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Buffy & Josh: Graf Barn California Wedding

When Buffy called me for the very first time and we chatted for over an hour, I knew that we were in for something special. She was so excited to tell me all about the friendship bracelets and sparkling heart garland that she was making, and about Josh, who was on the road - as usual - but who felt very near when she talked about how crazy they are about each other.

Buffy and Josh both work in the music industry in L.A. They work with literal rockstars everyday, but I can assure you that the stardust that these two exude comes from inside. They are so genuine about their passions, especially for each other. Buffy's tears and Josh's huge grin during their vows attest to that!

From the surprising gifts that the bride and groom exchanged, to the handmade details and bluegrass band, to the private "last dance" and sparkler exit, this wedding was one for the books. The warm welcome extended by the staff/family at Graf Barn made this one of our favorite venues ever. They put so much love into the decor, the food, everything. Buffy planned every detail and it all came together into a one-of-a-kind rocking rustic celebration. (Even though she decided against the shark blimp as ringbearer.)

Buffy and Josh, we are so lucky to know you! The song of your love is just beginning and I am excited for the adventures you have in store together.

Soundtrack:
"Passage" by Lowercase Noises
"Love Be Your Mantra" by Future of Forestry

Venue: Graf Barn, Oxnard, CA
Cinematographer: The Adventures Of
Photographer: Tyler Branch
Floral Design: Floret Cadet
Caterer: Naturally Good Catering
Officiant: Reverend Dr. M Rene Minshew
DJ: Bryan Thrane,

DFTBA,
Kiera Faye

What was your favorite detail of this beautifully personalized wedding? Leave a comment for the couple!

Emma & Brendan: Bacara Resort Santa Barbara Wedding

I met Brendan when he was the Best Man at his brother Sean's wedding, where he gave a wonderful, heartfelt speech. After delivering Ritsuko and Sean's wedding film, I was thrilled to get a message from Brendan's fiancèe Emma, asking about their upcoming wedding!

These two are sweet, considerate, and crazy about each other. The way that Brendan looked at Emma during their ceremony - like he's amazed at his luck and he's just drinking it all in - took my breath away.

This oceanside wedding at Bacara Resort was a beautiful celebration. From the soft, romantic decor, to the rocking party led by Jordan Music Entertainment (and the epic dance moves that went with it!), this event was a perfect reflection of Emma and Brendan, full of love and joy!

Thank you, Emma and Brendan, for inviting us to tell your story, and to celebrate once more with your family! It's a very high compliment and we are so grateful for the chance to get to know you better. Wishing you every joy in your travels and adventures together!

Soundtrack:
"The Recessional" by A New Normal
"Hanging on a Honeymoon" by William Beckett

Cinematographer: The Adventures Of
Event Planning/Coordination: Alex Events, Inc.
Venue: Bacara Resort
Photographer: Michele Andersen
Floral Design: Mark's Garden
Band: Jordan Music Entertainment
Officiant: Jon Ireland

#TBT: Doctor Who Wedding Inspiration | Through All of Time and Space

In honor of The Day of the Doctor - the 50th Anniversary of BBC's Doctor Who - this Throwback Thursday is dedicated to our "Geek Chic" interpretation of a Whovian wedding (originally published under our old brand, Jakfoto Films).

The sparkling gold and TARDIS blue decor are perfect for any glamorous celebration, but fans of Doctor Who will notice lots of subtle references to the television show: Gallifreyan print designs, a Van Gogh inspired cake, TARDIS keys, and portraits of the Doctor's many faces used as table numbers, just to name a few. My favorite part of planning this film was composing some very moving vows with quotes from the show. "Together, or not at all..."

When photographer (and fellow Whovian) Candice Benjamin and I started brainstorming about a glamorous wedding in honor of our favorite Time Lord, we had no idea how enthusiastically the fandom would respond. We were honored to be featured on sites like Green Wedding Shoes, When Geeks Wed, Anglophenia... we even received gifts from BBC America! This is our most popular video to date, and I think that's just fantastic.

Be sure to check out Candice Benjamin's photos for a close look at all of the details, and check the list below to see who contributed your favorite touches. It took an amazing team of wedding pros to put together all of this magic!

Styled by: The Adventures Of | Candice Benjamin Photography | First Pick Planning

Music: "Doctor" by Chris Bartels/Anthem Falls Music Purchase this track: Click here!
Photography: Candice Benjamin Photography
Bridal Gown: Hope Stanley, Bridal Stylist at Marry Me Bridal 
Birdcage Veil: Tessa Kim 
Bride’s Cape and Earrings: BHLDN 
Print Design: Mintwich Design 
Floral Design: Studio Ooh La La 
Ceremony Venue: Big Bear Solar Observatory
Ceremony Make-up and hair: Melissa Abad Makeup 
Fourth Doctor's Scarf: NoemisKnits 
TARDIS Kindle Cover: mdk Studios 898 
Reception Venue: Huron Substation, Los Angeles 
Reception Make-up and hair: Evelyn Lui of Serene Bridal Beauty 
Cake: A Twist of Cake 
Table Number Art: Meghan Stratman 
Dining Furniture and Place Settings: Classic Party Rentals 
Statement Furniture & Pendant Lights: FormDecor 
Lighting: Mastermind Production Group 
Cocktail Bar: Night Owl Productions 
Eleventh Doctor's Sonic Screwdriver & The Master's Pocket Watch: ThinkGeek

Extra Special Thanks To: Kasey McKay, Josh McKay, Alastair James Murden, Chris Wayne, and Bree Rhoten

DFTBA,
Kiera Faye

I'm excited to share more Geek Chic inspiration in the future... What fandom-inspired wedding theme would you like to see?

