Handmade Film-Inspired Los Angeles Wedding: Kira + Tyler

Silverlake Wedding

Kira + Tyler both moved to Los Angeles to work in the film industry, so their mutual love of movies and old Hollywood was a big inspiration for their stylish Silver Lake wedding at The Holding Co. They thought of some pret-ty fun ways to infuse their personalities into the setting and chose not to hire a wedding planner because, as Kira put it, We wanted all of the ideas for this day to come from our brains and hearts. Below, she shares more about some of the ways they really made this special celebration their own, which can translate to some great advice for all couples who are hoping to do the same!

We hired the illustrator Joanna Avillez to draw us and our dogs and our favorite things in life (donuts, movies, pie, the Brooklyn Bridge (under which we got engaged)) and we used those on our wedding invitations, programs, and website. Instead of having an exclusive rehearsal dinner, we invited everyone to Echo Park Lake for a picnic and bought tacos from our favorite place in Los Angeles (Guisados!). We used the entire weekend to invite our friends and family, from near and far, to experience the way we live our life together. If every detail honors that, the wedding can’t help but be extraordinarily special.

We think in about 2 seconds flat, you’re going to fall for Kira + Tyler and Phil Chester’s perfect captures from the day!

Silverlake Wedding

lace dress

Silverlake Wedding

Our Favorite Memory From The Wedding

It rained all morning and afternoon, and I was a nervous wreck by the time we drove to the venue. We had spent all the previous day with our family setting up the outdoor area of the venue for the wedding, and I was so sad that we would have to scramble to move it inside with a makeshift altar and walk through dinner tables to say "I do." It wasn't how I had spent the last 9 months planning it! I got to the venue a half hour before our ceremony and it was still pouring. The Holding Co., our venue, led me to a quiet room upstairs and lit a candelabra where I had a quiet cry in romantic candlelight. A half hour later, all our guests cheered downstairs. I asked what happened and they said the electricity had come back on -- I hadn't even noticed the venue (and all the surrounding blocks) had lost power during the rainstorm! I just thought the candelabra was a romantic, calming touch, not a necessity. Anyhow, the power came on, the sun came out, the birds began chirping, and our al fresco ceremony was saved! I walked up the aisle with both my mom and dad on my arm, the sun shining overhead, but not as bright as Tyler's blue, weepy eyes at the end of the aisle! The waterworks didn't stop completely, however -- we went on to create plenty of face-rain during the ceremony.

Silverlake Wedding

Silverlake Wedding

Silverlake Wedding

ceremony programs

Silverlake Wedding

Silverlake Wedding

Silverlake Wedding

Silverlake Wedding

Silverlake Wedding

Silverlake Wedding

Our Musical Choices

Processional: You Are All I See – Active Child

Recessional: You Can Call Me Al – Paul Simon

First Dance: Laundry Room – The Avett Brothers

Silverlake Wedding

i sure do gold balloons

vintage car portraits

vintage car portraits

vintage car portraits

How have we gotten this far into the feature without mentioning Kira’s amaze wedding dress?! That blue beauty was a vintage find from Gossamer Vintage + we can’t imagine a more perfect fit for such an adorable bride!

Silverlake Wedding

Silverlake Wedding

Silverlake Wedding

Silverlake Wedding

Silverlake Wedding

Silverlake Wedding

Silverlake Wedding

Silverlake Wedding

Silverlake Wedding

poetry on demand

Our friend had a huge moon that was used on the Conan set at some point, and we hung that up because Tyler has a big moon tattoo and my grandmother always said that in order to beat my sisters’ weddings (which were destination weddings in Italy & Hawaii), I’d have to get married on the moon! 

Silverlake Wedding

Tyler is an editor, and he cut together a 20-minute clip reel of our favorite love moments from our favorite movies, from Pierrot le Fou to Minnie and Moscowitz, Amelie, It’s a Wonderful Life, Singin’ in the Rain’, and Up, which we projected onto the white wall above our heads during dinner. 

Silverlake Wedding

Silverlake Wedding

Silverlake Wedding

Our Advice To Those Planning Now

Start early! Get major decisions out of the way immediately (venue, caterer, etc.) so that you can take your time with the cumbersome planning minutiae, such as which color polka-dot straws to order from Etsy for your specialty cocktails. Also: Surprise your new spouse on the wedding day! I surprised Tyler with a 3-piece brass band that showed up right after we cut the cake, and they boogied through the crowd, playing their horns along with our DJ's rad music. It was such fun for us and our guests to be able to dance next to a trumpet, French trombone, and saxophone along with records playing the English Beat.

photography: Phil Chester // venue name: The Holding Co., Los Angeles, California // florals: All purchased by ourselves from the LA Flower District downtown, and then put together by our family & friends! Kira's Aunt, Leslie Mauer, made all of the bouquets // bride's shoes: Sam Edelman // hair stylist: Jill Fogel // makeup artist: Jill Fogel // catering: Claud & Co. // music: Spindle Sound // hotel: The Line Hotel // classic car: Regency Car Rentals // grom's suit: Paul Smith // socks: The Tie Bar // poem store: Jacqueline Suskin // bride's dress: Vintage dress from Gossamer Vintage, new dress by Jenny Yoo at BHLDN, made into a whole new beautiful dress by dressmaker Tashina Hunter // horns: The Downtown Horns // mural: Abram Makowka // video projection: Movie Clips were done by bride, Dancing Video was done by Laura Taylor / cake: Erin McKenna's Bakery // donuts: Fonuts // apple fritters: Bob's Doughnuts at the Grove Farmer's Market // rice krispy treats: Stella Barra // cookies: Stella Barra // mochi: FugetsuDo, Little Tokyo downtown // invitations: Aardvark Letterpress // invitation: Joanna Avillez // website artwork: Joanna Avillez

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