What is your favorite wedding day memory?

Bride: At dinner… sitting under the stars with my husband, looking around and seeing friends and family, some who had never met, share in laughter like no one had a care in the world.

Groom: Standing up on the altar, watching my beautiful wife walk towards me and knowing that we had finally made it to this day… to this alter that we had stood on invisibly for the past year while plotting our wedding out… to a day that marked our new chapter as a family.

What did you DIY for your wedding?

What didn’t we?! This shindig was a labor of love, literally. Being an event producer and Jason a general contractor, the details were ever so important and more meaningful if we could put our spin on them. Here’s the line up…

Outdoor Dining Room: We dreamt up {and then Jason built} a 45’ x 45’ x 10’ tall open air wooden structure, where our dining tables could live on the perimeter and the dance floor in the center. I then bought 300 yards of white fabric from Downtown LA and went to town with a light dusting of white drape. I have to mention, Jason also spray painted all of the hardware gold, knowing that no one would notice but me and that’s true love!

Bars: My uncle found these deco wrought iron console pieces and we refinished with a coat of white paint and built custom wooden tops for them. To tie it all together, we created bookshelf inspired wooden back bars so we could add some design and flair to the drinking scene. Jason also made a wooden + copper lined beer trough for easy grab and go action.

The Details: Floating letters in the pool reading “He Surfs, She Sparkles” that we’re painted, glittered and assembled to float in the pool. Tip: use thin acrylic strips to piece the words together so they don’t get jumbled and tie fishing line with weights on the bottom so they don’t move around. Stationary & Signage. I did all the graphic design via Canva {so easy!} programs, menus, directional signage, vinyl transfers and more. Our Escort Cards. We stained a 4×8 piece of plywood, cut up leftover prints from our Save The Dates, hand-wrote names + table numbers and applied a beautiful quote with a white vinyl transfer. Hand painted maracas. Shout out to my BFF for taking on the task of painting 100 maracas with gold. These were used at the ceremony and then anytime after when there was a moment of excitement. Lastly, we also DIY-ed our ceremony arch, cocktail napkins, table numbers on agate slabs, gold painted lawn flamingos and more! While we did rent much of the basic items like our tables, chairs, linens… we had fun with purchasing new + vintage decor to put our stamp on the look. Area rugs, end tables, vases, candle holders, and little bits and bobs to jazz up any station.

Did you have something old, new borrowed and blue?

While I was keen to shy away from much tradition, my mom was keen on this one. We opted for “Something old, new, sparkly, and blue.” So she supplied me with an antique ring box with a blue linen inlay for our wedding rings, had me wear my grandmother’s wedding band, and I found a really fun headpiece that checked off the sparkle. It was simple and sentimental.

Any advice for brides currently in the planning process?

Don’t feel obligated to do anything but you. We allowed this day to be exactly what it was intended to be – a day to celebrate our love for one another, a time to unite our family and friends, and a moment in time that had our special stamp on it. The stress of traditions and customs can be overwhelming or simply feel inauthentic to who you are as a couple – so to hell with them. We opted out of a bridal party, stayed true to our guest list, and ate tacos. Not feeling like we had to follow any guideline or rules, we had so much fun curating our wedding weekend to all of the tastes, smells, feels and people we love. -Lena, the Bride

Event Credits

Photography: Callie Biggerstaff Photography // Venue: Private Estate // Design + Production: Kapture Vision // Additional Design + Production: Piecemakers Construction // Day of Coordinator: Poppy Shoppe Productions // Videography: Austin Serr Cinematographer // Florist: Seasonality LA // Catering: Soho Taco // Bar Service: Mint Bartending // Rentals: Opus Rentals // Table Rentals: Signature Party Rentals: // Linen Rentals: Adore Folklore // Lounge Furniture Rental: Planks + Patina // Lighting + Sound: RK Diversified Entertainment // DJ: Dash Weddings // Photo Booth: Classic Photo Booths // Bride's Attire: Made with Love Bridal // Bride's Shoes: Rachel Zoe // Hair + Make-up: Ally Scott Styling // Groom's Attire: Express