Kim + Lee | June 12, 2015, Los Angeles, California
Some venues are magical. And Malibu Rocky Oaks is one of the most spectacular venues we’ve seen. With 360-degree views of the Santa Monica Mountains, this private estate is simply breathtaking. Kim and Lee hosted their gorgeous wedding here and created an intimate and warm event that was as beautiful as it was special.
The Ceremony
Our ceremony was held in Los Angeles, on the top of a helipad surrounded by dramatic hills. We came across photos of Malibu Rocky Oaks estate and were seduced by the landscape. When we visited in person, we soaked in the breathtaking views of the surrounding mountains from the helipad, and we knew immediately this was the perfect venue for our intimate wedding.
The Reception
We held our reception in the same private estate as our ceremony. We kept our style minimal given the dramatic landscape of our venue, but added personal elements to make our wedding feel more intimate. We chose writing as our wedding theme as writing was integral to our story and we both share a combined fondness for literature that we wanted to incorporate into our wedding. We used library cards as escort cards, named our tables after our favorite authors and also included our favorite literary quote from each author. To make our wedding feel more personal, we included elements from our childhoods and surprised our guests with an owl as our ring bearer. My husband and his father grew up bird watching together, so having the owl was a heartfelt and fun nod to that family tradition.
Kim’s Wedding Dress Search
I tried on easily over 70 dresses and visited numerous boutiques in New York City. I had considered beautiful dresses from various wonderful designers including Inbal Dror, Oscar de la Renta, Naeem Khan and Zuhair Murad, but ultimately fell in love with my Monique Lhuillier gown. Fashion has always been a part of my identity as I was a stylist in my former life, so I wanted a wedding dress that was true to my personal style. I tried on numberless dresses but finally decided on the custom organza-frayed and corseted-top Monique Lhuillier ‘Legend’, as it was the one that was hardest to forget, and had all the elements I was looking for in a dress – drama, sensuality and individuality.
Given the location of my wedding venue, I needed a dress that not only stepped up to the occasion but also brought a sense of whimsy and uniqueness to the event. The gown is incredibly fashion-forward, but in a way it is also very bridal and romantic. I had never seen anything else like it.
How She Felt In Her Monique Lhuillier Legend
Dramatic, romantic, and sensual
Why She’s Selling Her Wedding Dress
I wanted someone else to have the chance to relive the beautiful experience I had in the gown – it is such a one-of-a-kind and stunning dress, especially in person, that it seemed a waste to store the dress forever.