Introducing the SlowMo Booth | Hollywood Glam at Boardner's

I am über excited to unveil this video and launch a brand new product for your celebration: *drumroll please* may I present the SlowMo Booth by The Adventures Of!

There is no better way to get the party moving! These wedding guests got crazy and creative, and when you take that action down to one-tenth the speed, things get really awesome. Why limit your guests to a photo booth when you can have a unique slow-motion music video to remember the celebration?

LIGHTS. CAMERA. CONFETTI.

I knew this was going to be fun, but Adrienne, Chris, and their friends knocked it out of the park. When the groom is a clown college grad and the guest list is full of entertainers, it's bound to be a good time. (Nerd alert: yes, that's Wil Wheaton and his beautiful wife Anne at 0:25, etc. I fangirled so hard when I saw him that I had to leave to avoid embarrassing myself. Wil, if you're reading this, Josh and I are really big fans of w00tstout. and you.)

Boardner's in Hollywood provided the perfect setting, full of mystery and Old Hollywood glamour. We loved taking over the courtyard stage for slow-motion fun! Thanks to Adrienne's imagination and the fabulous planning efforts of Rebel Belle Weddings, this was a breathtaking Hollywood bash!

In addition to the SlowMo Booth, this wedding had so many amazing, unique, personal touches, and I can't wait to share it all with you. Keep an eye on the blog for Adrienne and Chris's full wedding film, coming soon!

DFTBA,
Kiera Faye

Want to crank up the awesome at your party with a SlowMo Booth? Send us an email! 

Leave a comment: What stunts would you like to try in our SlowMo Booth?

#TBT: Lisa & Shawn: Pinterest-Free Personalization

In honor of "Throwback Thursday," we'll be featuring some of our favorite wedding stories on the blog, along with some reflection from the couples! I hope these insights from real brides and grooms are helpful to all of you as you plan your own weddings!

We're kicking off this series with a stylish modern Pasadena wedding and a fun-loving couple who found Pinterest-free ways to personalize their day.

From the bride, Lisa: I have a confession to make. It may shame me among brides, wives, and general craft lovers the nation over – but here it goes: I am not a fan of Pinterest. 

Don't get me wrong- I took a peek for "inspiration" on a few things here and there and I loved just about everything I saw. The problem was I loved everything. I wanted it all and tried to fit it all in to our wedding day. When you're going for a simple and modern wedding- trying to squeeze in a paper flower backdrop with ballons and harps was a bit much. 

That's when Shawn and I decided to just delete all my virtual inspiration boards and work on what we wanted; a simple, modern wedding with as much personalization as we could muster. 

That meant doing a lot of things ourselves. One; because we couldn't afford those awesome harps, and two, we didn't want our guests to say "those flowers are on my Pinterest board too!" 

We rolled our figurative sleeves up and dove in. 

We spent many a bottles of wine "pouring" over ideas of how to personalize the weekend- little things like creating escort cards with an inside joke for each guest. It was tedious but deliciously rewarding to see their faces as they compared with other guests- who knew they would double as ice breakers as guests shared their stories with each other!? 

We made our own invitation suite, spent hours creating our "LOVE" sign, had a graphic designer friend create a logo for us, and called in some favors for linens, flip flops, and candy (and a few other hundred details).

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Then came the traditions; how do you personalize a tradition? I'm not sure although I'm sure Pinterest would have some ideas! :) We wanted to honor the requests of our families and make sure pieces of their support were present in our day. For us, the traditions passed on were not grandiose requests of venue, colors, or something we couldn't easily work in. They were simple but meaningful requests; carrying my mother's rosary down the aisle and Shawn and I drinking out of coffee mugs that were replicas of the same mugs his parents used on their wedding day. (although on our wedding day, the coffee may have been replaced with champagne) 

We thought it was nice to be able to do things for them in hopes that our future family will pass on a few traditions we thought of along the way. Like having breakfast with our moms before the craziness starts, or wearing Shawn's personalized cufflinks, or having the bride and groom get a minute or two of dancing with each of the new siblings gained; small things that give a nod to the history of the relationships that have shown us what love and family mean.

 

 

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The most important thing I learned from the year and a half process is that what everyone says is true; weddings are amazing and after all is said and done you get to wake up next to your best friend.  What they don't tell you is to appreicate all the people that support you in the journey. The amazing women who give up their day to assemble flowers, the brothers who hunt for socks, the bridesman and mother in law who are willing to break tradition and go on a fantastic bachelorette party without so much as a "really?…"

For Shawn and I they helped create amazing memories, pushed to us to break a few traditions, carry a few on, and create a few for the future. To them, we owe endless thank you's. 

- Lisa 

 

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 Thank you, Lisa, for sharing your tips and your day with us! I love all the ways that you and Shawn made your wedding day a beautiful reflection of your personalities! Be sure to check out Lisa and Shawn's wedding photos by Candice Benjamin Photography for a close look at all of those fantastic details.

 What do you think of the Pinterest wedding craze? Where are you finding inspiration to personalize your wedding?