Christina, LA Care Health Plan & Zack, Medical Resident
Sum-up of the wedding vibe: Historical SoCal with a modern twist
Soundtrack song: “You’re the One” by The Black Keys
Favorite Thing about the wedding:
Our favorite thing is that we finally got married after a decade together and spending most of our lives growing up together. The warm and casual vibe that we were able to create while surrounded by everyone we loved was the best.
Other cool stuff we should know about:
Zack and I have known each other since we were in elementary school but didn’t start dating until high school. As such, we had been together for over a decade when we were engaged and knew each other’s taste pretty well! For our wedding, we wanted a nod to tradition with modern elements infused in.
I went to high school at San Gabriel Mission so I knew I’d love to get married there someday. It was the perfect venue for us—historic, intimate, and ornate! We found an amazing mariachi band who played the entire Mass (every song in ballad!) which made the ceremony feel very festive.
For our reception venue, we wanted an indoor/outdoor feel that felt warm and inviting, and The Fig House was perfect. For decor, we made use of the open rafters at The Fig House and commissioned macramé hangers through Etsy. Our florist made beautiful arrangements that draped from them. We DIY’d where we could to give our wedding a personal touch. I made stencils for our table numbers and bought paint from Blick to make them. I also purchased watercolor paint to make out escort cards.
We love to cook, so our favors had a food theme: flavored salts, spicy tequila, herb seeds, pistachio brittle, and pickles, all handmade! My dad built little stands for them and my maid of honor, mom, and now husband all made them.
To keep with tradition, we had an Asian tea ceremony. I changed into a Vietnamese Áo Dài but did not want to wear a traditional red colored dress. My mom and I found beautiful Marc Jacobs fabric from Mood that fit my personality and we figured would be a welcomed surprise for guests as well. Similarly, my dress had a traditional feel, but a more modern cut (purchased proudly at a sample sale on Black Friday), and Zack’s suit was purchased on Cyber Monday! We found ways to save money where we could by making wedding purchases on unconventional days!
