What creative or personal aspects did you include in your wedding?
So many of our vendors were friends – from the incredible photographer Lisa Vortman & florist Mari Robinson to our best man Kenny from the band Goon. Kenny also played guitar as we walked down the aisle. His wife Emmy, our cellist who plays with Halsey, Weezer, Olivia Rodrigo, and had to fly out the next day to play Jimmy Kimmel!
We even ended up picking the same cake shop & flavors as my husband Jake’s mom did 30 years ago. Our rings were from Jake’s mom and biological dad, who sadly passed when he was eight. They are so meaningful to us.
My dad officiated the wedding and we ordered a custom cake topper with our dog from Etsy vendor Happy Cake Topper – which somehow shipped out of Ukraine during the Russian invasion. We loved supporting small businesses on Etsy like Dareth Colburn Designs, Copper Lane Gift Co. and The Paisley Peacock.
The talented Meredith Schneider was not only a bridesmaid but hair & makeup, too along with Nicolette Cabe. Music was very important to us – since Jake first reached out to me about an interview I did for UCLA’s Daily Bruin with the band Dawes (whose lead singer also met his wife Mandy Moore online:). So we found the amazing vinyl Lovesick Deejays and created DIY posters and flyers for the wedding.
What’s the biggest thing you did to save money?
We chose an all-inclusive venue with food, drinks, and decor included. We hired friends and made the seating charts and flyers ourselves. I also found my wedding dress at Kleinfeld’s but bought it in New Jersey (no sales tax).
What’s the best advice you have for planning your wedding now that you’re on the other side?
Choose what is important to you and don’t worry about spending a lot of money on the rest. Involving friends and family saves money and also can make the day more meaningful!
What was your biggest splurge?
Our biggest splurge was the venue!
Did you do any DIY projects or create any handmade items for your wedding?
My husband Jake made the amazing flyers (with a Spotify scan code that went to a wedding playlist we created). He also made the seating chart. Each table was marked by a favorite album of ours – which we had or bought CDs for from eBay.
We also ordered guest book and gift stickers that we put on 7-inch records. An unforeseen DIY project was a bridesmaid dress that ripped (but another bridesmaid was a Broadway dresser and fixed it so it still looked good).
What is the most memorable moment of your day?
The most memorable moment for me was when he dipped me for the kiss!
What was your favorite detail?
Having our music friends play our ceremony, having my dad officiate & using Jake’s parents rings. Also, the golden cake topper with our dog Jerry.
