The goal for Nicole and Raymond when it came to their wedding was to recreate the mood of their first date! Years after they first met, Nicole invited Raymond to a housewarming party for her new apartment. The backyard was on a cliff overlooking the ocean with truly gorgeous sunsets so there was a hammock strung up and the two accidentally spent the entire night ignoring the party, talking about adventures they’d been on, adventures they’d like to go on, and laughing about anything and everything… and the rest was history!!
…And fun fact! The first few seconds of the video slideshow that played during the couple’s first dance are actually from that night. They wanted all the sunset and sunrise colors and clouds to really capture what it was like swinging in that hammock and watching the sky change. A love story from the heavens!!
The Revery in Los Angeles was the perfect venue for these lovebirds. The couple had Feathered Arrow Events help plan their big day while also enlisting the mastery of the florists at Going Steady Studios. Photographer Gabbie Burseth was on site all day snapping away at every big moment and let us tell you, you guys are in for a treat!
A Romantic Day in Los Angeles
When we asked the bride to tell us how she found her perfect gown she said it was a funny story… “I was actually supposed to wear an entirely different dress. Our families had coordinated with a dressmaker in the Philippines to make me a traditional Filipiniana dress for the ceremony but it ended up not working out. I spent about a day panicking before I decided it doesn’t really matter as long as I feel good and had a great time.” So true!!
“In the end, I wore the same dress I wore to our secret elopement in Joshua Tree the year before (a tiny 6-person ceremony since we didn’t feel ready to gather as a huge group just yet). It was simple, minimalist, and entirely opposite the dress code of the guests (Met Gala/Filipiniana), which ended up being a total mood — I love subverting expectations and keeping everyone (myself included!) guessing. A few people asked if I was disappointed to not have as dramatic of a dress as all the guests but I would never want anyone to dim their light to let me shine. It can also be argued that minimalist dresses can be just as much of a statement as maximalist dresses, especially as a contrast.”
If these photos tell us anything…it’s that this group knows how to have FUN!
A Walk Down the Aisle
Processional: Nicole's walk -- Electric Feel (Cover) by Henry Green
Recessional: Recessional: Walking on a Dream by Empire of the Sun
First Dance: First Dance: (Slideshow with music) Childish Gambino's cover of So Into You by Tamia
Nicole - I will never ever get over crowd surfing during the emo power-half-hour at the end of the night. I remember scream-singing at the top of my lungs, looking up at the mirror balls through the refraction glasses we gave to every guest, and watching the multi-colored hearts dance among the clouds. Pure joy.
Raymond - the walk we took after the ceremony with our photographer Gabbie. It was really nice getting some time with just us two and dancing in the rain to no music was pretty romantic.
Loving these jewels in her hair! Such a fun and simple way to dress up a bridal hairdo!
A Reception Full of Style
Guests found their tables with a cloud-themed seating chart with pins they could take home to commemorate this dreamy day!
This day came together so seamlessly! The couple shares that they actually didn’t see any mock-ups or trial runs from their florist or lighting/staging team — they chose them because their portfolios made the couple sit up and get genuinely excited! …Exactly how your vendors should make you feel! Confident and excited!
If you are still looking for your wedding vendors, be sure to check our GWS Preferred Wedding Artist Guide!
The bride tells us: “If you would’ve asked me a year ago if gummy worms and bittermelon belonged in wedding floral arrangements, I would’ve gasped and said, ‘I’ve never seen that so YES, they belong at our wedding!’ Choose excellent vendors and trust them to do what they do best, the ones with portfolios that match your style will know how to make surprises truly delightful.”
Let’s Disco All Night
Nicole shared with us a great tip for visually-oriented thinkers like herself which was to create a visual map of the venue. “I made a deck with a slide for each section of the venue and outlined notes for what each vendor would contribute and how details should be arranged. During the planning process, it really helped me identify opportunities for creative details and Kari, our wonderful mastermind wedding planner, was equipped to highlight missing details and anticipate possible obstacles to ensure we could actually execute on our vision. It also helped our vendors get a sense of how all of their work would come together and see the full picture so they could adjust accordingly in advance and make every detail truly seamless.”
“My reception dress was a midi-length, ivory silk organza dress from Kamperett. I bought it during a time when they donated all sales to refugees from Ukraine and it meant a lot to me that my dress could help bring some good into this world. Style-wise, the tiered panels with white pearl edges felt fun and elevated — exactly the vibe I wanted for our day. I did end up ripping a huge hole in the bottom of it while crowd surfing but I can’t say I have any regrets.”
Hey, if there’s any way to rip a hole in your gown…crowd surfing amongst your guests is surely the way to do it!!!!
The couple leaves us with one final piece of wisdom:
Lean into everything that truly sparks joy (full fireworks, not just baby sparklers) and let go of everything that doesn’t. Whether the budget is limited or not, your time and attention is limited — spend them on details that really make your heart sing. You’ll forget everything that doesn’t make you feel that electric joy in the long run anyway.
Congratulation to Nicole & Raymond on your wedding day! We wish you endless years of love and happiness!
photography: Gabbie Burseth // venue name: The Revery LA, Los Angeles, CA, USA // planning: Feathered Arrow Events // florals: Going Steady Studios // wedding dress: Second Dress - Kamperett // makeup artist: nxtlvl Cosmetics // handmade details: The Bride and Groom // catering: Critics Choice Catering // desserts: Critics Choice Catering // tabletop rentals: Stephanie's Linens // linen rentals: Stephanie's Linens // music: Aaron Adrii // models: The Seating Chart Pins - Your Stuff Made // lighting: Stage Labs // photo booth: Smilebooth
Hello from the bride! This entire day was truly wonderful and so much fun. Infinite gratitude for our vendors that made the dream come true!
See our first dance slideshow here: https://youtu.be/tRFEesqDCu8
And see me crowd surfing here:
https://youtube.com/shorts/iBQZaGo8hNE?feature=share
Wow, this is so amazing!! So tasteful and fun 😍