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

Hien and Eugene’s serendipitous meeting led to their romance and eventually the proposal in the South of France. For the travel loving couple, Maui was an easy decision. Eugene is Australian and Hien is Canadian and Hawaii was the exact middle ground for both sides of their friends and family. The always-beautiful Olowalu Plantation House offered breathtaking scenery and Couture Events helped the couple design an intimate day that combined cultural traditions and relaxed romance.From the Vietnamese tea ceremony, to the ocean view ceremony, to the garden reception under climbing banyan trees and dressed in florals by Mandy Grace Designs, the day oozes casual elegance and it’s all captured to perfection by photographer Trish Barker.

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Will you briefly share your love story (how you met, the proposal)?

We met by pure coincidence. Eugene was new to Toronto, having lived in Toronto for only about a few weeks when we first met. He moved from Shanghai, where he lived for 3 years for a job. He was invited to a party by a few people he had randomly met at a restaurant. It turns out the party was taking place in the common entertainment room of my friend’s apartment building. Funny enough, that night I received a text from my friend telling me to come to the party, and by pure coincidence I was passing by in front of her apartment and naturally,  joined the party. I don’t actually remember when we first met at the party, but I do remember at some point in the night he asked me a lot of questions and I was getting really tired of answering them! He then gave me his email at the end of the night. He was so new to Toronto that he didn’t have a cell phone yet.

We dated for about 3 years and lived together for about 2 years prior to the proposal. He completely swept me off my feet and surprised me. We love to travel and so for Thanksgiving we went to the South of France — we’ve been before and absolutely love it there. I actually didn’t know we were going to the South of France until we go to the airport. I usually take the lead in planning our trips, and this time I insisted Eugene plan it, which he agreed to do, but in return, I had to agree to not ask about the trip — even where we were going  It didn’t occur to me that he was going to propose, even when I knew of where we were going because we’ve been to the South of France before and said we’d go back when we had the chance. We stayed in a town called Eze which is located on a cliff between Monaco and Nice. Eugene proposed the first night we were in Eze, and completely caught me by surprise. We were sitting at the hotel terrace (common area for guests)  and he said he had to run back to the room to go to the washroom — he has a thing about public washrooms, so I didn’t think anything of it — and when he came back he got down on one knee with the ring and proposed. I initially thought he was joking and actually said — don’t, don’t, don’t do it. I then figured out he was being serious and of course said yes. We topped off the night by heading into Monaco to celebrate. The evening was so memorable and fun!

How did you select Hawaii as your destination? 

Picking Maui was an easy decision for us. Eugene is Australian and I am Canadian. Hawaii was the exact middle ground for both sides of our friends and family.

What was your vision for the day?

It was very important for us that the wedding be classy/elegant but not stuffy. We wanted to create an intimate feeling and let our guests know how appreciative we were that they all traveled so far to celebrate our wedding day (more like week!). Overall, we wanted the day to be fun, and stress free.

Please tell us about the style you were going for (flowers, outdoor setup, etc.).

I would use the following words to describe the style we were going for: classic, simple, elegant, vintage, natural, romantic. Colours we stuck with were primarily cream and green, with grey blue as our accent.

We’d love to know about your dress! Who was the designer?

I LOVE my dress — wish I can wear it again and again! The dress is by Lea-Ann Belter a local Toronto designer. The dress was actually two parts. The main dress is called Divine by Astrid & Mercedes. I then had a lace top made, but in the same lace fabric as the skirt of my main dress. I wore both pieces during the ceremony and for most of the photos, during the reception, I took off the lace top.

Any other special details you’d like to share.

We also had a Vietnamese tea ceremony before the Western tea ceremony. The ceremony starts off with the groom’s side of the family bringing gifts to the bride’s side of the family.  The groom’s father asks the bride’s father for permission for his son to marry the bride-to-be. Once gifts are exchanged the bride and groom then serve tea to the parents and in return, the parents provide advice for a happy marriage. Following that, the groom’s family puts on jewelry for the bride as a symbol of welcoming her into their family.

