Pops Of Color To Contrast Flood Mansion's Black Architectural Details

Itzel and Stuart hosted a truly distinctive and memorable wedding at Flood Mansion. They chose the venue for its architectural charm and sweeping San Francisco views, setting the stage for their departure from tradition. Custom design elements, like the "SI" crest and Toile pattern, added an intimate touch, and they meticulously coordinated their fashion choices, while sentimental moments enriched their wedding story. Ultimately, their wedding was a unique blend of personal narratives, cultural influences, and artistic design, serving as a testament to their love story and the merging of their diverse life experiences.From the Couple: We chose to incorporate the Lily of the Valley as a unifying element throughout our wedding, symbolizing good luck and prosperity. We personally selected this delicate flower to grace our wedding invitations, appear in our custom "SI" crest, and adorn my bouquet as I walked down the aisle. Stuart wore a brooch featuring the Lily, and it even found its place on the embroidered pillow. Throughout our floral arrangements, we thoughtfully scattered the Lily of the Valley, adding a touch of charm and symbolism. Even the fragrance I wore, Dior Lucky, featured notes of Lily-of-the-Valley, creating a sensory connection. Dior Lucky soap in the bathroom echoed our theme, infusing Lily-of-the-Valley notes throughout. We also aimed to celebrate my Mexican heritage in a way that resonated with all our wedding guests. Mariachi made a grand entrance, bringing tradition and a joyful celebration. Our signature cocktails were infused with Mexican flavors, incorporating Mezcal, Tequila, and hellfire bitters. Even our Espresso Martini contained cinnamon as a nod to Cafe de Olla, a traditional Mexican coffee drink. Perla Valtierra, a Mexican designer, contributed exquisite pottery with stunning floral arrangements. We embraced meaningful Mexican wedding traditions, such as Stuart placing my 100-year-old Grandma's wedding ring on my finger alongside our wedding bands. The Wedding Lasso, symbolizing unity, was placed around us, and the Arras Matrimoniales, coins representing prosperity and the promise to protect each other's wealth, were the same ones used in my grandmother's ceremony. We ensured that our wedding was accommodating to both English and Spanish speakers. The bilingual priest delivered a bilingual mass, the cantor sang in both English and Spanish, and our bilingual and Mexican DJ accommodated song requests, creating a beautiful fusion of musical traditions. We also aimed to celebrate Itzel's Mexican heritage in a way that resonated with all our wedding guests. Mariachi made a grand entrance, bringing tradition and a joyful celebration.

The couple first met at a natural wine bar in the heart of New York City, where they bonded over their shared interest in orange wine. Their connection at this wine bar inspired them to serve natural wine from Swick Wines at their wedding, including a pet nat, a chilled red, and an orange wine. Their engagement took place at the same wine bar where they had first crossed paths, adding a special layer of significance to the location as they began their journey towards marriage. Their adventures also took them to Mexico before their wedding, where Itzel's 100-year-old grandmother passed down to her the arras (the ceremonial wedding coins) and her wedding band. During this trip, Stu discovered and fell in love with Cafe de Olla, inspiring them to put a unique twist on the classic espresso martini for their wedding. And, although they currently call New York City home, they have dreams of eventually relocating to the picturesque San Francisco Bay Area, where Itzel grew up. This dream led them to choose the Flood Mansion as the venue for their wedding, not only because of its elegance but also to emphasize the significance of San Francisco in their lives, a place where their future together is destined to unfold.

The bride chose an archival Vivienne Westwood dress made from a discontinued fabric called "The Absence of Rose." Itzel was drawn to this fabric because of its subtle floral print, which beautifully tied into the floral theme of the wedding, adding an elegant and old-world touch to her attire. The sleeves' pattern couldn't be found in London, so a sample was located in LA and shipped to NYC, where a skilled tailor, the same one who tailored Kim Kardashian's Marilyn Monroe dress, performed the alterations. To complete the tradition of "Something Old, Something Borrowed, Something New, Something Blue," Itzel wore her grandma's wedding ring as something old, her mom's pearls as something borrowed, her sister gifted her a new long strand of pearls, and she changed into blue Manolo Blahnik shoes as something blue. The veil, from Monvieve and handmade in Italy, was an important element but not overpowering. It was cathedral-length and had a traditional appeal without being old or lacey. It added drama to the look, complementing the sleeves on the dress. As for accessories, the couple incorporated pearls throughout. Stuart gifted Tiffany Bracelets to both mothers and Itzel before the wedding. Stuart's cufflinks and studs featured pearls, and his Lily of the Valley brooch included pearl detailing. Their first dance was to Prince's "Diamonds & Pearls." Additional accessories included an ostrich feather Lapointe veil for the cake cutting and dancing, handmade gloves from Italy (the same brand as the veil), and a pearled and brassed crown worn during dinner to avoid interfering with the meal. The rotating accessories added unique touches to their wedding attire and made for excellent photo opportunities.

