From cotton candy, to a custom beer bar, a classic photo booth, a confetti drop, and one AWESOME venue — Big Daddy’s Antiques in Los Angeles (also featured in our Top 26 Coolest Places to Get Married), we’re pretty darn smitten over this quirky wedding. Callie + Tom wanted their day to be one giant party; one where the right music would keep everyone on their feet, and the custom cocktails would never end. And that’s exactly what they did! To personalize the day, the duo enlarged old photo strips of the couple through the years to display at each table, their dog acted as the flower girl, and craft beer from each of their home towns was served.
Callie shares The inspiration was a little all over the place. Our biggest motivation was making the day FUN and special for everyone involved. The venue is the axis of everything, and we got really lucky because it included chairs, tables + décor. Once we found our designer, Shindig Chic, things really started to fall into place! We found our other vendors through our designer + photographer, and it was so wonderful to be surrounded by people who already had a great working relationship… They made our ideas come to fruition and we felt free to cherry pick the traditions that felt meaningful to us.
Let’s see all the fun captured by Mary Costa!
Callie’s tattoo is not the only way that this couple’s darling pup made an appearance… You’ll see more from Rilo in a bit!
That cotton candy dress by My Wony Bridal is full of whimsy + delight.
How dreamy are those beaded Adrianna Papell bridesmaids gowns?
Hello dapper gent!! Tom is wearing a suit from The Black Tux.
Such cool cats.
Callie found velvet ribbon to match the ‘maids dresses for the ceremony backdrop.
Processional: Here We Go by Jon Brion; Oh My Love by John Lennon
Recessional: Palaces of Montezuma by Grinderman
First Dance: I Love You, Honeybear by Father John Misty
At GWS, we’re big fans of incorporating your pet(s) into the wedding day… And we can’t get over the cuteness of their pup, Rilo, right here!!
The edgy-meets-rustic bouquet by Shindig Chic featured pops of kale + white anemones.
We’re LOVING this locker storage/beer tap bar! The bride shares We didn’t want our guests to be bored during the hour or so when we were taking family and couple’s photos… So we had a beer bar, coloring books, and a palm reader to tell our guests fortunes while they sipped drinks + snacked on an awesome cheese spread and pickle bar — a nod to two of our favorite foods.
We took the time to write a personal thank you note to each guest on the back of vintage postcards. Our florist wrote the name + table number of the guest in calligraphy on each card. This gave us a chance to express our feelings and let each guest know how much it meant to us to have them there.
The photo booth strips for each table number were such a fun touch. Don’t you think?
The paper goods are from Minted.
This is a tough one. We stayed up all night after the guests were gone and it was just the two of us rehashing every moment of the day. More than any single moment, the feeling of the whole day was so singular and wonderful. It just felt magical.
One of Tom's favorite memories was finding a gift and note Callie hid in his suit pocket for him to discover as he was getting ready. One of Callie's favorite moments was hearing Tom's best friend Shawn's touching Best Man speech while we sat at our sweetheart table looking out over all of our closest friends and family. Another favorite moment was the surprise Callie arranged for her dad, she asked the DJ to fade out the slow song of the father daughter dance and change it to "Mr. Lee", a song he used to sing in the car when she was little.
Callie shares The best advice I got was to let go on the day and just be present in the moment. Let the wave of love and happiness carry you through and don’t worry if things go wrong. Take moments throughout the day to connect with your new spouse. Check in with each other and take it all in. Have fun! It’s your party!
What a spread!! Romega Catering provided all the delicious bites + their cake was by Coco Bakes.
Make it yours! Our guests have told us that their favorite parts were the personal touches. We had a section on our invitations that asked each guest what song was guaranteed to get them on the dance floor and we shared this list with our DJ to make sure guests of all ages would have an excuse to get up and dance.
Making it personal takes time and work — so start early, do it together + try to make it fun. Getting an early start on planning meant we had little projects to do every weekend but never so much work that we were truly drowning. We asked our friends and family to pitch in and everyone was more than willing to help out. Don't feel like you have to do everything yourself, your loved ones want to feel included.
When you start the planning process make a list of the most important things to each of you and from there, cull your “must-haves" and your “would-be-nice-to-haves.” Your time and budget will determine which things can fall away, leaving just the most important pieces.
Congrats Callie + Tom!!
photography: Mary Costa Photography // venue name: Big Daddy's Antiques, Culver City, California, USA // event design: Shindig Chic // planning: Samantha Dapper // florals: Shindig Chic // wedding dress: My Wony Bridal // hairpiece: Bella Bridal Veils // bride's ring: Icing on the Ring // bridesmaid dresses: Adrianna Papell // makeup artist: Alix Taylor // groom attire: The Black Tux // paper goods: Minted // calligraphy: Shindig Chic - Erin Long // catering: Romega Catering // cake: Coco Bakes // desserts: ICDC // tabletop rentals: Pico Party Rents // linen rentals: Bon Puf - Cotton Candy // music: Dart Collective
What a great wedding! The photography is spot on, so difficult to shoot and edit with different light sources.
Oh, I adore the beer bar! Serving alcohol that is unique – or in a unique way – is often forgotten as one of the big impact opportunities. Let’s be real, a lot of guests have expectations of an open bar which means they’re going to spend a lot of time around the alcohol. Giving some thought on elevating their experience with alcohol is a great way make a wow statement.
All we are going to say is: Oh My! Totally speechless. I think I want my own wedding to be like this. I wish we’ve had such querky places in Bali. :(
Oh this wedding looks incredible! Lovely looking couple and the images are exquisite!
What a cool venue.
Awesome! I love bride’s dress! I love that wedding!
Nice Couple.
Best wishes on this wonderful journey, as you build your new lives together.
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