An Elegant Black Tie Affair at Ashford Estate

When Naz and Matt entered the effortlessly enchanting Ashford Estate she says that she immediately was left breathless. As she gathered her thoughts she and Matt both knew that they would be married at this adoring venue. She imagined a wedding that was the epitome of timeless, classic, and elegant. She wanted her details to match the grand nature of this estate and transport her guests into an evening of luxury and elegance. They dressed the venue with a mix of white and cream florals. Consisting of fresh roses, hydrangeas, peonies, and babies breath with a. tasteful touch of greenery.

In 2021, Matt and I moved from Philly to Los Angeles for our new jobs. In July of 2022, Matt suggested we take a day trip to Malibu since it has been on our bucket list for some time! I noticed that Matt was being a bit frantic in the morning as we were getting ready for our trip and it did cross my mind that maybe a proposal was going to happen today. But that feeling went away as the day went on and it seemed like business as usual! As the day was coming to an end, Matt suggested we make a pit stop at El Matador Beach since it was one of the most iconic beaches in Malibu. We quickly parked on the side of the road, took Niko with us (even though dogs are not permitted) and started walking down the sandy path towards the beach. We were walking through a bend in the path where I saw someone on the side taking pictures of what I thought was Niko (people have taken many pictures of him before!). I didn’t think anything of it until we turned the corner and I saw rose petals scattered across the cliff with the words “Marry Me” placed along the edge. I close my eyes in disbelief with tears welling up! Matt grabs my hand and leads me over to the edge of the cliff. He begins to tell me how meeting me has revolutionized his world and then continues to recite his speech, but I am filled with so much happiness and shock that I couldn’t even focus! He then begins to go down on one knee and asks if I would marry him (with my dog Niko also kneeling!) and I immediately say “Yes!”. The photographer in the bush comes out of nowhere and ends up capturing the entire moment. We also look behind us and notice that there is a crowd of people cheering! I look to the side and surprisingly see my sister (who flew all the way from Philly and was hiding up in the lifeguard tower spearheading this entire event)! After the proposal, we had a surprise engagement shoot session with the photographer, followed by a romantic dinner at the Nobu in Malibu. The day was more than I could have ever asked for. It’s an amazing feeling to know that we grew up together and now we can grow old together too.

Since Timeless and Chic was the vibe Naz fell in love with an incredible fitted satin gown with a mermaid finish at the bottom. It complimented her perfectly! She fell in love with this gown while searching with her mother and sister at the lovely Lovella Bridal!

This black tie affair wouldn't have been the same without the classic and sleek black dresses worn by Naz's Bridesmaids. They were able to fall in love with their own unique style through show me your mumu!

The men were dressed in an ageless black tux completed with a black bowtie!

Naz and Matt shared signature drinks that were both sophisticated and flirtatious. "His" was a classic Old Fashioned. While "hers" being the refreshing and summer inspired crowd favorite of the Malibu Bay Breeze. If their many stationed H'orderves weren't enough they also had trays of appetizers passed around and one of the many standouts were the incredible lobster bisque shooters, seared ahi tuna, and lastly a warmed hummus and goat cheese on pita. On the menu for the evening was a classic caesar wedge salad to start, followed by your choice of a phenomenal New York Strip steak slow roasted dressed with a pinot noir Demi glaze, followed by Salmon completed with a rich horseradish and chive crust prepared with dijon glaze and roasted garlic cucumber and yogurt sauce. They wanted a meal that could fit everyones needs so they also offered a vegetarian and vegan delight of Roasted Cauliflower that was served over fire roasted red pepper hummus topped with sun gold tomatoes, pickled red onion and mixed greens.

The florals were a prominent detail from the guests immediate arrival. Their welcome sign was dressed with white florals including hydrangeas, roses, and eucalyptus greens. Their guests would then find a grand escort display to find their tables. The display was also dressed with breathtaking florals and a single rose accompanied by babies breath in vases decorated throughout. The ceremony was set at the enchanting floating gazebo just behind the mansion. It was decorated with a high arch covered with all of the florals Naz chose to dress this elegant and memorable occasion. In this arch there was white and cream florals, consisting of fresh roses, hydrangeas, peonies, baby’s breath and a touch of light greenery. Later the grand ballroom reception space was decorated with floral arrangements on tall gold Harlow stands and their sweetheart table was accompanied by gorgeous florals on the ground surrounding the table and dj booth.

Their wedding cake was more than just a sweet ending to an incredibly romantic evening. It encompassed every enchanting and memorable detail of their wedding day. It was a traditional three teired buttercream cake. Inside guests would be delighted with an almond flavor and buttercream filling. The outside was dressed with the sensational white roses and babies breath that covered the reception space. It had accents that almost looked like pearls on the cake.

Naz and Matt ended the reception with a private last dance to a song that will live on forever by Aerosmith, "I Don't Want To Miss A Thing" Afterwards they joined their guests to party the evening away!

I could not have lived without is my pups not being at our wedding! It was so special to have our 4-year old goldendoodle, Niko, and our 10-month old bernedoodle, Maze, make a grand appearance during the ceremony. Being able to share this special day with them meant the absolute world! We were able to share the celebration all the while snagging the cutest pictures! They were kindly transported to the venue by Purr n’ Pooch Pet Resort, located in Manasquan, NJ.

Most couples will say that the ceremony was their favorite moment of the wedding, and while we agree that it was an extremely emotional and special moment, the private last dance was the moment of a lifetime for us. It was 3 minutes, after all the getting ready, bridal portraits, first looks, ceremony, cocktail hour, and reception, where Matt and I had a moment, just the two of us, to take it all in and to close out the most magical day of our entire lives. The room was empty, with nothing but the music playing. We held each other close as we danced our final dance of the night, We laughed, we cried, and we did some of our best dips! It was incredibly special and I wouldn't have traded that moment for the world.