For the groom, a made-to-measure Tom Ford tuxedo was the choice. It conveyed a strong presence with its "X" silhouette and featured a traditional black design. The ensemble included a large off-white silk bow tie that complemented the off-white tones of the bride's dress, a wing-tip collar, and a metal Lily of the Valley brooch from Dior.

They beautifully incorporated the Lily of the Valley motif throughout, from invitations to bouquets. Stuart and Itzel utilized a vibrant, nature-inspired color palette. Amy Burke Designs provided the enchanting florals that created a captivating atmosphere.Florals played a central role in crafting an enchanting and captivating experience for our guests, and our collaboration with Amy Burke Designs brought this vision to life. They served as the foundation for our entire color palette and inspired the design elements throughout the day. When it came to table arrangements, we aimed to create a sense of structure, embrace asymmetry, and maintain a light and balanced feel to keep the attention at the ground level. In addition to the main table centerpieces, we incorporated small yet impactful satellite arrangements featuring exotic stems and pops of color, all carefully held in place by Flower Frogs, creating unique shapes. We also wanted to make the most of the venue's high ceilings by adding elements to draw the eye upward. Down the center of the tables, we introduced dramatic interest through various objects and vessels: Vintage-looking candlesticks of varying heights Satellite arrangements featuring unique stems Tall vases filled with greenery and foliage, creating a lush canopy a whimsical and maximalist touch, while maintaining an overall sense of elegance and formality Custom design work played a significant role in personalizing our wedding. We created two distinct crests to carry through our event and beyond: Couples’ Initials Crest, “SI”: This crest, featuring our initials, Stuart and Itzel, cleverly played on the word "¡Si!" (Spanish for "Yes"). It served as a symbol of our commitment and was a unique touch to our celebration. Married Crest, “C”: We designed a solid and strong "C" crest that could be cherished throughout our lives. This custom creation was entirely unique and not found in the market. Additionally, Itzel, with her background in design and a passion for textiles, embarked on creating custom pieces for our wedding and future home. These pieces, such as pillows, napkins, coasters, and more, would serve as lasting reminders of our special day. Here's a list of the custom items we crafted: Pillows: Custom pillows using the Toile pattern and embroidered with the Married "C" Crest. Napkins: Table linens beautifully embroidered with the Married "C" Crest. Coasters: Cocktail coasters featuring our Married "C" Crest, paying subtle homage to our love for New York's cocktail scene. SI Crest Pillow: Utilizing our Custom "SI" crest for a decorative pillow. Hand-Painted Needlepoint Canvas: A commissioned canvas that Itzel herself needlepointed. Custom Ring Pillow: We used archival Vivienne Westwood fabric for this special piece. Custom Toile: A unique Toile pattern was commissioned and incorporated into various elements of the wedding. It offered a modern twist on old-world charm, featuring elements from our life journey, such as our pets, a bottle of wine, and more. The Toile was expertly designed by artist Lauren Hughes, known for her custom prints and Toile designs. Tablescape and rentals were thoughtfully selected to create a feeling of being found and lived in. Rather than sourcing all rentals from a single company, we chose five, each highlighting its strengths individually: Linens: Two different vendors provided linens in subdued colors and patterns, enhancing the floral colors and avoiding the typical "white wedding" look. Furniture: Antique couches and chairs in the right color palette were chosen, along with two dramatic long tables to achieve both drama and equality among guests. Accessories like cloches, vintage books, lanterns, candles, candelabras, and pillows were carefully placed to enhance the space's cozy living room feel. Bar: Our statement piece, "The Wellington" antique bar, was adorned with florals and featured custom bar-backing showcasing the Toile pattern, completing the elegant and personalized ambiance.

The famous Jasmine Rae Cakes provided a delicious Osmanthus tea cake with orange zest, osmanthus buttercream, and caramel.

Set upon a highly curated table, the cake was a striking visual centerpiece. The custom decoupage cake stand was an ode to NYC designer John Derian.

The couple seamlessly blended traditions in a bilingual ceremony.

Perla Valtierra vases hand-crafted in Mexico, adorned their head table with vibrant floral centerpieces.