Fresh, fun and flirty! That’s how I would describe Erin and Alexander’s Lake Tahoe wedding. At the reception, unique details like their San Francisco Giants themed cake and monogrammed corn hole game created a festive atmosphere for guests to let loose and celebrate. But my favorite elements of this lakeside wedding are the charming bridesmaids’ dresses (different than any I’ve seen) and Erin’s gorgeous gown. A dramatic necklace and lovely veil were the perfect compliments to her Rosa Clara dress. Truly beautiful!
Erin + Alexander | July 15, 2011 | Lake Tahoe, California
The ceremony
We knew we wanted a wedding in Lake Tahoe because we both love to ski and love the out doors. We got really lucky to have a sunny and warm lake side wedding at the Ehrman Mansion (it had snowed only two weeks earlier). We had a very relaxing ceremony with lemonade and champagne served as the guest were seated. The most important part of the ceremony for us was having our parents perform the blessing of the rings. We wanted to bring some catholic traditions into our wedding so we had a dear family friend marry us who used to be a priest. Instead of unity candles, we used sand from the beach by our San Francisco home because we couldn’t use open flames and the bride walked down the aisle to Ava Maria.
The reception
The reception was just up the hill from the Lake at the Ehrman Mansion. To keep with our festive Mexican theme we served burritos, fajitas, and mexican hot chocolate. We got lucky with a full moon that was mirrored off the lake as we danced the night away.
How Erin found her dream wedding dress
I was on a mission to find a beach style dress that flattered my large bust and apple shape. I found that with this gorgeous Rosa Clara gown. The craftsmanship and structure of this dress nipped and tucked in all the right places and gave my short torso the nice lean look I needed.
How Erin felt in her wedding dress
Stunning, Classic, and Comfortable
Why Erin decided to sell her wedding dress
I know the feeling of trying on a million strapless dresses and they all were so unflattering for someone with a large bust. I would be happy if this dress made another large bust bride feel just as amazing as I did.
Erin’s wedding dress: Rosa Clara, Marcela
Photography: Tara Sierra Photography
Intimate…elegant…and romantic. These are the perfect words to describe Liz and Antony’s beautiful California wedding. Close friends and family joined the couple for an oceanside ceremony, followed by an amazing sit-down dinner at the St. Regis Monarch Beach Resort. Liz looked absolutely stunning in her strapless Rosa Clara gown. From the look in their eyes, you can tell Liz and Antony’s wedding day was a dream come true!
Liz + Antony | September 4th, 2011 | Dana Point, California
The ceremony
We chose the botanical garden at the St. Regis Monarch Beach in Dana Point. The private and intimate garden overlooked the stunning golf course and the Pacific Ocean. Forty of our closest family and friends flew from all over the world to be with us on our wedding day: Africa, Hong Kong, England, and Nevada. Our sunset wedding was truly romantic and full of love.
The reception
The wine cellar was the perfect venue for our evening reception. We celebrated with great food, great company, and great music. PS…How awesome was my cake?!!
The way Liz felt in her wedding dress
Beautiful. Loved. Happy.
Why Liz decided to sell her wedding dress
I work in apparel, so my wedding dress had to be PERFECT. I would love for a bride to know that this dress was not just purchased off the rack, it was purchased with love and the bride who wore it before her was truly happy.
Liz’s wedding dress: Rosa Clara, 117-Ocre
Photography: Sabrina Noel Hill
They say when you find your wedding dress, you just “Know.” Ashley looked for 8 months then found and fell in love with her dress after seeing it only online. She ordered it…. and was right. It was Her Dress. It fit her style perfectly and was the perfect fit for her stunning wedding in Yosemite National Park. Take a look at her beautiful wedding and I’m sure you’ll agree….
Ashley & Erik | June 19, 2010 | Yosemite National Park, California
How he proposed
My grandparents’ own a cabin just outside of Yosemite National Park, and the location evokes memories of white Christmases, summer hikes through the forests and priceless time spent with family.
Erik’s first visit to Yosemite came many years later in December 2008, when he flew out the day after Christmas to join my family in Yosemite. It was a fateful trip. A snow storm dumped nearly a foot of snow on the area, closing the roads in Yosemite entirely the day before Erik was to arrive. Luckily the next morning brought clearer skies, and open roads allowing Erik to see Yosemite for the first time covered in a pristine blanket of snow.
After spending a few days skiing and enjoying Yosemite, the whole family drove to San Francisco, where Erik planned to propose. It was New Year’s Eve Day and Erik was ready to pop the question. He thought about proposing at Twin Peaks which overlooks the city, but fog prevented that. He tried several times to get me alone for even just a moment, but in classic Ashley style, I was too interested in shopping to accommodate.
Finally, while walking out of Ghirardelli Square, a couple walking past was discussing a wedding, prompting me to jokingly ask Erik if he had any marriage plans of his own. Erik’s response: a beautiful ring and an even more perfect proposal.
