Southern Weddings

We’re so thrilled to have the chance to feature Jane + David’s wedding from Jonilyn Photography!  The couple selected the First Congregational Church of Long Beach as the venue for their nuptials for its Italian-inspired architecture, a particularly appropriate choice considering the newlyweds met just before Jane began studying in Italy.  While their wedding ceremony was elegant and breathtakingly romantic, doesn’t the reception at The Reef Restaurant just scream FUN?  Like Jane + David, we’re crazy about the photo booth they set up for guests to dress up and taking funny pictures with, and the bright orange heels Jane paired with her ultra-flattering Marisa gown not only added just the right splash of color and pizzazz but also matched the couple’s orange and olive wedding theme perfectly.  Don’t you just wish you could try a piece of that lemon and raspberry favored cake from Rossmoor Pastries?

How did the two of you meet? Tell us your story. A friend I have known since the 6th grade was David’s college roommate.  David and I didn’t know of each other until I asked my friend to help move equipment with me from my studio at school.  As luck would have it, my friend asked David to come along for the move as well.  While I immediately thought David was someone I wanted to get to know better, David, unfortunately, didn’t yet feel the same way.  Later that summer, I decided to study at an art school in Florence.  Before I left for Italy, David and I met again for our friend’s birthday party.  It was then that we finally exchange phone numbers.  Our first date was a month before I left for Italy.  Just two weeks before I left the country, we made, what most people likely would consider a rash decision and decided to become a couple.  It’s been six years now and we’ve made it through the best and worst times in our lives.  We’ve shared so much together already and I know we always will be there for one another.

What was the design inspiration for your wedding? I had lived in Italy for the first year David and I were together, so I wanted to incorporate at least one thing that had to do with Italy.  The church where we held our ceremony was perfect because it was built in the style of the Italian Florentine Renaissance.  The inside of the church was beautiful and had a dim, romantic feeling to it.  When I found the church, I based my wedding colors and design elements off it.  Our main inspiration, however, was FUN!  We wanted everyone (including ourselves!) to have fun at our wedding.

Favorite design element of your big day: My favorite detail was the warm glow I wanted throughout the ceremony and reception.  We had a lot of people at the wedding but wanted to make sure it was still a warm and intimate affair.  To create a soft, welcoming feeling, we incorporated candles into the aisle flowers at the ceremony site.

Tell us about finding your wedding dress: I didn’t want to go to too many places and see too many dresses because I knew that I would have been overwhelmed and ultimately indecisive.  While I wasn’t particularly picky regarding the style of the dress (so long as it didn’t make me look like a cupcake!), the one thing I knew I wanted for sure was for the dress to be ivory rather than paper white.  In the end, I chose a Marisa dress in a mermaid style.  It was a dress I never thought I would wear, but it was gorgeous and the price was just within our budget!

Describe your wedding flowers: For our flowers, we stuck with the orange and olive colors I love so much.  I had wanted to incorporate branches somewhere in the floral arrangements because David and I love to hike.  Our florist made two different centerpieces with all different shades of oranges and greens. 

Describe your wedding cake: We wanted something really simple so we found an ivory three-tier rounded square with Swiss dots.  Our florist then decorated the cake with flowers and even added branches to the very top.  Of course, the best part about the cake was that it was lemon and raspberry flavored!

Our favorite detail of the wedding was: Our photo booth!  Our photographer set up a backdrop and lights for guests to take photos.  I bought feather boas, big clown glasses, different hats and other props for people to use during their photo shoots.  Even our grandparents got dressed up and took pictures!

What’s next for you as a couple? What are you looking forward to in the future? Continuing our growing business together and looking forward to a having a baby!

The SW girls wish Jane + David all the best with their growing business and expanding family!