Coordination: Couture Events // Floral Designer: Mandy Grace Designs // Photographer: Trish Barker // Venue: Olowalu Plantation House // Bridal Gown & Lace Top: Lea-Ann Belter // Stylist: MeiLi Autumn Beauty // Cinematographer: Hawaii Video Memories // Ribbon: Adorn // Officiant: Pia Aluli // Caterer: Cater 2 U // Cocktail Service: Garnish Craft Cocktail Catering // Ceremony + Cocktail Musician: M. Tevaga // DJ: DJ Boomshot // Rentals: Signature Event Rentals /  Inspiration Event Rentals // Table Top Rentals: Set Maui // Guest Transportation: Speedi Shuttle

 

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Kate and Jeff’s wedding at Boulder’s St. Julien Hotel was the destination wedding the couple dreamed of—a stunning, scenic location with travel accessibility to their dearest family and friends. Self-proclaimed “professional wedding guests,” the couple knew exactly what they wanted in a reception—an ideal seating layout where each guest had a great view. With the help of their planner Banks & Leaf , there was no bad seat in the house—a house decked out in elegant details and stunning florals by Statice Floral Design. Lucky for us, Callie Hobbs Photography captured the day with her signature style in the beautiful images below.

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What made the wedding special and unique?

It was special to us to have destination wedding that was in an accessible location. Boulder was a perfect choice, especially since we had a lot of friends that were pregnant at the time. A destination wedding also has a different vibe since everyone was treating it like a vacation.

Our wedding was on the smaller side, with 80 people, so it was imperative to Jeff and I that all of our guests felt included in every aspect of the weekend, especially at the reception! We’re basically professional wedding guests, and have experienced a few weddings where all the friends were sat at a large round table in the very back of the room, where it was hard to see or hear what was going on. When we had our final head count confirmed, we went back to the St Julien layout to rearrange everything a few weeks before the wedding. Jeff and I scoured Pinterest, along with every wedding magazine and website, to look at layout options. We fell in love with a U-shaped layout from an outdoor wedding, the only thing was we had to make it fit in the room at the St Julien. During our final walk through we worked with Gabby and multiple staff members at the St Julien, walking through different options and taping off measurements, making sure no one would have a bad view and while also trying to optimize the layout for the servers. It was so stressful at the time, but on our wedding day it paid off in spades. Looking around the room during the toasts, speeches and dances, everyone was engaged and best of all, we could see every person’s face! Looking back, it was one of the best decisions Jeff and I made!

Tell us about the gown and where/how you found it!

I went into the dress searching thinking I wanted an ethereal, bohemian wedding dress. I tried on a bunch that I really liked but wasn’t necessarily in love with. I was in Denver for Thanksgiving and decided to make an appointment at LWD. It was one of the first ones I tried on. I remember thinking my mom wouldn’t like it for some crazy reason. Then when I came out of the dressing room she started crying! Since my family is just a bunch of group criers my sister and I both started crying and it turned into one of those cheesy but touching moments that I look back on.

What were some touches added to make the wedding personal?

Jeff’s mom’s side of the family comes from Guatemala, so it was important to us to incorporate his heritage into the ceremony. His grandmother did the second reading, doing it first in Spanish then followed by English. It was beautiful. We also incorporated arras (wedding coins), which is a Spanish tradition where the groom gives the coins to the bride followed by the bride giving the coins to the groom as a symbol of marriage and commitment to each other. We also incorporated El lazo which was essentially a large rosary in a figure 8 that was placed on our shoulders during the ceremony, symbolizing everlasting love and unity. Multiple guests came up to us at the reception and the brunch afterwards, commenting how much they loved how we personalized the wedding.

