November 21st, 2018
I can hardly believe that two years have passed since our wedding day! I meant to post this yesterday, but was enjoying the day offline celebrating and spending time with Adam.
I've never shared many photos or details about our big day, so I thought now would be a great time to do so. After our wedding, I did an interview with my wedding dress designer, David Peck, that he featured on his blog. Our wedding was also featured in a spread in Modern Luxury, and the two interviews covered everything from my dress, to the menu, event planning and all about the venue. I figured sharing the Q & A's with you would be a great way to tell you the story of our big day.
Everything was truly perfect, and thinking about it puts the biggest smile on my face. My only regret is that I can't relive this day over and over again!
Enjoy!
Where did you get married?
We got married at the Fairmont Hotel in San Francisco in their Penthouse Suite.
What did you like about your venue?
The Penthouse Suite is known for its expansive 6,000 square foot space, stunning terrace overlooking downtown San Francisco, and most importantly, its notable guest. Some of the guests have included President Obama, President Truman, Nat King Cole, Tony Bennett, Mick Jagger, Elton John, Prince Charles, and King Hussein to name a few. John F. Kennedy also frequented the suite, and it is rumored that the trap door located on the second floor of the two story library was where he would whisk Marilyn Monroe in and out of while he was there. The location helped set the scene for what I wanted for our wedding - glamorous, picturesque, over-the-top, and very timeless - in a modern sense of the word!
Adam and I met in San Francisco (where we both lived at the time), before we moved to Houston five (now seven) years ago. For this reason, it was important to us to return to the City by the Bay for our wedding. No only had we meet at the Fairmont, but the hotel also holds many personal, lifelong memories for both of us.
Bride’s Gown
My dress was custom-made by a local atelier/designer, David Peck. From the moment we started sketching out ideas for my gown, I knew it was going to be a one-of-a-kind beauty that I would cherish forever. I also knew that I didn't want my wedding dress to be the traditional white, but instead blush pale pink. Having always been my favorite color, it was not only fitting of my personality, but also our relationship.
The cap sleeves on the dress were originally part of my mother's wedding dress, and had to be dip-dyed the perfect shade of blush over 10 times. Creating movement, a statement piece, and something that could be worn again and again, was an important part of my wedding dress "design story." Creating something that is made to measure that truly no one else on earth has, was only the beginning of our unique wedding. The feathers and beading added an effortless whimsical touch.
What did you like about your wedding planner?
I planned everything myself, with the help of the Caterings Sale/Event Manager at the Fairmont. Any of the decor used - napkins, tablecloths, candles, place settings, etc. I ordered and designed. I also orchestrated and planned the wedding in its entirety in less than two months. That being said, the gown had been being made for nearly a year, we just didn't have a date picked yet!!
Although they weren’t my wedding planner per se, I loved working with the Fairmont. They were incredibly responsive, and met all my expectations and exceeded them. Being an out of town bride (although I was familiar with the venue), I had lots of major and minor requests, and questions. They made me feel confident and at ease, and did everything they could to make our day extra special.
Describe your vision/inspiration for your wedding day. Did you have a specific theme?
I wanted something that was old-Hollywood glam. Very classy, timeless, but also with flair. I wanted to make sure we added to our space in the Penthouse Suite, and compliment it in the best way possible. I knew pink had to play a big part, and I couldn’t have asked for a more beautiful setting and day.
What was your favorite part of your wedding day?
I loved that our day was truly about us – from start to finish. After the ceremony, we had a little break before dinner/’the reception’ and we went into the billiard room, and I kicked off my wedding shoes and traded them for slippers. I watched shoot Adam and I attempted and failed multiple times, but we laughed - it was really fun and special. We got to truly enjoy and take in that special moment after saying “I do” in an incredibly unique way.
What was your color scheme?
Pale pinks, cream and gold.
Were there any new trends that you incorporated, or did you decide to go more traditional?
I think we kept it very traditional. When I describe our wedding to others, I say that it was a full blown wedding, just without the people! From start to finish, it was important to us to not overlook any details. For example, documenting us getting ready, cards to one another we read before the wedding, first look, music, first dance, cake cutting – we didn’t miss a beat. What made it “trendy” if you will, was that we did all this just for the two of us. I have heard countless brides and friends tell me that their biggest regret of their wedding was not getting to spend more time with their husband – I can’t imagine having had it any other way.
How would you describe your personal style and fashion (wedding dress/tux)?
Being a self-proclaimed fashionista and fashion lover, having my personal style shine through on my big day was undoubtedly a priority for me. For this reason, that is why I chose to costume make my dress and be involved every step of the way. Clothing not only is a form of self-expression, but it also tells a story. I wanted my wedding dress to be something that was outside the box and extra special, but also something that I could wear again in the future. While the silhouette was traditional, all the details, including the color were more fun and edgy. Glam, classy with a touch of trendy is how I’d describe my everyday style, which I think shone through in my dress, as well. Adam’s tuxedo was timeless, and I loved getting to add a little silliness to it by giving him a pair of fun socks to wear down the aisle (be sure to check them out in the pictures)!
What kind of flowers did you pick for your centerpieces and bouquet?
I loved being able to work with Ornamento – not only are their creations stunning, but they are incredibly unique. When I was planning the wedding, I told them the color scheme I was working with and said I wanted arrangements to be bold, beautiful, over the top, and one-of-a-kind. Since we were in the Penthouse Suite, I really wanted the flowers to be as glamourous (if not more so), as our venue. Surprisingly enough, the flowers were the one thing I didn’t have a hand in – yes, I told them my color scheme and showed them inspiration pieces and that I wanted to have peonies, but besides that, I let Ornamento take full creative control.
What kind of food did you serve?
We had a delicious five course dinner. Since it was just the two of us, we were able to pick some of our very favorite foods, which was really fun. Our first course was caprese salad, followed by French onion soup, gnocchi, filet mignon and then wedding cake for dessert.
What flavor(s) did you pick for your cake?
We had a beautiful two-tier cake with his/her’s flavors. The bottom tier was “his” – and was chocolate cake with chocolate ganache filling and buttercream frosting, and “her” tier was lemon cake with raspberry filling and buttercream frosting.
What was the most memorable moment of your reception?
We had a pianist perform during our dinner/”reception,” and in between courses, we loved going to talk to the pianist and requesting some of our favorite songs.
Where did you go for your honeymoon?
We went to India and Nepal for three weeks. In Nepal, we had the opportunity in Kathmandu to base camp at Mt. Everest which is over 17,000 feet.
I loved creating the most memorable day of our lives, and being involved in the entire process every step of the way. The day uniquely ours – from my pink wedding dress, to our 6,000 square foot venue for two, it was a traditional wedding in the most untraditional sense, which is just like us. If you have any specific questions, let me know!
Wedding Site | Fairmont Hotel San Francisco - Penthouse Suite
Bride’s Shoes | Jimmy Choo
Groom's Shoes | Ferragamo
Rings | Custom made by Kaira
Music & Entertainment | Entire Productions
Flowers | Ornamento
Cake | Kelly Zubal of Inticing Creations
Food and Drink | The Fairmont Hotel, San Francisco
Photographer | Jean-Baptiste Jacqout of JBJ Pictures
Videographer | Brittany Jacquot of JBJ Pictures
Officiant | Tom Wolfe
Custom Made Isle Runner | The Original Runner Co
Stationary | Minted
Beauty | Adelina Eidelman
His Fashion |Custom Made Tux by J.Hilburn; Shirt from Hamilton Shirts; Custom cufflinks by Kaira
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