Bringing the Roaring 20's to 2016

Jessica + Jonathan Chester and their Roaring 20’s Themed Wedding at Recreation Park Golf Course 18 in Long Beach, California

September 16, 2016

Jessica and her Mother hired us on for our Day of Coordination package where we join the planning one month prior to handle the final details as well as coordinating the rehearsal and the entire wedding day. We were thoroughly surprised when we discovered our Bride-To-Be had a college degree in design and had just about every inch of her dream wedding planned out perfectly. She even designed and hand made all her signage for her big day!

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Getting Ready

Jessica chose to style herself and her bridesmaids in typical outfits, hairstyles, and accessories you would have found at a wedding taking place in the 1920’s.

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The Guys

Jonathan and his bridesmaids looked dapper with their traditional tuxedos.

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First Look

The soon to be wedded couple took some time before their ceremony to have a first look and it was magical! They took advantage of their vintage lounge set up and used them for additional props for their photos.

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Ceremony

Jessica and Jonathan had a very simple and touching ceremony with the most beautiful sunset behind them.

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Wedding Party

Their wedding party might have been dressed up but that did not take away from how fun they were!

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Couples Portraits

Because of Jessica’s organization she made time in her schedule to include a good chunk of time for couples portraits. If you are thinking about sunset photos, do it!

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Reception

This gorgeous ballroom was dressed up with touches of Art Deco decor and infused with hand made elements by the bride and her Mother.

The couple had a choreographed first dance

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Mr and Mrs Chester

Being a part of The Chester’s special day and tons of memorable highlights was an amazing experience. We love detailed oriented weddings so much, especially ones with a good theme that is executed well. Since their big day Jessica and Jonathan have moved to Colorado and adopted a puppy. We wish them the best!

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Vendors:

Coordination: Rock n’ Willow Events / Photography: Emily Beth Photo / Venue: Recreation Park Golf Course 18 / DJ: Behind the DJ / Videography: Prismatik Films / Florals: Margaret Rose Floral Design / Linen: Dream Decor / Rentals: Bring the Charm / Cake: Torrance Bakery 

Stylish Posh Wedding in Long Beach

Monique and Andrew Caldarella’s Stylish Posh Wedding at Recreation Park Golf Course 18 in Long Beach, California

July 23, 2016

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Monique and Andrew were definitely the 2016 Kim and Kanye serving us all Hollywood royalty vibes complete with glamorous outfits, chic decor, and a sizzling wedding party. Monique found us in hopes to challenge how ‘Glam’ we could go and with every idea she had we took it on and served up a dazzling wedding in the end.

The couple decided to have a first look before the ceremony and in preparation Monique got ready in the gorgeous bridal suite at Recreation Park Golf Course 18 in Long Beach. Her getting ready photos quickly turned into a whole glam photoshoot fit for Vogue Magazine!

Andrew cleaned up well himself, posing while getting ready as if he was shooting for GQ. Once the guys were dressed and ready to go they headed to the venue.

You know what the say about idle hands so in true guy fashion they quickly found the bar and the drinks started flowing! These pre wedding drinks made for some hilarious groomsmen portraits though!

While the guys were goofing off the ladies made use of their time to take more pictures of course! Their photographer Celina Kenyon kicked butt in the photo department delivering awesome shots of every priceless moment.

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GETTING READY

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First look

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ceremony

After their first look Monique and Andrew were ready to get married! The ceremony was held in the private garden at the venue that served as the perfect backdrop for their “I Do’s”.

Their couples portraits followed the ceremony and they truly captured how in love the Caldarella’s are. Their sunset session was timed out perfectly.

During the couples session Monique and Andrew’s guests enjoyed cocktail hour. There they had appetizers, drinks and lounge furniture from Striking Elegance.

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Couples portraits

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cocktail hour

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decor

Their venue is not normally draped this way. Monique hired Glam Event Stylist to drape the entire room to give that touch of elegance. Guests were definitely wowed when they entered the space.

Michael’s Flowers from Downtown Los Angeles provided the centerpieces and the stylish look was completed with a flower wall behind the sweetheart table.

Monique left no detail out! She included napkin ring holders that matched all the decor.

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reception

Guests were not done being treated to an experience just yet. From an epic grand entrance to tear jerking parent dances followed by phenomenal toasts from loved ones the room was filled with laughter and good times.

The couple decided to not just have a regular cake table but to include the cake on a dessert table with the stand provided by Platinum Prop Rentals and desserts by Great Dane Baking Co and Munch Bakery LA.

Andrew surprised his bride with an exciting garter removal and toss in which he showed off his Magic Mike moves to “A Whole Lotta Love” by Led Zeppelin.

Friends, family, and the couple ended the night on the dance floor getting down to DJ Ace from Flawless Entertainment.

