ago on Labor Day Weekend on an anniversary trip to Washington D.C. in front of the Reflective Pool between the Lincoln Memorial and the World War II Memorial.
Both Eugene and I really wanted to incorporate Filipino and family traditions in our wedding as well as make sure the day was still a reflection of us. We got married at the same beautiful Catholic church – St. Brendan’s in Los Angeles – that my parents had gotten married in thirty years ago. Both my brother and I were baptized there as well. We exchanged the same “arras” or coins as my parents. Our cord was used by other family members at their weddings as well. It is about 28 years old. Our Bible Bearer carried my grandfather’s bible from 1968. My grandfather passed away in 2002. Eugene and the groomsmen changed from their tuxes into the traditional Filipino formalwear – the barong – for the reception.
Although we wanted our reception to be beautiful, we also wanted to ensure that our guests had fun. We had a photobooth, a silhouette artist, and a flip book station. Our guests loved the flip book station. As guests arrived, waiters served them with drinks and hors d’oeuvres. We had a few Filipino appetizers served, which all of our guests really enjoyed. We also set-up a candy buffet and had an old school popcorn cart. Our inspiration was “vintage chic.”
Purple is my favorite color. Gold, yellows, and champagne were our accent colors because the Villa del Sol d’Oro means House of the Golden Sun. My husband is also a huge Laker fan. We had our reception at the Villa because there was ample room for our guests to walk around and mingle. I had one guest tell me he was in his seat for only 20 minutes to eat and that was it; which was exactly what we wanted. It was the first venue I visited, we then visited ten others… I also fell in love with the idea of having cocktails and the bar in the old library.
Antique keys (also bottle openers) served as our escort cards and favors. With the help of my bridesmaids, we turned picture frames into cork boards with lace. We also added purple lace to candles and jars to give everything a romantic feeling and make them “pop”. Our bridal car was a vintage 1968 Bentley. I love the picture of my husband and groomsmen around the car. Our flowers were beautiful! Our guests went gaga over them. Instead of using the traditional guestbook, we had a photo guestbook and a wish tree.
My favorite part of the day was the father-daughter dance. My dad was singing along to Stevie Wonder’s “You Are My Sunshine of My Life” during the entire dance. Our wedding day is a day that I will always remember as amazing.
Wedding Photography: Phoebe Joy Photography / Wedding Videography: DP Weddings / Florals: Daily Petal / Ceremony: St. Brendan Church / Reception Location: Villa del Sol D’ Oro / Caterer: Santa Anita Gardens / Wedding Gown: Custom / Hair & Makeup: Valerie St. George of de Cielo Salon & Spa / Wedding Cake: Cakery Bakery / Photobooth: Instabooths / Flipbooks: Thumb Theater / Silhouette Artist: Sylhouettes by Sylvia / Vintage Bentley: Five Diamond Limo / Chairs & Linens: Elegant Chiavari Chairs 4 Rent / Wedding Coordination: Kristeen LaBrot Events