You can imagine our excitement when Grey Collective Photographer Sarina, of Sarina Love Photography, sent over her very own wedding! We love seeing how our industry friends choose to celebrate their own nuptials. In the case of Sarina and her groom Carlo, it was a graphic art gallery wedding filled with joyful florals by Fascinare Events, bold colors and lots of smiles. Sarina entrusted talented Natalie Williams with the job of photographing the wedding and, of course, the images are fantastic. This is a fun one!
What made the wedding special and unique?
We really wanted the wedding to be fun and not overly traditional. We decided to have our ceremony at Wayfarers Chapel because it was so beautiful there. We had an unplugged wedding which allowed our guests to be present during our vows.
We also opted to have our reception at an art gallery because it was an open canvas that allowed us to be more creative. We had beautiful flowers hanging from the ceiling as well as fun colorful flowers that made the room feel whimsical.
We eliminated having a guestbook, cake cutting, and a Photo Booth. We didn’t even have any favors. Instead, we focused on creating a wedding that had awesome food and a fun and relaxed vibe that allowed everyone to mingle. We had fun celebrity heads as props so our guests could take fun selfies and use our hashtag. Our seating chart was quite unique as well! We took photos of each of our guests and printed them on a Polaroid. Upon entering, they were surprised to see their photo. They literally had to look at every photo to find their face in order to find what table they were at. It was not only a fun and interactive activity for our guests but it was also an art piece so-to-speak. Our guests mingled and ate a ton and loved every minute of it all! They all told us that our wedding was not a typical wedding and it was so much fun and memorable!
Tell us about the gown and where/how you found it!
I have photographed a ton of wedding dresses over the years and I always hear brides complaining how heavy their dress is. I really focused on being comfortable so I can enjoy the day more with my family and friends. I opted to find a dress that was light, uber feminine, and very flowy. I began my search online and I fell in love with Watters. All their dresses looked so feminine, modern, and pretty. I loved all their dresses! The dress I selected was perfect for me. It was so light because it was mainly made of tulle. Most importantly, I felt pretty in it and that’s all I could ask for!
What were some touches added to make it personal?
The groom works in the food industry and is a major foodie. The bride is a wedding photographer. With these two things in mind, we really focused on adding elements that represented both of us.
We had our wedding in an art gallery and once you entered, you were greeted with hanging floating walls filled with a Polaroid photo of each guest. Underneath it, was their table numbers! Adding this element represented the bride’s love for photography and art. As for food, we had a ton of food! The groom created the menu himself! We had food stations throughout with a variety of items. We also had a boba bar since we both love boba milk tea. A lot of our guests were not from California, so we wanted them to have a taste of California. So for a late night snack, we had the original food truck come out – Kogi BBQ Truck! We also opted not to have a cake and instead we had Confetti Ice which is Italian ice with custard on top. This allowed our guests to try something unique and create their own flavors! Our guests told us it was the most food they ever ate at a wedding!
What was the most memorable part of the day?
Walking down that aisle and seeing my future husband tear up made my heart melt. To hear his vows and to have all our family and friends witness it, was truly overwhelming. I was so deeply moved and I will never forget our ceremony.
Tell us how you met and became engaged.
We met online through OkCupid.com! We realized we had a lot of things in common and we both loved to travel! We got engaged 2 years later. I came home from work and the whole house was dimly lit with candles and filled with rose petals. I heard soft music being played. He left me a note to go upstairs and I found a heart-shaped box filled with a romantic love letter. I wanted to cry right then and there but the note said to come back downstairs. So when I went back down, he magically appeared and went down on his knee and proposed. I could tell he was nervous and happy. I was so happy and the ring he picked out was perfect!
Photography: Natalie Williams and Kaysha Weiner // Florist and Coordinator: Fascinare Events // Videography: X-Posure Films // Bride’s Dress: Watters “Jacinda Gown” purchased at The White Dress // Bride’s Shoes: Badgley Mischka // Headpiece: Lottie Da Designs // Table Numbers: BetterOffWed // Hair & Makeup: Susie Chhuor Hair & Makeup Team // Bridesmaids Dresses: Alfred Angelo // Late Night Caterer: Kogi BBQ Truck // Desserts: Confetti Ice // Groom and Groomsmen Ties: Tiebar // Cufflinks: Cufflinks // Wedding band: Neil Lane // Groom’s and Groomsmen attire: The Mens Wearhouse // Grooms shoes: Kenneth Cole // Ceremony Venue: Wayfarers Chapel // Reception Venue: DAX Gallery