When Natalia and I first met Natasha and Andrew 9 months ago, we knew we had met one incredible couple. Sharing similar values and the love of family and children, we instantly fell in love with these two. Our daughter Saylah was only 2 months old at that time, and at our meeting, we kept gushing about how amazing our "new normal" with a newborn was. Natasha and Andrew both come from amazing families, and the closeness of their families was evident throughout their Wedding Day.
While Natasha was sliding into her beautiful Wedding gown, I glanced over at her mother and saw her slowly whipe away the tears slowly filling her eyes. During the toast made at the reception by Natasha's sister, everyone in attendance was so moved and touched. You could sense the tight knit love of this family!
Whenever I look back at this Wedding, one word instantly comes to mind: Warmth. Natasha, Andrew, and both their families are so full of love, kindness, and warmth. We had such an incredible time shooting at our favorite venue in Southern California, Villa De Sol D’Oro in Sierra Madre. We were treated like family ourselves, and enjoyed celebrating along-side them! We cannot thank them enough for their generosity!
Natasha and Andrew: Thank you, thank you, thank you for allowing us to be a part of the biggest day of your lives! We could not have asked for a more perfect couple to photograph. May these photos serve as a constant reminder of the love you two felt and witnessed as you look back 50+ years from now! May your love be modern enough to keep up with the times, but old-fashioned enough to last FOREVER.
Blessings,
"They are no longer two, but one.
Therefore what God has joined together,
let man not separate.”
Matthew 19:6
FROM THE BRIDE:
Wedding Inspiration:
As a little girl, I had always watched A Walk in the Clouds and dreamed of being married in a timeless and enchanting villa. After setting foot on the grounds of the Villa De Sol D’Oro, Andrew and I were certain that my dreams were about to come alive. Its elegant
character and Italian architecture set the tone for the most important day of our lives and allowed our guests to feel as though they were in a different world. We wanted our wedding day to exemplify us and the classic love we share for one another.
Our DIY Ideas and Concepts:
My family and I are known for being dessert lovers and it was a lot of fun to see my little sister in action as she is the baking queen in the family. She made desserts like chocolate covered pretzels, the grooms LA Kings cupcakes, flower girl cupcakes, heart-shaped sugar cookies, and Mexican wedding cakes in honor of our Great Grandmother.
While growing up, my Grandpa and I were extremely close. Although he has passed away and could not be with us physically on our wedding day, we made sure that there were aspects of him throughout our entire wedding. From a framed portrait near his seat to charms hanging from my bouquet, I truly felt that my grandpa as well as those loved ones that could not be there were with me throughout the entire day.
My mother and I are firm believers that when it comes to décor, it is the little details that make everything look fabulous. That is exactly what we wanted to do for our wedding day. Vintage inspiration was the key focal point in any piece that we found. My mom and I searched antique shops and wanted to make our own hand-made pieces so that every aspect of the wedding felt special, unique, and one-of-a-kind. My mom and I had so much fun during the process of looking for the gold and silver candle holders and vintage plates that were used for the centerpieces. We also used vintage plates and miniature easels for the table numbers. Each table number and centerpiece was handmade by my mother. When it came to finding a guest book we wanted to think outside of the box and that is why we used a vintage globe we found at an antique shop. It allowed our guests to have more fun when signing in during the wedding day. My parents also found a vintage couch which was used in family portraits during our wedding!
My mother has always been known for finding unique vintage pieces and incorporating them within our family home. With her creative expertise, our wedding day was everything we could have dreamed of. I will never forget the time spent with my mom while creating all of these DIY pieces. We will forever be grateful of my mom and family for all of the hard work and time spent to help Andrew and I enjoy the most beautiful day of our lives.
Flowers:
Flowers: Mixture of white Hydrangea, Sahara roses, Spray Roses, White
Stock, Seeded Eucalyptus and Amaranthus
Flower girls: Baby’s breath and Spray Roses
Flower girl holder bouquets and Bridesmaid holder bouquets: Hydrangea, Spray Roses and Seeded Eucalyptus.
Cocktail hour: Mixture of Roses and Anemones Bride’s Bouquet: White Peonies
Vendors:
Wedding Invitations: Designs by Liat - www.designsbyliat.com
Ceremony: St. Philip the Apostle Catholic Church Pasadena, CA
Reception Venue: Villa del Sol d’oro
Transportation: Elegant 40- Raul Alvarado
Antique Supplier: Mother of the bride
Cocktail Hour Music: Harrison Jazz Ensemble - harrisonjazzensemble.com
Appetizers: Porto’s Bakery Glendale, CA
Flower Girl Cupcakes, LA Kings Groom’s Cupcakes, Mexican Wedding
Cakes: Made my Bride’s mother and sister
La King’s Flags: Made by Bride
Wedding Cake: Santa Anita Catering
Center Piece Stand and Table Numbers: Made by mother of the Bride
Candy Buffet: Teresa Bentz
Bridesmaid Dresses: Unique Vintage Burbank, CA
Bridesmaid and Flower Girl Personalized Bouquet Holder: Exclusivelyweddings.com
Flowers: Christy Sanchez - www.Idodesigns.com
Wedding Gown: Allure Couture
Bride’s Wedding Garter: Etsy- Annabella Collection
Bride’s Earrings and Bracelet: Nadri - www.nordstrom.com
Bride’s Shoes: Glint 'Radiance' Pump - www.nordstrom.com
Groom’s Watch: Michael Kors - www.nordstrom.com
Grooms and Groomsmen Suit: Calvin Klein
Bridal Hair, Make-up and Hair Accessories: Kat Park - www.Kat-park.com
Photographers: Closer to Love Photography
Videographer: Visioneer Media - www.visioneermedia.com
Wedding Coordinator: Samantha Dapper - www.samanthadapper.com
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