Every wedding vendor team is created a little differently. In this series we explore how and why each couple selected the right wedding vendor team for their wedding day.
Brian proposed to Ashley on the cliffs at Leo Carrillo State Beach in Malibu, California, surrounded by flowers and glowing candles set up by friends. The Angelenos opted to keep their engagement under wraps (aside from close family and friends) for nearly six months before they shared it with everyone.
All the while, they started planning for a December 22, 2021, wedding—the same exact date as their first date eight years prior. The sentimentality brought the couple’s relationship full circle, though plenty of other thoughtful touches would be woven into their big day, which was a long time coming as the pair met when they were in elementary school and started dating in their early 20s. The Wednesday wedding—just a few days shy of Christmas— turned out to be a beautifully intimate celebration, with just 75 loved ones joining the couple as they became husband and wife.
It was love at first sight for the couple when it came to their wedding venue. They chose the first location they looked at: Santa Monica Proper. Brian was adamant about looking at other properties, but they quickly realized they’d already found their dream wedding venue in the California hotel (with a major vibe courtesy of renowned designer Kelly Wearstler nonetheless). It was a modern yet warm space, with unique furnishings throughout.
“We walked in and Brian said, ‘It’s like you in hotel form,’ and I couldn’t agree more. You walked in and it was an experience. And I loved having our wedding at a hotel because everything would be at the same location and there was an option for guests to stay the night. It was a total plus that our puppy got to stay the night with us and celebrate. We couldn’t imagine not having her there!” —Ashley, bride
With food of the utmost importance to Ashley and Brian, the couple was thrilled that the hotel also had an incredible chef and in-house catering. They wanted all their loved ones to have an unforgettable meal and started the dinner with a burrata salad. Guests then chose between beef tenderloin, branzino, and pasta, with an array of dessert options including wedding cake, cookies, brownies, and donuts.
As Ashley works in the wedding industry as a photographer, she knew she wanted to focus on being the bride come wedding day. So she tapped Krissy Allegra from Always Allegra Events to work with her on all things planning and design, and then to coordinate it all when it was time for Ashley to step into her once-in-a-lifetime role.
“Krissy is one of the most attentive vendors I have ever met and truly the kind of person who can do it all. We have known her since our high school days, so it felt right to have our friend there to coordinate and celebrate with us. She put so much care into our day.” —Ashley, bride
In fact, most of the vendors who Ashley and Brian hired were friends that basically felt like family. This made their day all the more special as a result.
Another dear pal was hired to document it all: Angelica Zupancic of Angelica Marie Photography. But it wasn’t just their friendship of nearly a decade that influenced this decision. Ashley always knew Angelica was going to photograph the modern California wedding, just as she had photographed the proposal. In particular, Ashley loves Angelica’s balance of calmness and hype-girl energy—essential for the pair’s big day.
“Photographing a photographer’s wedding was a lot of pressure, but Ashley put me at ease when she told me she fully trusts me and was confident she would be happy with every single photo. Going into the wedding day, I knew exactly when they wanted and we also just wanted to have a great time together. My heart was bursting all day. I lost it right before her grand entrance. All of my emotions from witnessing their special day through my viewfinder had bottled up until that moment. I was so happy to be there celebrating their love.” —Angelica Zupancic, photographer
Knowing how much of an impact florals can have within a space, Ashley hired a floral designer next. Michelle Selko-Cohen of Creative Light was chosen for her unique design sense and ability to make her florals appear effortless and free flowing. The wedding’s modern edge was complemented by using a lot of earth tones and neutrals, and the flowers were mostly an all-white color palette, with caramel-colored roses sprinkled in.
“I knew her style would match our wedding perfectly and you can tell she loves what she does! My bouquet was such a dream. It was all white roses and sweet peas—the perfect monochromatic moment with my sleek Sarah Seven dress.” —Ashley, bride
Another friend (and world-renowned artist) was tapped for Ashley’s hair and makeup: Emma Willis of Contour Fossa. As someone who loves makeup, Ashley wanted a full-glam moment, and got that with long, wavy curls and makeup that beautifully enhanced her features. Braids by J Law, Emily Venger, and Madison Vail Makeup rounded out the team, providing services for Ashley's inner circle.
