THE PEAS IN A POD

sam + geoff

our best side captured

WEDDING
DAY

An Old Hollywood Take of a Whimsical Mediterranean Weekend

Act 1
THE SET

The Vision

In Geoff’s heartfelt thank-you speech, he summed up what we envisioned – a day not only for us but for all of our loved ones. That though we all come from different journeys – in this singular moment however, we are all forging a new memory together – a shared memory. The next day, we will all part ways and go back to our own journeys. But the thread that will always bind us all together is this day where we all shared food, tears, and laughter to celebrate what it means to be alive and human.

Venue Selection

We wanted our guests to feel at ease and natural, rather than stiff and uncomfortable. We set out to discover a venue that not only was beautiful but also functional. We wanted the energy to seamlessly flow between the different areas, from the ceremony to the cocktail hour and reception. We also wanted a reception area that was truly breathtaking, as it would be where guests will be spending most of their time creating ‘our shared memories’ together. Our search ultimately led us to a hidden private property with great Feng Shui and a reception area that opened up to the starlit night sky offering a stunning view of the valley below.

Theme Inspiration

Like many couples, we fell into the Pinterest trap. We had a mishmash of color schemes and ideas. That was until we stumbled upon our perfect California mountain venue. Inspired by the natural beauty around us: clear blue skies, vibrant olive trees, warm terracotta tones, and deep fuchsia florals – we asked ourselves “Why would we want to take away from this?” So we kept our florals a neutral palette of olive greens and whites so that we would not clash with the already existing colors found on the venue.

We wanted our wedding theme to seamlessly blend with the venue’s overall vibe. Our first impression was ‘Old Hollywood Glamour’. (It’s no wonder that Damien Chazelle movie Babylon, starring Brad Pitt and Margot Robbie was filmed here) This inspired our choice of satin-finished dresses with clean lines for both the bride and bridesmaids. To lighten things up, we incorporated whimsical Mediterranean elements into our floral arrangements and stationery.

Act 2
THE GIRLS

One of my favorite parts of the day was creating lifelong memories with the “I Do Crew” as we got ready. So blessed to have amazing friends who helped set up bridal suite decor and a full blown buffet spread for all of us to chomp on throughout the morning. “Getting ready” felt like an entire event onto itself and I will always cherish its memories. Shoutout to the boys who stood on ledges to get “reel” shots of us.

Act 2
THE BOYS

Cinematics

A wedding weekend only happens once but pictures live on forever. We went looking for a team with a sixth sense for picking up subtle energy shifts in a room so they can capture candid, heartfelt moments right as they unravelled. Chris Glenn and Sunbeat Films absolutely delivered and these photos turned out exactly how we envisioned – nostalgic, cinematic, and editorial.

Act 3
THE LOOK

Act 4
THE CREW

We really lucked out. In a summer month, Los Angeles was strangely rainy and gloomy all week. But as if it was ‘meant to be’, it was nothing but clear blue skies and warm sunny temperatures on the day of.

Even though the heat gave way to all of us melting before the ceremony, we had so many beautiful memories of all of us stomping around the venue grounds. It felt like it was all just for us.

Act 5
THE CLIMAX

We joke about how Geoff was trying really hard not to cry that day but Sam spotted watery eyes as she walked up to the altar. Sam, on the other hand, had a “dress with pockets” stuffed with hanker chiefs. Hopefully it was still romantic to see snot and all.

Act 6
THE GETAWAY

For having spent the bulk of our budget on food, we actually were not able to eat much of it – as most brides and grooms could probably relate. However, we heard from so many guests how much they were blown away be the selections. We even heard of some tables deploying raiding parties to steal other guests food.

Act 7
THE TOAST

Reception was exactly how we imagined. Tear-jerking speeches, amazing food under a clear full moon and memories we get to keep forever.

The stand-out speech of the night that got guests raving was none other than Ma Ma Wu’s emotional recount of her defining moment of how she knew that Geoff was the one.

P.S Ma Ma Wu almost did not want to do a speech because she was so nervous. But we are all glad she did.

Act 9
THE END

We were amazed at all the people who came out on the dance floor – including the self-declared introverts. A huge thank you to the amazing singing & dance performances by the “I Do Crew”. And a huge thank you to everyone who made it one of the best nights of our lives.