Parisian Wedding in Downtown Los Angeles
Wedding at Alexandria Ballroom
Sevan & Ani
A Message From The Bride
Describe your experience with wedding planning : Having been a bride who initially wanted to elope, I would call my wedding planning experience unique to say the least. I started off on one end of the spectrum when it came to my wedding and with the help of my vendors I ended up at the other end of the spectrum completely in bliss.
To say I made lifelong friends thru planning my wedding would be an understatement. I cannot imagine how I would have felt without them. My main advice to brides-to-be is, pick your vendors carefully.
By carefully, I do not mean by just doing your research and landing with someone in your budget, I mean spend time with them, ensure they understand your vision and most importantly, you.
Describe your experience with finding your wedding gown: Finding my wedding gown was probably the hardest part of the planning. I was four months to the wedding and I still did not have my dress, this was not due to lack of effort. I had visited my share of bridal boutiques, but none of the necklines were a accurate fit for my taste.
Then came Pallas Couture, it was out of our budget, it was so far away and it just seemed like it would never be possible, except for the wedding gods suddenly sent me a blanket of luck when I found out that Kingsley James was having a Pallas Couture Trunk Show the following weekend.
When I wore the gown I just knew came hell or high water, I had to have the dress and my now husband having been there throughout the difficulty of finding my perfect dress was more than ready to stretch our budget. Needless to say, I'm saving my dress forever despite having told him I would recoup the money by selling it after the wedding - sorry, but ... no.
How did you meet?: We had initially met at a mutual friend's pool party nine years before we would wed. He asked me to take a walk with him on Honolulu a little shopping mart in my hometown of Montrose to which I said no. In my defense I was 21 and he didn't have the best reputation with the ladies.
We briefly kept in touch via social media of which would fade away and we both went go in our separate directions. Fast forward to the current era and we bump into each other at Mohawk Bend in Highland Park.
Both of us matured, both of us out of miserable relationships and both of us on the same life wavelength. Every word that came out of his mouth that night was followed by a gleeful "me too." All the clichés that I had spent most my adulthood making fun of suddenly made complete sense that night and as the cliché goes, the rest is history.
What are your favorite moments of your wedding day?: Truly just laughing with my now husband and being surrounded by our dearest and nearest friends and family. Looking around and knowing that every single person was there to celebrate us and the all too rare feeling that only comes with finding your perfect person.
Wedding Reception Design Inspiration : The venue, the history, Alexandria is a historic landmark and with that comes so much beautiful history and artifacts. The venue itself has original Tiffany's glass from 1919. Charlie Chaplin was married where we married, Rudolph Valentino danced on the same hardwood floors where we shared our first dance. The entire venue and ballrooms were the main use of inspiration when it came to creating our timeless romantic wedding.
Vendors
Venue: Alexandria Ballroom
Floral Designer: Eddie Zaratsian and Tic Tock Florals
Event Designer: Mary Michelle
Bridal Dress Designer: Pallas
Bridal Dress Store: Kingsley James
Makeup Artist: Linh Tran - Studio Kay
Hair Stylist: Lara C Kay - Studio Kay
Cake Baker: Rafi’s Cakes
Coordinator/Planner: Mary Michelle
Invitation/Stationery: Minted
Calligraphy/Favors/Tableware: Casa Perrin
Reception Rentals/Lighting: Rental Avenue
Additional Vendors: Anoush Catering