“It was truly such an honor to be Emma's canvas for the day. Whenever I get my makeup done by Emma, I just let her do her thing. I give no direction and just let her play. We didn’t even have a trial before the wedding. I trust her explicitly.” —Ashley, bride
Ashley then turned to Kevin of Luxury Lifestyle Studios, who had documented many weddings of the bride’s past clients and friends. She loved his cinematic approach and how easy he is to work with. The end result turned out better than expected—she and Brian have watched their wedding video no less than two dozen times since they got it.
The invitation suites were a group effort, brought to life with shades of soft cream and rich brown to suit the venue and overall modern California wedding design. Ashley’s friend handled their design while Aardvark Letterpress brought them to life by printing them on handmade paper from Indian Cotton Paper Co. Finally, leather straps debossed with the wedding logo by Dark Water Classic secured the pieces together, and calligraphy by Kelly Patrice ensured they’d arrive to each guest in style.
Conversely, Ashley did all the signage herself, something she says was both a blessing and a curse. She loved being able to tailor it to exactly what she wanted, but she also came out of the experience with an even higher appreciation for stationers.
The day-of details were once more a labor of love thanks to talented friends. Ashley’s grandpa cut the wood for the neon-topped seating chart, which was painted by Lauren Cooper of Rosemont Lane. The display was designed to look like a map of intersecting streets—all of which were memorable places for the couple and names of guests’ tables. A mix of cement and crystal holders displayed signs identifying each table, which explained the significance of each table’s street name—like where their first kiss took place and one of their favorite roads to drive down and take in the views of Los Angeles. And place cards took form as leather tags with suede straps which could then be repurposed as a Christmas ornament.
Two more talented industry friends were hired next. Courtney Teehan from Teehan Cake Design created a showstopping confection for the couple to cut into at their wedding reception. With the only requests being that the creation be beige and have a modern, concrete look, Courtney designed a multi-tier cake using a clear spacer to separate browned-butter cakes with a pecan praline and browned-butter salted caramel Swiss meringue buttercream. A wafer paper decoration topped it all off.
Sean Patrick helped curate the soundtrack of the couple’s day, which featured an array of musical genres from the last three decades. For their short wedding ceremony officiated by the bride’s grandfather—the couple exchanged their vows privately during their first look—the song selections were chosen by the groom. Brian and his family walked down the aisle to “To Build A Home” by The Cinematic Orchestra, Ashley entered to “Bitter Sweet Symphony” by The Verve, and at the end of the service, the newlyweds recessed to “Praise You” by Fatboy Slim.
The reception featured more songs that were equally personal and sentimental to the bride and groom, who chose “Swallowed in the Sea” by Coldplay for their first dance, as it was what Brian played for Ashley while they drove to their first date and soon became their song. After dancing the night away with their guests, “Good Riddance (Time of Your Life)” by Green Day and “Latch” by Disclosure and Sam Smith closed the night out. The former was chosen to honor the bride’s late grandmother, who loved the song, and the latter is another song important to the couple’s love story.
“Sean Patrick has a way of reading the room and keeping the party going. Nothing is worse than attending an event with awkward pauses or an inexperienced DJ, so having the ultimate pro DJ and emcee kept the night flowing and our family and friends on the dance floor.” —Ashley, bride
Ashley and Krissy selected rentals from Party Pleasers, bringing in lighter tones and earthy elements to make the ballroom congruent with the couple’s style. Modern flatware and glassware set the table with wood chargers and minimal ceramic bread plates, making for an understated setting for guests to dine at.
A traditional book with guests’ well wishes written inside wasn’t something the couple wanted. Opting for an option that allowed their friends and family to leave voicemails was a no-brainer instead. After the Tone provided an on-palette rotary phone which was set up for everyone to leave audio notes, which the couple can play back over and over again.
Guests also left their mark by putting their best face forward—in the photo booth from Rev & Refined Photo Booths. The background was simple and white, befitting the modernity of the celebration.
