Do you know one of my favorite things to do at weddings? Keep my eyes on the groom as his beautiful bride walks down that aisle. Everyone else is watching the lovely lady but if you take a peek back, the expression on the groom’s face can be absolutely amazing. Case in point, this rustic and romantic celebration, where this adorable groom was full of emotion, captured completely by Koman Photography. Just a heads up; you’re about to fall madly in love with one darling duo.
From Koman Photography… We loved every minute of having Esther and Andy in front of our cameras! They are such sweet people and we’ll never forget Andy’s reaction to seeing Esther for the first time as a bride – he started crying even before seeing her! Their wedding was full of joyful and unforgettable moments!
From the Bride… As cliche as it may sound, our wedding day was the BEST day of our lives! As the bride, if could, I would re-live it over and over again – yes, even the planning!
Andy and I made sure to always bring the planning process back to us and not lose sight on what was important to us. This made it easy. I actually went to Malibu Cafe for brunch several years ago (B.A. – Before Andy) and just fell in love with the place. The moment Andy and I got engaged, we booked our one and only appointment with Calamigos to look at the venues and decided right then and there, Cottage and Pavilion was it. Andy’s a fun romantic so the string lights and lush greenery pretty much did it for him. The wonderful thing about this place is that it’s naturally so beautiful there’s no need to dress it up with florals and drapes. Andy and I wanted to keep it classic, simple, and romantic. We chose colors like blush and cream that would keep the feeling light and added some navy and metallic pieces for a touch of elegance.
Next was looking for photographers. Our first meeting was with Koman Photography – Andy and I just knew they would be perfect to capture our day – one and done! And yes, the same happened with booking our coordinator! Our wedding cake was made by Andy’s long time friend, Danielle Keane, who has made me delicious birthday cakes and Valentine treats over the years so deciding on the wedding cake was a no brainer really! This theme pretty much carried throughout the whole planning process with officiant, florals, DJ, photo booth etc. We really got lucky!
I knew exactly what I wanted the wedding to be so I took on some DIY projects with close friends and family – invitations, seating chart, place cards, table numbers – it was a DIY party and I loved every moment of it. I have the biggest sweet tooth so a candy bar was a must and I filled it with some of our favorite treats – sour candies and chocolates! We also made sure to incorporate a paebaek – a traditional Korean tea ceremony – which was one of the highlights for us since it was something so important to both of our parents. My dress fittings were also one of my favorite experiences. I had Shin Bu design and make a custom made dress. As I went to each fitting seeing the dress come together literally from scratch was awesome. After many fittings and alterations, I had my dream dress and it was exactly what I had envisioned.
The wedding came together perfectly and it was beyond what we could have ever imagined. Having all of our family and close friends in one place sharing our special moment – it’s just such an incredible feeling. Andy and I find ourselves re-living the wedding day through Marlene and John’s photos ALL THE TIME – it’s pretty crazy!
Photography: Koman Photography | Event Coordination: Frankly Weddings | Floral Design: Mount Tabor Park | Wedding Dress: Shin Bu Bridal | Wedding Cake: Sheila Mae | Wedding Invitations: DIY By Bride | Bride's Shoes: Badgley Mischka | Bridesmaids' Dresses: J.Crew | Hair And Makeup: Atelier By Tiffany | Groom's Attire: Al Weiss | Groomsmen's Attire: Al Weiss | Wedding Venue: Calamigos Ranch | Flower Crowns: Mount Tabor Park | Photo Booth: Blank Booth | Rentals: Circa Vintage {Rentals}