We weren’t able to bring our dog out to Boulder so my step-dad surprised us with a life-size cut out of our dog, Mowgi! Jeff was so surprised and absolutely loved it since they are best friends. He also made an appearance in wedding guests’ photos.

For our guest book we worked with Simon Pearce since we wanted a unique guest book. They helped us pick a large vase that could be engraved. My stepmom decorated the paper for guests to sign. All of the guests wrote well wishes on the paper that was then sent to Simon Pearce to be engraved.

What was the most memorable part of the day?

I could never choose just one memorable part of the day! One of my absolute favorites was at the ceremony, when the doors opened and I walked down the aisle looking at Jeff. I was experiencing so many emotions, I could not stop smiling.

Just being surrounded by so many people you love is a surreal experience. I still remember that feeling. I will remember that for the rest of my life!

In the car on the way over, Jeff’s sister led us in yoga breathing ending with OM before we walked out of the car. The calmness carried through the entire ceremony.

Tell us how you met and became engaged.

My stepmom actually introduced us! I had just moved back to Chicago from the east coast after a break up and was living with my sister when my stepmom texted me saying, “don’t kill me but I told one of executives we work with about you. He’s TALL!!!” He then messaged me on LinkedIn. We finally met up at brunch a few months later and were inseparable since then.

I was in no rush to get married, I actually didn’t want to get married. One Friday after a friend’s birthday party, he told me he had a surprise. Jeff is a very carefree person, so I assumed it was something small, like a piece of jewelry or my favorite type of wine. When he called me in the other room, I walked over and there were flowers EVERYWHERE and he was waiting there on one knee. I instantly started crying and made him walk me through all of the details of how he got here before saying yes. Blame my OCD.

However, he had thought of everything! Our close friends were waiting outside for us afterwards, and he had the whole weekend of celebrating planned with friends, siblings and family. It truly was an experience I will never forget!

Planner: Banks & Leaf // Photographer: Callie Hobbs Photography // Florist: Statice Floral Design // Stationery: Minted // Venue: St. Julien Hotel // Gown: Justin Alexander / LWD Bridal // Hair: Some Claudia Girl // Rentals: Amora Group // Band: #Rockslide with Give 5 Productions // Linens: Nuage Designs // Ring Box: The Mrs. Box

 

Michigan couple Kristi and Andy capitalized on the best of the midwest with a celebration on the sprawling, scenic property of The Centennial Barn. We’re smitten with the distinctive dusty rose and deep pink palette of the the floral arrangements by Events By The Day’s Design and waterfall of blooms on the cake by The Cakabakery. The couple make the best of the estate with a ceremony in the forest followed by a barn receptions and beautiful portraits all over the grounds of the farm. Lucky for us Hetler Photography was on hand to capture al the beauty in the crisp autumn air.

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What made the wedding special and unique? 

Andy and I both decided even before we were engaged that we wanted an autumn wedding. We love the beautiful mix of colors, crisp air, and fun activities that the Midwest offers. So we decided to add little autumn touches throughout our wedding as a beautiful way to celebrate a season we love so much. We chose to have a barn wedding, and get ready at an adorable white farmhouse on the property. We also had a wagon to deliver guests to our outdoor ceremony site hidden in the trees, and during the reception we served slices of cake, cinnamon sugar doughnuts, and hot apple cider from our favorite local apple orchard, Robinette’s Apple Haus & Winery.

Tell us about the gown and where/how you found it!

I found my gown at Becker’s Bridal, which is tucked away in a little town and been helping brides find their dresses since 1934! So many of the past brides Kellie and I have photographed shared with us that they had chosen their gown there, and had a really great experience, so I new it was a shop I needed to visit when it was my turn to find a wedding dress.

My wedding gown is “Kinley” by Morilee and it was the perfect dress for Andy’s and my Fall wedding. It had everything I was looking for! Romantic lace, princess sleeves, ivory undertones and an ever-flattering fit and flare silhouette. I absolutely loved it and received so many compliments from family and friends when I wore it on my wedding day.

