I want to become a society lady Rockin' a new rock?!

Our bride from today, Marissa, is a wedding photographer, so you can only imagine how difficult it was for her to plan her own big day! Marissa and her beau, Bronson, were married at Pala Mesa Resort and made sure to incorporate their love of family into the gorgeous day. Not only did family pitch in their talents to make the day special, but they also incorporated many family heirlooms into the decor for an even more personal touch! This is most definitely a vintage meets modern wedding–with a classically modern black and white palette and a subtle touch of antique pieces to add a personal flair! Today’s images by Matt Edge are going to totally grab you!

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What made the wedding special and unique?

As a wedding photographer myself, I’ve seen so many different styles of weddings. There are so many gorgeous ideas out there, so it was difficult to decide on how I wanted MY own wedding to look! It was important to my fiancé that our wedding also reflected his style preferences (“nothing too whimsical or shabby chic”…ha!), so we decided on an elegant, classic look with some vintage touches. My husband and I are both Christians, as are our families, so it was important to us to incorporate our beliefs into our ceremony. We had our pastor share the gospel with our guests during the ceremony, and my husband and I also took communion. Our guests told us, “This wedding is so you guys!” which was wonderful to hear. We wanted the day to represent us and portray the love that we have for one another.

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Tell us about your dress and where/how you found it!

I had seen this particular dress online and the only store I could find it at was a bridal shop in Glendale, CA called Karoza Bridal. I wasn’t too sure if the store would be my style, but I really wanted to try on that dress. When we got to the store, they pulled that one dress I had my eye on, but we also looked around at some of the other dresses. My 13-year-old cousin found a dress for me and wanted me to try it on. It was the first dress I tried on, and it was absolutely stunning! Everyone was in awe! I tried on a few more dresses, including the one I came to the store for, but nothing compared to the first dress! The ivory lace and delicate beading were just so pretty, and the dress didn’t seem to overwhelm my petite frame.

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What were some touches added to make it personal?

The majority of the decor was either handmade or from my parents’ home. (My mom is extremely talented in interior design!) The tablecloths on several of the tables were from my great grandmother’s dowry. My husband and I aren’t huge fans of cake, so we had just a tiny cake to cut, and then we had a giant dessert bar. My grandmother brought authentic Italian desserts to have as part of the dessert table (I’m 50% Italian, 25% Greek, and 25% Scottish!, so this was special). Each guest got a box to take home goodies in. There was not a single dessert left at the end of the night! On some of the tables, we had old pictures of our relatives, including my great-great grandmother’s wedding picture. My husband and I are both quite musical, so we wanted to incorporate our love of music into our wedding. We had a string quartet play during the ceremony and we had a family friend sing and play guitar during the cocktail hour.

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What was the most memorable part of the day?

For me, the most memorable part of the day was when the DJ played YOU AND I by Ingrid Michaelson as the last song of the night. Our family and friends formed a circle around us as we danced. Everyone clapped along and sang, and I just remember having the goofiest, happiest smile on my face. For my husband, he says the most memorable part of the day for him was, “When you were getting nervous and I rubbed your hands and told you it was ok.” Super sweet!

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How did you two meet?

Bronson and I met in Algebra II class during our sophomore year of high school – 9 years ago! We hit it off right away; however, we were both in silly high school relationships at the time. Bronson’s parents wondered why he would always talk to me on the phone instead of his girlfriend. And, my mom knew Bronson had a crush on me when he came over and played “You’re Beautiful” by James Blunt over and over again. Within a few weeks, our other relationships fizzled (as high school relationships often do). And, within a few more weeks, Bronson and I were staying after school for “math tutoring.” We were really just hanging out and sneaking in a few kisses here and there. We fell for each other hard and fast. To this day, we still have that undeniable chemistry and will look for any excuse to take a break from our busy lives just to spend some time together (and sneak in some kisses).

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Tell us how you became engaged!

In May of 2012, Bronson and I drove up to San Francisco to photograph my friend’s wedding. On Friday, the day before my friend’s wedding, Bronson and I ventured around the city and spent the day sightseeing. Near the end of the day, Bronson wanted to go “scope out” a place on the beach for the romantic evening we had planned for Sunday, the day after my friend’s evening. Bronson and I walked along the shore, just enjoying the beautiful view and each other’s company. We were the only ones on the beach. We came across this big log and sat down. To the left was the Golden Gate Bridge with the sun setting behind it. The view was just stunning! Bronson and I were just talking and laughing. Then, he said, “Babe, I have a question for you.” He then proceeded to get down on one knee. He pulled out a beautiful ring from his pocket and said, “Marissa Andronicos, will you marry me?” Of course, I said, “Yes!”

 

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Marissa + Bronson from Kyle Laughlin on Vimeo.

Vendors: Photography: Matt Edge // Venue: Pala Mesa Resort // Hair & Coordinator: Bianca Whaley // Makeup: Sierra Buchanan // Florist: Tanra Carr // DJ: Jeremy // Desserts & Cake: Alex Soto // Videographer: I Do Wedding Video | Kyle Laughlin // Photobooth: Pixster Photo Booth // Girls’ Robes: Silk and More // Groom’s suit: Calvin Klein