Sylvia and Josh let The Grass Room, a neglected-industrial-property-turned-lush-hip-venue in downtown L.A., determine the overall feel of their event. The property was under construction when they put down their deposit, but they knew it was going to me the perfect spot for the couple to celebrate their marriage. They said their vows under the high greenhouse ceilings and dined at family-style tables surrounded by hand-painted wall murals. Our friends atCCL Weddings designed and planned the day, whimsical invitations were byRed Letter Day, white florals by Milieu Florals and wedding cake by Merely Sweets and Valentina Glidden was on hand to capture it all in beautiful images.
What made the wedding special and unique?
I think our venue was really one-of-a-kind. We actually took a risk and reserved the date when the venue was still under construction. We knew of Marvimon and after hearing about the design plans from the designer himself, we knew we couldn’t go wrong with reserving the space. When we finally saw the finished venue, we were floored! The architecture and the design aesthetics were beautiful. Very hip and trendy. We especially loved the idea of the high ceiling greenhouse giving an outdoor vibe, allowing natural sunlight to enter. We loved that it was different.
What were some touches added to make the wedding personal?
In regards to design, we wanted our wedding invitations to have a personal touch. Being an animal-loving vet student, I wanted to incorporate our dogs and the artwork turned out perfectly. We ended up using them for our backdrop for the reception as well.
The bar menu was also pretty reflective of us as a couple. We both enjoy a good whiskey and I’m a sucker for lavender and berries.
The ceremony was very personal for us, because Josh’s brother was the one to marry us. He was our officiant as well as one of Josh’s best men. It was so special to have a family member join us in marriage and we couldn’t have asked for anyone better.
What was the most memorable part of the day?
We both agree that the most memorable part of our day was during the ceremony. When we stood up there facing each other holding hands with huge smiles on our faces, it was a wonderfully pleasant and personal moment for us. We persevered through a lot of personal things leading up to the wedding and when we realized it was really happening, we just soaked it in together. That memory is still fresh in our minds.
Tell us how you met and became engaged.
We were babies when we met! Josh and I met 10 years ago in August 2009 during a joint church retreat. We kept in touch and gradually started dating and a long-distance relationship has always been our thing (he lived in San Diego, I was going to school in Davis). We began to share our dreams and hopes in life and we have always dreamed of traveling the world together. He knew that Greece was always number one on my list. So Josh planned a trip to “Florida” for us, sharing a detailed itinerary of our trip to throw me off. On our car ride to the airport, he handed me euros and said, “We’re actually going to Greece!” I was instantly in tears. He took me to my dream vacation and then asked me to marry him.
Photographer: Valentina Glidden // Planner and design: CCL Weddings // Florist: Milieu Florals // Paper Goods: Red Letter Day // Venue: The Grass Room // Cake: Merely Sweets // Wedding Gown: Atelier by Dawn // Bar: Bear and Stone // Catering: Hungry Bear // Valet: White Label Valet // Hair &Makeup: Jenn Wang // Rentals: La Pinata // DJ: VOX DJs Andy Rossi // Photobooth: VOX DJs Cinthya Garate // Ring Box: The Mrs. Box