Viceroy Santa Monica Wedding

Mary and Carl’s September wedding at the Viceroy Santa Monica had it all: a hip, modern venue, a gorgeous ceremony and an amazing handmade brooch bouquet! Mary was very involved in the planning and design – she made almost everything in the wedding. Dahlphotog captured these beautiful memories of their day.

The general inspiration for our wedding day was to remain true to our personal style. While there are several beautiful wedding “themes” to choose from, we felt it was best to not have any designated “theme” and stick to what we know best – us. The most important items on our list were to find a venue and photographer that we felt best represented our own personal style. We wanted our wedding photographs to be able to blend seamlessly into our home decor. I am a huge fan of Kelly Wearstler design, and we are lucky enough to live close to The Viceroy Hotel, which she designed. Once we saw the space, it was an obvious choice for our venue. The colors, textures, and feeling of glamour in The Viceroy are very similar to how we decorate our own home – it was a perfect fit!

We feel so lucky to have found DahlPhotog to capture our wedding day. After countless hours online searching through portfolios, it was DahlPhotog that really captured our attention. It was extremely important to us that the photos were more “editorial” and less “wedding” while still remaining romantic. We are able to proudly hang our wedding photos in our house as actual pieces of artwork.

I was very much a DIY bride and designed or made almost everything that was in my wedding. I designed my centerpieces, ordered over 700 roses, and worked with the girls in the family the morning of the wedding to arrange them! I designed all the “paper” involved in the wedding (Save the Dates, Invitation, Seating Cards, Programs, Menus) and had the invitations printed from an online company. My best friend and I made the altar out of pipe and drapes and a chandelier that we rented from a party supply warehouse. I made my own brooch bouquet (using heirloom and new brooches given to me from family) and did all of my own hair and makeup. I even helped set up the tables and chairs! Was it a little overwhelming? Absolutely. But I look back at my wedding with pride that every single aspect was arranged, designed and made by me. And after it was all done, after arranging the flowers and setting out the programs and making sure every single candle was lit (and barely having time to get myself ready!) – my favorite memory was watching my new handsome husband and all of our guests enjoy it all. I felt great pride when I finally got to sit down to the menu we picked out, on the menu I printed, order delicious 5 star cuisine, and let the party begin!! I felt like the Ultimate Hostess. And that felt good. – Mary