Earlier today, Mirelle Carmichael introduced us to this beautiful Bride and Groom in the form of this playful e-sesh that stole our hearts. So much so, that we couldn’t wait to unveil their elegant summer soiree at Villa Del Sol D’Oro. They’re the kind of couple that you’re immediately drawn to. Their infections smiles, impeccable style and beautiful love for one another. See it all in the gallery.
From Mirelle Carmichael Photography… Lauri and Sumin had a beautiful summer wedding at the Westminster Presbyterian Church and Villa del Sol d’Oro estate.With a summer palette of sky and powder blues with whites and pale pinks, guests celebrated under the stars on a warm night in Pasadena.
From the beautiful Bride… My husband and I started dating in college eight years ago, and since then we’ve endured the struggles (and hidden blessings) of a long distance relationship. From Roseville to Berkeley; Fullerton to Millbrae; Chicago to Los Angeles; and Millbrae to Los Angeles. Nine months after our wedding, we are FINALLY living together in San Francisco!
Planning was definitely an enjoyable challenge for us considering we were both in grad school in different states, and extremely busy. Finding the venue was the first (and most challenging) part of our wedding process. We wanted it to be in Southern California because I was living there for grad school, and because his grandparents (though one is no longer with us today) were too fragile to make a trip anywhere else. Though he was living in Chicago for grad school, he managed to visit between 15-17 different venues in Southern California. Setting the reception venue at Villa del Sol d’Oro was easy as we fell in love with the romanic, rustic, Italian style architecture and landscape. For the ceremony, we wanted to get married in a church, and Westminster Presbyterian Church had one of the most breathtaking displays of architecture we’d ever seen (until our honeymoon in Italy the following week, that is).
After our venues were set, it helped set the tone for the rest of our wedding decisions and details. We narrowed down our choice of photographers to two who had similar photojournalistic styles and whose photos displayed bright, sharp colors. Mirelle was an easy decision to go with because she was just so well prepared and excited to meet us. We also saved where we could. For floral arrangements, my sister-in-law arranged our reception centerpieces on the morning of our wedding, and they turned out absolutely beautiful. We designed our invitations and programs ourselves using Word, Photoshop, and an online printing company, and my friends helped assemble our invitations in my tiny studio apartment. We decided against renting a photo booth since one of the funnest weddings we’ve ever attended in Maryland didn’t have one, allowing us to realize the value of simplicity when appropriate. We also didn’t hire a wedding coordinator, and instead took one of my bridesmaid’s advice and fabricated a 3-page long 15-minute interval schedule for our bridal party to help keep us organized and present where/when we needed to be. My husband ended up being the groom and coordinator on the day of our wedding. And though there were inevitable bumps along the way (with 3 different venues including the afterparty, and 2 separate receptions including one for the adults), he was truly amazing at being both.
In the end, through all the decisions/payments/meetings/planning, we wanted to remember that this would be a day where our family and friends could come together and celebrate our union and God’s faithfulness in our relationship. We wanted it to be a memorable (I believe the over-100 degree weather alone achieved this) and most of all, a fun time for our guests to celebrate with us and one another. We think we achieved these simple goals and we truly thank those who were able to celebrate with us!
Photography: Mirelle Carmichael | Videographer: Christopher Lee | Floral Design: Mount Tabor Park | Wedding Dress: Trudy's Bridal | Ceremony Venue: Westminster Presbyterian Church | Reception Venue: Villa Del Sol D'Oro | Bridesmaid's Dresses: Union Station | Hair And Makeup: E2 Beauty | DJ: Skyline Entertainment | Bridal Shoes: Enzo Angiolini | Catering - Ceremony: Shin Mi Catering | Catering - Reception: Villa Del Sol D'Oro | Photography - Assistance: Mirelle Carmichael | Wedding Rings: Tiffany & Co.