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Toasts

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Cake cutting

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Garter toss

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Dancing

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The End.

We are so thankful that we go to live out our Princess wedding dreams through Monique and Andrew’s wedding. Not to mention we are so proud of all their accomplishments in the past three years since they wed which include purchasing their first house and adding another dog to their family. Monique even referred one of her bridesmaids, Amanda, to us when she was planning her own wedding. We often look back at their gallery and daydream about how much the Caldarella wedding was!

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The Dream Team:

Coordination: Rock n’ Willow Events \\ Venue: Recreation Park Golf Course 18 \\ Photography: Celina Kenyon \\ Flowers: Michael’s Flowers Los Angeles \\ DJ: Flawless Entertainment \\ Calligraphy: Ashley Fabrigas \\ Cake: Great Dane Baking Co \\ Desserts: Munch Bakery LA \\ Rentals, Draping, + Flower Wall: Glam Event Stylist \\ Lounge Furniture: Striking Elegance \\ Cake Stand: Platinum Prop Rentals \\ Uplights: DJ Willie Will \\ Officiant: A Moment To Cherish \\ Linen: Dream Decor

Quirky Shenanigans Wedding - Featured on Offbeat Bride

Anna + Kliment’s Quirky Shenanigans Wedding at Recreation Park Golf Course 18 in Long Beach August 30, 2015

Featured on Offbeat Bride

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Anna was referred to us by Katie Lowder, the former venue director at Recreation Park Golf Course 18 in Long Beach, California. She decided to reach out to us a barely a month prior to her big day!! She had a clear vision for her wedding and had already titled it “quirky shenanigans”. All she needed was for someone to come in and clean up her vision. She wanted to combine all of her childhood interests mixed with her eccentric personality and eye for fashion to pull off one of the most epic weddings we have been a part of to date!

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Anna, a former beauty queen, was set to marry Kliment and wanted to incorporate his Bulgarian traditions on top of all her ideas she already had in place. That is where we stepped in. Balancing all the ideas and executing them seamlessly. We organized her thoughts of a fairytale ceremony, quirky reception and a nod to Bulgaria all around. A prime example of this is when Anna ordered table numbers off Etsy in Bulgarian and “cheers” laser cut signs.

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Anna got ready on the newly remodeled bridal suite at the venue. The lights and mirrors worked wonders and enhanced her natural beauty!

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Downstairs Kliment got ready and relaxed on the patio as we prepared for the start of the wedding.

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Then as an array of Beatles songs started to play, one of the most magical ceremonies was underway. When the words “ Here comes the sun” were sang Kliment looked up and saw Anna walking towards him as if it was an angel .

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Their wedding ceremony was truly magical and the first time I cried during the vows! Anna said something that has stuck with me over the years. She said “You get me. You get all of me.” They are truly soulmates!!

But first, let me take a selfie!

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Instead of having one item being thrown at the couple as they walked back up the aisle, Anna prepared an assortment of fun things to blow, throw, shake, and wave.

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Anna and Kliment were such a humorous couple that we knew their couples portraits would be hilarious!

As you can see, they were a hoot!

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There was no detail left out, even when it came to the cocktail hour. There was a gold globe for the guests to sign, gumboil machines, a quote from The Princess Bride, and a pinwheel seating chart.

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In keeping with the Bulgarian traditions Kliment’s Mother was a part of the bread ritual. She broke off a piece of bread that has salt on it and gives it to the Bride and Groom to symbolize when life is “salty” and does the same with a piece of bread that has sugar on it symbolize the “sweetness” in life. It is also a metaphor for when there are going to be good and bad times the couple will face in their marriage.

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Then the Bride proceeds in one of the best traditions we have ever seen at a wedding, the water pot! This water pot represents two things: 1) wishing “smooth sailing” for the couple in their marriage and 2) the sex of their first born!!

The red flower represents if their future child will be a girl and the white flower represents if it will be a boy

Everyone was pleased to find out that Baby Gounev would hopefully one day be a BOY!

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Before continuing with the reception celebrations we have to share more of Anna’s creative and fun decor! Tons of signage, a princess card box, a gold wishing tree, sunflower seed favors, and glow sticks. Who doesn’t love to light up the night!

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The couple took dance classes and choreographed their first dance

Of course Kliment had to have with their first dance!

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A little dress change for Anna and then it was on to cake cutting!

Cake by Rossmoor Pastries

Cake cutter and server by Kate Spade

The couple tried to reenact this pose to look like their bobble heads

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Anna surprised Kliment with a tres leches grooms cake but the surprise was on her when the cake accidentally said “Congrats MRS Gounev” instead of MR!!

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Bouquet toss winner

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Garter toss winner

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After all the festivities were over it was time to dance!

