I know I describe many of my clients as being funny, but Sarah and Gino are truly, truly hilarious people. Sarah’s dry wit was/is part of my favorite thing about them. Well, that and the fact that they were having a wedding at one of my favorite art-deco buildings in Los Angeles—Cicada Restaurant at the Oviatt Building. Cicada was once a men’s haberdashery: a store that sold ties, hats, and other male accoutrement back in the day when men dressed elegantly. The carved wood drawers that line the walls, the elaborately painted ceiling, and of course that insane chandelier in the middle of the room take you back to a different time—a time where all the men were handsome, all the women good looking, and the children above average (that’s a shout out to Garrison Keillor for any Prairie Home Companion fans out there)
Their ceremony was held at the bottom of the stairs with the bridal party lined up on the stairs above them and officiated by one of their friends. During cocktail hour, guests were taken upstairs to the smaller bar while the staff flipped the entire first floor for the reception. Random fact: a cocktail hour flip is a tricky logistical feat. Another random fact: we completed it perfectly in 54 minutes.
The reception was everything they hoped it would be: their guests danced and drank, Laughed and toasted, left messages on the video photobooth, and even won money with the lottery ticket favors they were given.
The team who made the magic:
Amber Events – wedding planning and coordination (with thanks to my assistants that day Sacha, Neusha, and Michelle!)
Cicada – venue
Callaway Gable – photography
Isabel Gonzalez – videography
Paul. F. Tompkins – officiant
DJ THC Electra – DJ
Designs by David – floral
Fiore Beauty – bridal beauty
Vanilla Bake Shop – cake and cupcakes
Biltmore Hotel – wedding night and family photo location
