In the event that you didn’t know exactly how we feel about whimsical weddings, allow me to clarify. They. are. everything. And this pretty little party captured by Aga Jones? Why it’s all that and more. Complete with lush The Bloom of Time and Dash Entertainment beats, we’ve got the entire celebration waiting for you in The Vault!
[iframe http://player.vimeo.com/video/158073659 600 338]
Share this gorgeous gallery on | |
“A play based on one of C.S. Lewis’ novels,
that’s how Jason and I met”
– The Bride
From The Bride…The Magicians Nephew, a play based on one of the classic C.S. Lewis novels, that’s how Jason and I met. We were high school sweethearts starting our relationship when I was only 14 years old, and he 16. This was a high school theatre production where most of the cast consisted of plants and animals, so the fact that Jason played a raccoon and I a tree became the backbone of our relationship. Every year on our anniversary, we’d drive up to the forest in Arizona and just simply BE. It only seemed fitting that, 8 years later, we’d get engaged in that same forest we had visited every year before we moved to California.
For our wedding, we knew we wanted our guests to feel the journey that we’ve had together, where our relationship began, and how far we have come. That was our inspiration. Therefore, we found a cute little hidden gem in Topanga Canyon, CA that just felt a lot like home. The trees, the two-story building, the hanging lights, the sound of animals in the distance; it was the perfect outdoor woodsy/romantic location we dreamed of.
Jason (bless him!) and I made so much of our decor. The photobooth backdrop, the ring box, all of the signage, and our gold and berry candle-luminaries, but our biggest accomplishment is our ceremony backdrop. We sanded, stained, put together, created the typography, and painted the lettering onto the 8 ft X 8 ft boards.
On our wedding day, we decided to write pre-ceremony notes to each other, and I surprised Jason with a pair of gold fox cufflinks because I wanted to make sure there was a way we could have our puppy, who we call our little fox, with us on our big day.
Our ceremony was officiated by our high school teacher, who over the many years we have been together, has gotten to watch our relationship grow and become what it is today. She has been like another mom to us, so it was very special that she was able to marry us.
For our unity ceremony, we utilized a glass box. Inside, lay a foundation of stones. The stones represent moments that we had already shared in the nine years that we have been together. We wrote notes to each other and rolled them up and placed on top of the stones, representing the most important moment that we have shared thus far being held up by the perfect little ones that had gotten us there. On our one year anniversary, we will open up the box and read each other the notes, remembering how we felt in that exact moment.
The red heart earring on my bouquet was a little surprise for Jason. That was the first gift he every got me, about a month into dating. He didn’t even know I still had them.
My bridesmaids each received a basket with a personalized hanger, a ring dish that best fits them individually, a different piece of jewelry fitting their personality, earrings, a picture frame with us at some point during the wedding planning process with the coordinates of where we first met engraved onto it, a bottle of wine, and a notebook with each chapter titled with an inside joke and a note to them in the front. The groomsmen each got a DOPP bag with a bow tie, a different pair of socks based on personality, pocket knife, and a flask with a mixed drink Jason made called The Blood Brother.
We choreographed our first dance ourselves, starting only about a month before our wedding. We lost so many hours of sleep staying in the studio of our apartment complex until 2:00 AM practicing, changing the steps, and practicing again. It was all so worth it in the end though!
I’ll never forget during dinner outside in the lawn hearing the frogs croak in the stream of water right behind us. Jason and I moved to California because he got a job doing visual effects for film and I started an internship with Disney. We both looked at each other and smiled because we were thinking the exact same thing; it felt like we were in the Pirates of the Caribbean ride at Disneyland. He pulled me in close wrapping his arm around me, just like he does when we are on the ride. It was so peaceful and whimsical.
One of my absolute favorite moments of the day I became a wife was the Backstreet Boys moment. Everyone who knows me, knows I love the Backstreet Boys, and it wouldn’t be my wedding if they didn’t make some kind of appearance. So, it was my bridesmaids’ duty to make sure they went up to our guests during the day and told them to be prepared to “belt it out” when they hear “I Want it That Way” play. Towards the end of our reception, the song began, and everyone started making their way towards us in the center of the dance floor, and we sang our hearts out! There is a video!
Photography: Aga Jones Photography | Cinematography: Shutter and Sound | Event Planning: Christine V. Tran | Floral Design: The Bloom Of Time | Wedding Dress: Essense of Australia | Invitations: Paper Peach Shop | Bride's Shoes: Klub Nico | Bridesmaids' Dresses: Mori Lee | Catering: Lucille's Smokehouse BBQ | Hair + Makeup: Be.NYLA | DJ: Dash Weddings | Venue: The 1909 | Beverage Services: Goose On The Rocks | Bridal Boutique: Blush Bridal Couture | Bridal Boutique - Bridesmaids' Dresses: The Wedding Day | Cake + Desserts: Sweet & Saucy Shop | Designer/DIY: Destiny (Bride) | Photo Booth: Pixster Photo Booths | Rentals: Baker Party Rentals | Rentals: Archive Rentals
Join The Conversation
favorite (0) share share (0) pin (0)