Traditional Bulgarian folklore dance called the Horo

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Guests got to take a break from dancing and enjoy a tasty treat from Urban Espresso

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Not a single guest was sitting down at the end of the night, partly because of the amazing DJ Trego and partly because Anna and Kliment had such a great group of family and friends!

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It has been 3 and 1/2 years since the Gounev wedding and we are so happy to report that Anna and Kliment welcomed a baby boy Hemingway Hunnicutt in 2017. Looks like their prediction on this day when Anna kicked the water pot and out flew the white carnation came true after all!

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The Dream Team:

Coordination: Rock n’ Willow Events // Venue: Recreation Park Golf Course 18 // Photographer: Taylored Photo Memories // DJ: DJ Trego, Vox DJ’s // Cake: Rossmoor Pastries // Cake cutter & server: Kate Spade // Florist: Good Flower Shop // Linen: Dream Decor & Hobby Lobby // Coffee: Urban Espresso // Wedding Dress: Marchesa // All signs and decor: Etsy

Featured on Offbeat Bride —> www.offbeatbride.com

Vintage D.I.Y. Wedding in Southern California

Annie + Israel Navarro's Vintage D.I.Y. Wedding at St. Margaret Mary Alacoque and El Dorado Park Golf Course 08.15.2015

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Before the blush pink and succulent trend started to be number one on Pinterest there was Annie and Israel Navarro and their futuristic wedding ideas! Their wedding took place on the hottest day of the summer during a heat wave at St Margaret Mary Alacoque Church in Lomita, Ca with the reception at El Dorado Park Golf Course in Long Beach, Ca.

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Annie opted out of getting ready at the venue or hotel. Instead she got ready in the comfort of her home surrounded by her Mother and Sisters. That made the process much more small and intimate.

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Once Annie was ready she was off to the church!

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Annie and Israel stayed true to their religious routes and had a gorgeous Catholic church ceremony in the heart of the South Bay! 

St Margaret Mary Alacoque Catholic Church in Lomita, California

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At St Margaret Mary's there was a perfect stone backdrop to snap a few pictures on the way to the reception venue. 

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While the ceremony was underway we were at the reception venue across town. As the guests traveled from Lomita to Long Beach we were setting up all the D.I.Y. aspects Annie and her family created. Israel's Mom hand made each and every chair bow, and did we mention there was about 240 guests? Wow! 

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Annie was ahead of her time with her wedding vision. Dressing the tables in blush linen from Stephanie’s Linens was not the only future trend she was setting. She also inluded succulents as favors and a ton of vintage decor.

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Guests were welcomed into the cocktail hour with a live performance by the Downbeat LA group AMFM and accompanied by DJ Rage for the reception.  Then it was time for their epic grand entrance into the first dance.

Downbeat LA - AMFM

DJ Rage

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Dinner was catered by the on site restaureant at the venue but their gorgeous wedding cake was provided by Great Dane Bakery. Annie surprised her new husband with a groom's cake from Sophie's Sweet Shop with his favorite football team, USC. The couple had a recent dog pass away which they paid tribute to on their cake with a dog figurine by Sophie's Sweet Shop too. 

Cake by Great Dane Baking Co

Dog figurine by Sophie's Sweet Shop

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After cake and dinner was digested it was time to start the festivities! The couple started with dancing with parents then the bouquet toss and a very unique garter toss. The bride did not feel comfortable with the traditional garter toss so they warpped the garter around a football and the groom tossed it to his eligible bachelors. It turned out to be a really fun idea we still recommend to all our couples! 

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The cultural money dance typically starts off the dancing portion in the Hispanic community. With over 200 Latinos ready to party they were eager to give the Couple money with wishes for their prosperity. 

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Adding more D.I.Y. elements, Annie used props form her bridal shower and made her own Photo Booth area.

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We love how their photographer Erica Adams snuck the couple away from the reception to capture some sunset photos.

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It’s been three years since Annie and Israel’s special day and they have since welcomed the birth of their daughter Jayla. The Navarro wedding will always hold a special place in our heart not only because of all the firsts we experienced, but because of the warmth both sides of the family expressed towards us. Annie even assisted Rock n’ Willow Events for a short time prior to her pregnancy! We miss you dearly and wish you and Israel nothing but the best!!

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Vendor Team: // Coordination: Rock n’ Willow Events // Venue: Ceremony- St Margaret Mary Alacoque Catholic Church + Reception: El Dorado Park Golf Course // Photographer: Erica Adams Photography // Videographer: Wedding Video Pro // DJ: DJ Rage // Band: Downbeat LA // Linen: Stephanie’s Linen // Furniture: Striking Elegance // Cake: Great Dane Baking Co // Groom’s Cake: Sophie’s Sweet Shop // Flowers: Lily’s Flowers DTLA