The ceremony
We were married outside on the Ahwahnee’s wedding lawn at 4:15 in the afternoon. Mother Nature pulled out all the stops: unseasonably late snow and rainstorms meant the waterfalls were filled to the brim, and the weather was balmy with a comfortable breeze as I walked down the aisle to the sound of Ave Maria played by a string trio. With one of Yosemite’s famed waterfalls as a perfect backdrop, Erik and I were married in front of 60 of our closest family and friends. My four bridesmaids consisted of my two sisters, one of Erik’s cousins and a best friend. Erik’s two groomsmen consisted of his cousin and a best friend. My twin cousins acted as flower girl and ring bearer, and their older brother carried my cathedral length veil down the aisle.
The reception
Following the ceremony, the guests were treated to a cocktail hour with heavy appetizers and live music on an outside patio. Following the cocktail hour, guests were invited inside where they picked up their place cards, which featured dogwood flowers, one of Yosemite’s most impressive flowering trees, and were seated and then treated to a buffet of delicious foods crafted with local ingredients by the Ahwahnee’s chef. Keeping with the natural surroundings, the tables were decorated with a lantern centerpiece with moss and river rocks at the bottom of the lantern and surrounding the lantern. Table numbers were created from Styrofoam covered with moss and wooden numbers spray painted a deep hunter green. The kids’ table featured a centerpiece with stuffed bears in honor of Yosemite’s most infamous wildlife. Each child received a goodie bag with coloring books and other toys to keep them occupied while their parents ate and conversed. In honor of Erik’s proposal in San Francisco’s Ghiradelli Square, each guest received a Ghiradelli chocolate in the shape of the Golden Gate Bridge.
Following toasts, we cut the three tiered cake which featured sugar dogwood flowers. In addition to cake, guests had the option of chocolate covered strawberries or bananas foster from the flambe station while live music played for dancing. Our first dance was to Louis Armstrong’s A Kiss to Build a Dream On, and I danced with my father to Somewhere Over the Rainbow, in honor of the fact that my family currently lives in Kansas.
The moment Ashley won’t ever forget
Erik and I were seated at a sweetheart table in front of huge windows which looked out to a meadow with Half Dome in the background. There was a point during the dinner where, even though we were surrounded by 60 people all talking and eating where Erik and I looked at each other and it was as if we were all alone. It was in that moment that it really struck home that we were married, that the wedding had gone flawlessly, and how truly happy and relaxed I was.
Splurges & Savings
I splurged on my dress, Manolo Blahnik heels, and on having live music for the entire ceremony and reception. The wedding location was also a splurge, but I wouldn’t have changed a thing!
As far as savings go, I am incredibly lucky to have a multi-talented mother. She made my veil, she hand embossed and calligraphied our save the dates, invitations and place cards. She came up with the idea for the dogwood theme, which she embossed on the invites and created the dogwood flowers for the place cards. She also orchestrated the creation of the centerpieces, which were entirely a d.i.y. project. Having flowerless centerpieces saved us a bundle.
We used local vendors to save on traveling costs, and the results were magnificent. Our flowers were designed by Natalie Galasso and hair and make up was done by Carol Cardinale-Ruiz, and of course our amazing photographers were the husband and wife team of Johnny Stafford Photography
How she knew her wedding dress was “The One”
I tried on so many dresses I lost count! After getting engaged, my mother and sister flew to NYC where Erik’s family lives and we went EVERYWHERE it felt like. We hit up Saks, Macy’s and several other wedding locations. I tried on dress, after dress after dress-everything from top designer to budget friendly. After striking out there, I returned to D.C. where I live and continued the search, trying on more dresses. Still nothing that made me excited. Then, while studying for the bar, I became obsessed with searching wedding blogs and online sources for inspiration. I can’t even remember how I ended up on Rosa Clara’s website, but l did. When I saw the Laura dress, I fell in love. Since she is a European designer who is still a bit of an unknown here in the states, and because the Laura was several seasons old, I had a rough time finding it. Luckily with the help of an online forum, I was able to order my dress. Buying a dress having never tried it on is nerve wracking, but I had been looking diligently for over 8 months at that point and was willing to take the risk. The dress was perfect-it was classic and timeless but the lace was unique enough that it didn’t look like every other lace wedding dress out there. It’s art deco feel matched the Ahwhanee’s old Hollywood vibe perfectly.
Her Advice for Other Brides
Find good vendors, and then let them do their job. I live in DC and my wedding was in California, so I had to do the whole thing from a distance. My family joked that I would be a bridezilla since I have control freak tenancies, but working from a distance forced me to do my research on the vendors I hired. I asked the Ahwahnee for references, and searched the internet for reviews of each of the vendors, which I suggest highly. Its easy to get wrapped up in planning your perfect day and forget that these people are professionals who pull off hundreds of successful weddings a year. If you put in the time to find the right vendors, they will take care of the rest (if you let them). I put a lot of faith in my vendors to help me find the right flowers, the right hair and make up etc, and the result was a PERFECT wedding. Even with the benefit of hindsight, there isn’t an element I would change, and I owe a lot of that to my vendors.