What was the most memorable part of the day?

There were so many memorable moments throughout the day, such as getting ready with my sisters and girlfriends (many of whom flew across the country to be there that day!), having such amazing friends like Kellie and Joe there to photograph our day, and having a private first look together where we each read our handwritten vows to each other. However, one of the most memorable moments actually happened during the ceremony itself.

Our young ring bearer, Silas, took his ring-bearing duties very seriously that day. He decided that instead of sitting down right after our pastor started his welcome speech to the guests, like we had practiced during the rehearsal the day before, he would quietly ignore his older sister Chloe’s urging and stand up front with all the groomsmen, Andy, and our pastor during the entire thirty minute ceremony — all the while still holding his ring box right in front of himself and standing up straight like a soldier.

Tell us how you met and became engaged.

Andy and I actually met online, through a dating app! I was teaching in Grand Rapids at the time, and he was working as a chemical engineer and living in South Haven. We “matched”, chatted through the app for weeks, and then had our first dinner date a local restaurant in Grand Rapids on October 5, 2016. After having such a great time at dinner and meeting each other in person, we exchanged phone numbers and started officially “dating” a couple months later. Andy proposed in November of 2017 — by setting up a “Fall photo session” with Kellie and surprising me at the end with a ring!

Kristi + Andy Wedding Film Teaser from Couture Creative Media on Vimeo.

Photography: Hetler Photography // Florals: Events By The Day’s Design // Stationery: DIY by bride // Venue: The Centennial Barn // Bride’s Gown: Morilee / Becker’s Bridal // Maid of Honor’s Dress: Rent the Runway // Hair: Helena DeYoung’s Hair Outreach // Makeup: Hanna Wagner Design // Catering: Hog Wild BBQ // Video: Couture Creative Media // Bar: Distinctive Catering // Cake: The Cakabakery // Donuts: Robinette’s Apple Haus & Winery

 

 

Julie’s dad convinced her to try online dating and wouldn’t you know that her first—and only—date ended up being the love of her life. Julie and Christian, both California transplants from the East Coast, celebrated their wedding at the picturesque Franciscan Gardens. Traditional romance with touches of blue add personalization, but the couple elt the stunning beauty of the venue grounds take center stage. We love the soft, voluminous white florals by Florals by Jenny and the bride’s lace gown and classic cathedral length veil, but it’s the always-amazing work of Natalie Schutt Photography that captures the beauty of the coupe on their big day that has us swooning.

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What made the wedding special and unique?

We were very selective on choosing who attended our wedding. Our wedding comprised of family and only close friends of ours only, and I think having a smaller size wedding of 95 really made for a more intimate feeling and gave us time to chat with everyone.

Tell us about the gown and where/how you found it?

I knew I wanted a long sleeve dress and I chose a champagne color to really accentuate the white lace detail instead of choosing an all white dress that would have not emphasized the lace as much.

I originally found a similar style on Pinterest and once I had the designer name I went on a hunt to find who carried that designer. It ended up being a small boutique bridal shop in Torrance called Bridal Elegance. It was the second dress I tried on and it was a tough decision, but in the end I had to go with my gut feeling and what I initially envisioned because the assistants at the bridal shop make you try on a lot of different styles.

What were some touches added to make the wedding personal?

We really wanted personalized everything! We had personalized mints and chapsticks in the restrooms for when guests freshened up. We had personalized napkins for cocktail hour along with personalized seasoning at every seat to ensure our guests left with many goodies that reminded them of the good time. I have a very close eye when it comes to attention to detail and planned the whole wedding myself with my husband’s input of course!

What was the most memorable part of the day?

We couldn’t really pick a specific memorable time as I remember the day so vividly, but if I’d have to choose it would be the first look where we shared smiles, laughs, tears and an embrace that I will hold close to my heart for a lifetime.

Tell us how you met and became engaged.

