Every time fall comes around, I get nostalgic of cool LA night weddings, where it is warm all day and then a rapid 30 degree drop at night; my favorite time of year and place to plan a wedding. Steven and Stephenʻs wedding was my second official event I planned under the TGA brand and, it still to this day, is the event I think about as the pivotal moment in my career.
I was approached by a dear friend, Kathleen, who shared with me that her brother was planning his wedding and that he needed assistance. To be honest, I knew that he was engaged and I was hoping that they would reach out to me. After a few hangouts with one another, I felt like I had a pretty good feel of who they were and what help they needed.
Both Stephen and Steven are extremely gifted designers in their own right. Throughout their wedding they chose to sprinkle in handmade elements as a part of the design. Steven, a home baker, took on the task of creating their wedding cake, while Stephen designed all the floral arrangements and hand drew their stationary. He even went so far as to design a dress for their wedding singer.
All the elements of this wedding were so romantic and classic. S+S frequent Paris, France and you can feel all of the parisian influences woven in their decor. From the ethereal gardenesque arrangements to the curated vintage flatware, each piece of this wedding was meticulously chosen to make you feel like you stepped into a french garden party.
When explaining their wedding to me, the couple honed in on how important it was for them to create an experience that made guests feel like they were at an elevated dinner party. The Stev(ph)enʻs entertained often, so they wanted their wedding to feel like an extension of that.
Weʻve touched on this before, but chosen families have become a staple in the queer community and a necessity in moments like this where biological family make the choice to not be a part. Stephen and Steven had many heart to heart moments with my wife and I leading up to their wedding. We talked about community, family, obligation, and the joys and fears surrounding their big day. Much like their designs, S+S made careful decisions on who would stand with them. And despite circumstances, the couple was showered with love from their all female wedding party. Talk about #squadgoals
The reason I say that this wedding was the pivotal moment in my career is because this wedding let me know that the sky was the limit. For my second wedding, this was very glamorous from a design standpoint. From a logistics standpoint, it took a ton of coordinating with all of the moving parts. I was pretty anxious going into this day, feeling like I did not want to let the couple down. So when it was over and we were able to execute it all, it was at that moment I felt like I could actually do this for a living.
Steven and Stephen were so gracious to allow me to be a part of their wedding day. I trip out when I reflect on these initial events, because I am like “Who in their right mind would let me plan their wedding with only a little bit of experience?” I am super thankful they did take a chance on me. Not just because this was the wedding that essentially launched my career, but because I built a relationship with the couple. Steven and Stephen were there for Ipo and I as we started planning our wedding. With similar family backgrounds, they were our support system, showering us with love throughout that season. I might've gone into this for the experience, but I walked away with a friendship.
Vendor Highlights: Photography: Jon Cu Event Planning: The Gay Agenda Collective Dresses: BHLDN Groom's Attire: ASOS Rentals: Otis & Pearl Reception Venue: Wattles Mansion Invitations: Stephen Garrett Event Design: Stephen Garrett Floral Design: Stephen Garret Cake: Steven Garrett Beauty: Brittany Delsid Beauty: Nicole Justice
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