Anytime I get to see florals this good, I like to take note of just who is the master behind the bouquets, and when I saw that the flowers in this wedding were DIY-ed by the Bride, my jaw literally hit the floor. And that's not all folks, this wedding from Mirelle Carmichael Photography is so rich in color and steeped in tradition that I'm sure your jaws will also be dropping very soon after you see all the pretty, pretty images of this wedding at the Santaluz Club in our gallery right here.
San Diego Wedding at Santaluz Club from Mirelle Carmichael Photography
And you can't miss the video of this beautiful day from Alan Larsen Films, right here.
Click here for the FULL wedding!
From the Bride... The most important thing to us was an intimate wedding filled with personal touches with people we knew would still be in our lives many years down the road. I think the coziness and beauty of the Santaluz Club helped us stick with that goal. We didn’t have to do too much to dress up the venue. What we did do was try to DIY most of the things we used at the wedding to ensure there was truly a little bit of Liz and Ernie love in everything anybody saw or touched. The flowers, centerpieces elements, programs, personalized pashminas, sweets table, etc. involved many hours to procure and make ready to be wedding-worthy. I hear lots of brides and grooms say they wouldn’t do their wedding over again. We totally would! It was a little stressful getting all the elements ready for the day, but we were so thrilled and proud that it came together beautifully and we got share it all with the most important people in our lives.
This is the blurb we included in our program to the guests about the lion dance: "The dance dates back over 1,000 years to the Ch’in and Han dynasties of China. It is used to bless auspicious occasions such as the birth of a child, Lunar New Year, or a wedding. The lion is a sacred animal, chasing away evil spirits, and therefore opens the door for all good things: health, happiness, wealth and prosperity. The ornate lions typically dance and perform acrobatic moves. The movements of the lions to the sounds of drums, gongs, and clashing cymbals are an expression of joy, luck and abundance."
Thomas Tan at Dragon Seed Bridal & Photography in San Francisco made my mom’s dress 28 years ago when she married my father. I always knew I wanted a dress just like hers when I got married. Thomas hadn’t retired yet after I got engaged, so we visited him and he help me select a beautiful embroidered red silk fabric that he custom tailored to my dimensions. The end product was a truly stunning cheongsam made for me.
Wedding Photography: Mirelle Carmichael Photography / Wedding Venue: Santaluz Club in San Diego, California / Floral Design: DIY with Supplies from Trader Joe's + Wholesale Flowers and Supplies / Wedding Coordination: Linda Nguyen Gallucci / Wedding Cinematography: Alan Larsen of Alan Larsen Films / Wedding Cake: Noelle Moritz of Desserts by Noelle / Ceremony Musician: Joe Bigham / Lion Dance: Van Kiep Lion Dance / Wedding Dress: Allure Bridals via Mariposa Boutique / Bride's Custom Chinese Cheongsam: Dragon Seed Bridal in San Francisco (415-421-8882) / Alterations: Kim’s Alterations / Bride's Ceremony Shoes: Badgley Mischka / Bride's Reception Shoes: Enzo Angiolini / Bride's Veil: Boxes of Butterflies / Bride's Hair Brooch: Lambeth Lane / Bride's Dress Brooch: Lola M Designs / Bride’s Bouquet Brooch: Sparrow Bridal Boutique / Hair: Mish Mucho / Makeup: Jackie Ellis of Jellis Mobile Makeup and Hair / Bridesmaids' Dresses: Wendy Darling via Mia's Boutique (Color: Hot Pink) / Groom's Tuxedo: Tommy Hilfiger / Groom’s Monogramed Cufflinks: Ben Bridge Jeweler / Rings: Jade Galore