Let’s start by saying Christian and I are both from the East Coast. New York and New Jersey. It is really hard to meet people in California if you didn’t grow up here, so needless to say I didn’t want to meet a guy at a bar or a club and my Dad actually told me to try match.com. This was in 2012 way before dating apps were a thing. Christian was my first and only date from that website and I knew it was fate. How do two people from back East meet on the far West Coast? He was everything I was looking for in a man. Genuine, kindhearted, stunning blue eyes and had the personality of an East Coaster.

It was March 17,th 2017 and Christian’s mother asked if I could help out her real-estate friend by serving champagne after work for an open house. I agreed because you never say no to your boyfriend’s mother when she asks you for a favor. I practiced and watched YouTube in anticipation so my champagne opening skills were flawless. I arrived in a nice simple dress at the open house “before it started” to help set up and met with the realtor. The realtor expressed that we needed to go in the backyard where there were steps leading down to Crystal Cove state beach and he explained, he really wanted to “sell the view, so the set up will be down at the lookout.”  I mentioned I was very familiar with the lookout as my boyfriend and I always walk there every weekend. (On our walks we talk about life, goals and aspirations for ourselves/relationship). As we exited the gate, leading to the path there was a sign: “Honey, Hurry Up à” pointing in the direction of the look out where I saw a path of flowers with mason jars filled with candles and my soon to be husband awaiting my arrival at the lookout point. I started crying and pretty sure hyperventilating when I saw his friend pop out of the bushes taking photos of my reaction. I truly couldn’t believe what was happening to me at that very moment; it was a true out of body experience that I did not see coming. I thought I was popping bottles of champagne that night, never did I think I was getting engaged!

 

Christian & Julie | Highlight Film | Franciscan Gardens | San Juan Capistrano, CA from Emma Lynn Cinema on Vimeo.

Coordinator: Confetti Skies // Florist: Florals by Jenny // Photography: Natalie Schutt Photography // Invitation + Stationery: Minted // Venue: Franciscan Gardens // Wedding Dress Boutique: Bridal Elegance Studio // Bridesmaids Dresses: Weddington Way // Suits: The Black Tux // Beauty: Design Visage // Cinema: Emma Lynn Cinema // DJ: KIK Entertainment // String Trio: OMG Ocdamia Music Group // Catering: 24 Carrots Catering // Flower Wall: Wonderwall OC // Cake: Susie Cakes Bakery // Donuts: SideCar Doughnuts // Officiant: The OC Wedding Guy // Specialty Flatware: Signature Party Rentals // Lighting: Premier Lighting and Production

 

Inspired by a recent trip to Italy, Ashley Rae Photography coordinated this stunning editorial emulating the old world architecture and romance of the Italian culture back home in Arizona. The team, including Modern Grace Events, set the scene at CC at DC Ranch utilizing the old stone fireplace and sepia tone walls reminiscent of warm, rich Tuscan sunsets. The details are all pure, old world classic romance including soft florals by Juliet le Fleur, wax seals and stationery by Nora Bella, a Marchesa gown and dramatic The Veiled Beauty veil and vintage car send off to tie it all together. Check out all the perfect moments in these beautiful, film images captured by Ashley Rae Photography.

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Planning, Design & Lead Photography: Ashley Rae Photography // Planning & Design: Modern Grace Events // Florals: Juliet le Fleur // Stationery: Nora Bella // Venue: CC at DC Ranch // Tabletop Decor: Confetti Studio // Bridal Gown: Schaffers / Marchesa // Veil: The Veiled Beauty // Groom’s Attire: Versace // Makeup: Pearl Beauty // Hair: Bailey Bergman-Kirkpatrick // Rings: Trumpet and Horn // Cake: A Bake Shop // Chairs + Lounge: Glamour and Woods // Linen: BBJ Linen / Frou Frou Chic // Car: Classic Wedding Cars (Classic-Wedding-Cars on FB) // Models: Samantha & Tyler