A beautiful and fun day with a family rock and roll band completing the festivities! Check it out …
from the photographers: “We loved this dreamy spring wedding in Pasadena, California that took place this June. The most beautiful flowers are in bloom, the weather is perfect, and who doesn’t want to come to a destination wedding in Los Angeles when you have so many iconic places to visit?
Our bride Veronica was so intentional about the way she planned her day. She incorporated her own personal flair into her and Grant’s day with flowers from the Socal flower market in downtown LA, a hello kitty guessing game to engage her guests, and surprised everyone by singing and playing guitar alongside her dad with the band Decades of Rock (DoRk). Their reception overlooking the beautiful San Gabriel Mountains in Pasadena was held in a friend’s backyard, and it made for the best garden party.
We work as a hybrid team using both film and digital photography. Juan shot this wedding with film using Konica Hexar AF with Kodak Portra 400, Kodak Portra 160 and Santa Color 100 film as well.”
Tell us a funny story relating to your wedding day or relationship!
Veronica thought she lost the wedding rings the day before the wedding. She freaked out and tried to retrace her steps, called everyone she had seen the day before (besides Grant!), and even frantically searched the Ralph’s supermarket parking lot that she had stopped at for groceries the day before. Thankfully, Grant overheard her on the phone talking to her dad, and she was talking about keeping an eye out for a small pink bag, and Grant asked her dad, “Wait, is she talking about the bag with the wedding rings that she gave me yesterday to hold onto?” So everything worked out!
Any special ways you incorporated your family or family history into your wedding day?
We had our wedding ceremony at First Presbyterian Church of Altadena, the church that four generations of Veronica’s family has attended over the past 65 years. Although we enjoyed incorporating some wedding traditions, we also tried to interpret them in ways that were meaningful to us. Instead of asking the bride’s father to give her away when he walked her down the aisle, we had all four of our parents respond to the question, “Who lends their support to this couple?” We also had both of our moms light family candles that we then used to light a unity candle, which made us feel like we were acknowledging the importance of our mothers in our lives.
One important part about how we incorporated family into our wedding – we had Veronica’s dad’s classic rock band, Decades of Rock (or DoRk) be our wedding band. Veronica is in the band, along with her God Father, and a bunch of other lifelong friends of her dad’s who are all honorary uncles to her! Not too often you see a bride on stage singing and playing bass guitar!
What part of your wedding day was/is most important to you?
We valued writing our vows to one another. It was a special moment for us to articulate what we appreciate, admire, and love about one another directly to each another, while also in the midst of so many important people from both of our lives. After we said our own vows, we also recited traditional vows as well. People are still talking about how special our vows were, and some family and friends have even asked for copies of them! So sweet!
What is your favorite thing about each other?
We both admire each other’s creativity and sense of adventure.
What was your favorite part about planning your wedding?
It was fun when each decision would finally click and we would feel like things were falling into place. The first thing we knew for sure is that we wanted a buffet with Hawaiian food. Veronica also wanted to do something fun and different, so we designed a game where guests would guess how many Hello Kitty stuffed animals were in a display case at the reception. Everyone who knows Veronica knows she has always loved Hello Kitty, so it made it a very unique part of the reception. The winner won a prize. It was super fun!
Photographer: Juan and Emily
Venue: First Presbyterian Church of Altadena
Floral Designer (arch, bridal party bouquets, boutonnieres): Mak’s Flowers
Cake Designer: Takes the Cake
Makeup Artist: Emblushe Beaute
Hair Stylist: Curtis Chung at Studio 55 Pasadena
Rentals: Arcadia Party Rentals
Film Lab: Ball Photo Supply
Secondary Florist (parents corsages, boutonnieres, flower girl corsage): Tumbleweed Pasadena
Catering: Mainland Catering
Band: Decades of Rock
Photo Booth: Fotobooth+
Publisher at The White Wren and Bajan Wed, Award Winning Photography + Videographer at Live View Studios, Dad, 80s music lover, crunchy health advocate
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