Ashley’s Wedding Dress: Rosa Clara Laura
Photography: Johnny Stafford Photography
Mona and Tom crafted their wedding to include the traditions and rituals that were most meaningful to them. Held at the school where they live and work, their wedding was a perfect reflection of who they are and their commitment to each other. It was exactly what a wedding should be.
Mona & Tom | June 26, 2010 | Darrow School New Lebanon, New York
How SHE proposed
I proposed to him in front of the whole school community where we live and work, during Friday lunch announcements. Tom and I had already decided to get married and found the perfect rings, but I wanted to let the small community know in a way that surprised Tom and let everyone know (instead of having them find out through rumors). I shared the story of having met Tom (after surrendering the matchmaking to God), and then had the students help me ask the question by rushing in, in a row, holding the painted letters on paper. I held the ME, just to keep it clear, and gave him his diamond eternity ring.
The ceremony
The ceremony was very unique and meaningful, as we had already been legally married (in Maui on Thanksgiving eve)
and could focus on the spiritual, familial, and social aspects of our union. I researched and created a family tree project showing our lineages coming together,
and we made a chuppah (Jewish structure representing the home) out of branches and ivory chiffon.
We hired a female officiant who weaved our ceremony together beautifully. It included a Shinto sake ceremony, where we drank out of three cups of ascending size,
readings of beautiful excepts read by my two sisters and Tom’s two brothers, prayers for our deceased relatives and for equality in marriage rights, our own vows, and a Celtic hand-fasting ritual. At the end, our family and friends were asked to make two concentric circles around us and offer their blessings and hopes for us as a couple, Quaker-style.
The reception
The reception included dinner in a hexagon tent nearby, decorated in our theme colors of chocolate brown, grass green, and ivory, and a trip to a small
family-run bowling alley for cosmic bowling (Tom is a competitive bowler). We had organic, local food served family-style (mixed greens and strawberries salad with a maple balsamic vinagrette, cedar-grilled salmon with a blueberry-mango salsa, filet mignon with garlic herbed butter, grilled vegetables and mashed potatoes. For dessert, we had a chocolate fountain with various dipping choices and flourless chocolate cake. I showed a PowerPoint of the two of us growing up in pictures, and invited everyone to join us for bowling, with the option of riding a school bus (driven by our colleague and friend) to the bowling alley. Everyone had a blast bowling to a CD mixed by a friend of mine, disco lights, and old-school scoring sheets (pencil and paper).
Splurges and Savings
We saved a lot on most things, using the campus where we live and work and met as the venue (my family stayed in the dorm where we have an apartment), making the invitations and centerpieces and chuppah myself, leaving the tent before dark (saving on lighting, dance floor, DJ, etc), using the school bus as transportation, using the school caterer for the food and borrowing their tables and other items, and having a chocolate fountain rather than a wedding cake.
I splurged on my wedding dress (gift from my mom, otherwise I would have spent $300 max), my appointments for the day (manicure, pedicure, hair and makeup), the tent and decor, and mineral baths for our family the day before at Saratoga Springs.
How she knew her wedding dress was “THE ONE”
I poured through tons of wedding magazines and websites, visited several wedding dress stores, including a rental service in Los Angeles, and probably tried on more than thirty dresses before finding the perfect one. Since I wanted the wedding to be “green/sustainable”, I went to a store in Saratoga Springs that sold eco-friendly dresses. I came away with pictures of five dresses that I liked, and emailed them to my family for review (since they live half the world away.) Their selections confirmed my choice, and I went with the one that spoke to me as a person and flattered my figure (even though it wasn’t made of fair-trade cotton).
Her advice for other brides
My advice for other brides is to choose only the elements and traditions that speak to you, and make decisions based on what feels right to you. It is a wonderful opportunity to express who you are as a person and a couple, and what marriage/love means to you, and you can toss out outdated, sexist, or expensive traditions while designing a ceremony and event that comes from your heart and soul.
The moments Mona will never forget
There are so many moments that were memorable from our day, from the drizzle that threatened to move the ceremony inside but stopped just in time, to drinking sake from the biggest cup which represents having children and seeing Tom grin wide, to my father and mother speaking up at the family circle at the end of the ceremony, to enjoying a wonderful dinner and seeing all our closest friends and family in the same place under the tent around us, to the amazing sunset we saw before heading off to bowl, to finding out that there was a full moon and lunar eclipse on the day we had scheduled months before for practical reasons, to Tom and me bowling side-by-side and getting the same score on the first round of bowling (91, good for me and uncharacteristically low for him), to dancing with him while bowling in my dress and him in his suit.
