A wedding is all about the couple. It exists to create a family and to celebrate the love that two people share. It is a time to celebrate with those nearest to your heart, and this California couple knew how to do that. You’ll want to read their story below to see just how they made their wedding day about not just their lives joining, but providing an experience for their loved ones. As if they needed to do ANYTHING aside from inviting them all to this phenom affair from Adeline & Grace Photography. Click here for more!
We really wanted a wedding that incorporated our personal style which is equal parts elegant, fun, funky and urban. We also wanted the event to be special and unique. We eventually settled on a modern, intimate wedding with some vintage touches. Our wedding colors were ivory, crimson and aqua along with bling. Yes, bling IS a color.
The first thing we did was hire Chanda from A Monique Affair as our wedding planner. This was a great decision. She helped us every step of the way with screening vendors, finding a venue, and helping us fine tune our vision. The coordination on the day of our event was awesome. We only had to worry about having fun!
I really enjoy craft projects and was determined to make as many things as possible myself. (Note to brides – People will try to talk you out of doing a bunch of projects yourself. Listen to them! It’s a ton of work.) In addition to creating a wedding website for us, I designed and assembled the invitations, programs, menu cards, place cards, table numbers, coat check tags and thank you cards. I also made the centerpieces and arranged the flowers for the reception tables. Finally, I infused cinnamon-vanilla-peach vodka for our signature cocktail.
Dionne and I, together with our officiant, wrote the entire ceremony. Everything was beautiful and meaningful for us. My sons from a previous marriage participated in the wedding walking down the aisle just before me and receiving wedding necklaces during the ceremony. My sister Janelle sang “Golden” during the ceremony. We also signed a ketubah during our ceremony to seal our commitment (although we are not Jewish). It was pouring rain during the ceremony and I remember the sound of raindrops falling while I waited to walk down the aisle. The ceremony was a joyful celebration of our love for one another.
Our reception was held at the Montclair Women’s Cultural Arts Club, an Art Deco inspired event space in Oakland. The space includes a large foyer which we used for cocktail hour; a salon with a bar and fireplace where our guests could relax with a drink; and a ballroom which we used for dinner and dancing. The ballroom has beautiful sparkling chandeliers and was lit with hundreds of candles.
We really focused on creating a special experience for our guests in many little ways. We made programs for our guests so they could follow along with the ceremony and included directions to the venue on the back of the program. We provided complimentary valet parking for our guests at the reception – this was great because it was raining. Our guests were greeted with passed appetizers when they arrived along with a crackling fire. We also provided a coat check for wet jackets and umbrellas. The gardenias from the ceremony were used to fill the bathroom with a wonderful scent. We also tried to make sure we had something on the menu for everyone including our vegetarian friends.
Dionne and I love to party! We spent a lot of time thinking about the music for our reception and tried to include something for all ages. Our photographer provided an awesome photo booth for our guests along with glam props for taking photos. We hired a local artist to create caricatures of our guests. With our wedding logo printed on each, they also served as our wedding favors. We ended the night with a sparkler send off into the night!
Event Coordinator: Chanda from A Monique Affair / Photographer: Adeline & Grace Photography / Photobooth: You Booth / Videographer: 1080 Visual / Ceremony Venue: Chapel at Mill’s College / Reception Venue: Montclair Women’s Cultural Arts Club / Catering: Checkers Catering / Baker: Cupcakin / Florist: Laura Miller Design / Valet: Precision Parking / Caricature Artist: Jon Casey / Music: DJ Funklor / Officiant: Angelina Caporale (family friend) / Bride’s Dress: Martina Liana / Bride’s Shoes: Pour La Victoire / Brides’ Sneakers: Converse / Bride’s Headpiece: Etsy / Bride’s Hat: Kangol / Bride’s Makeup: Kenya Pusey / Bride’s Hair: Moods and Attitude / Bride’s Suit: Anne Klein / Bride’s Shoes: Bass / Bridesmaid Dresses: David’s Bridal + The Wedding Party / Groomsmen Suits & Ties: Siegel’s Tuxedo Shop / Stationery: Custom design by Janine (Invitations, Programs, Menu Cards, Place Cards) / Save the Dates: Wedding Paper Divas