Gorgeous chuppah alert! We are completely obsessed with Tami and Phil’s asymmetrical chuppah, with sheer fabric draped over bamboo posts, and gorgeous garden flowers for extra wow factor. This chuppah is just so effortlessly elegant, and totally perfect for the couple’s Garden Glam-themed Jewish wedding.
It’s such a fantastic modern minimalist (but not too minimalist!) look. If you want a touch of florals but an ornate chuppah design isn’t your style, this is a beautiful inspiration.
It’s no wonder this day is full of fantastic touches like that: bride Tami is a co-owner of event planning and interior design business Side by Side Design (along with her twin sister!), so she knows a thing or two about planning a wedding. You won’t want to miss The Argus Image’s images of this one, from the dancing to the desserts.
We are also super touched that Tami reports she chose to submit her wedding to Smashing The Glass over other wedding blogs because she loves how we let couples tell their own wedding stories, and what a personal touch it gives. We’re totally blushing over here!
Before we turn things over to Tami, we want to mention that today is her and Phil’s first anniversary! Happy one year, guys!
How we met
Tami, the bride: He sent me a very “cheesy” pick up line on the Hinge app, and we met up for drinks and appetizers at Black Market a few days later. Some might say we should have met long before as we both grew up in the San Fernando Valley, both went to school in Arizona (rival schools), and know lots of people in common.
I knew he was a keeper when we were walking out of the bar on our first date to get our cars from the valet. There was a bit of debris (rocks and such) outside the front door as they were doing construction on the outside patio and my shoes (which I loved and did not want to get rid) had lost all traction. I slipped, and Phil caught me… the rest is history!
Keeping it Local
Phil and I were both born and raised in Los Angeles, so we wanted to keep it local. We chose our venue, Sheraton Universal, for many reasons: it is close to where we both grew up and live now, it has the most stunning ballroom and chandeliers we have seen around, plus the fact that it is a hotel helped with providing out-of-town guests and those observing Shabbat a place to stay.
Garden Glam
As an event coordinator and bride, this project was extremely important to me. Your wedding day is something you look forward to for a very long time, and not only did I want to fulfill all of the dreams I had for this day, but felt it necessary to prove my skills as well.
Of course, I considered what Phil wanted in planning too 😉 He was actually very involved in the whole process, as well as my twin sister and business partner, Lauren!
Our theme was Garden Glam (so perfect for our garden wedding set right in the middle of Hollywood). Our color palette consisted of white and gold with pops of blush, wine, and magenta in the florals.
Upon entering the reception ballroom, our guests noticed the last name “Daks” (our new shared name) projected against the back wall, gorgeous white silk linens on every table, and even more gorgeous centerpieces in gold antique glass containers.
I loved every minute of our extra long hora that got all of our guests out of their seats (especially once I kicked off my heels), except for when it was time to go up in the chair. Eek!
I really love that Smashing The Glass allows the brides to tell their own story! It is so personal and the reason why I chose your blog to feature my own wedding!
Come Dance with Us!
I absolutely loved working with Minted to customize our invitations. Both Phil and I love to dance, and we made this known to our wedding guests by putting a photo of us dancing in the streets of Downtown LA on our wedding invitation and including the words “Come Dance with Us!” I also added a touch of gold foil (cuz I’m obsessed!) and a gold sparkly envelope liner on each one, just for fun.
Hair + Makeup
For makeup, I went for a fresh dewy look with long full (fake) lashes. Taryn of Face You Beauty helped make me glam while still feeling like myself. My hair (by Koby B) was soft, wavy, and pulled ever so gently to the side.
A Nicole Bakti Dress
After visiting a few of the bridal boutiques LA has to offer, I decided to go the non-traditional route. I wore a custom dress by a favorite designer, Nicole Bakti. My dress made me feel bridal in a Hollywood glam kinda way! What I loved most about my dress was the gold top and higher than high slit showing off my shoes.
Custom Rings
Both Phil and I have custom rings designed by Steve Korshak. Jewish tradition states that a bride must be married in a simple ring without stones, so it made perfect sense to me to use my grandma’s gold wedding band during the ceremony, especially because I have always admired the relationship she had with my grandfather. The ring I wore was my “something borrowed.” It is the same one that my twin sister, Lauren, wore on her wedding day!
Jimmy Choos
What bride doesn’t want to be married in Jimmy Choo… I wore something old, something new, something borrowed, and something Choo! Gold sparkly stilettos, of course!
The handsome groom
Phil wore a two button, slim cut, peak lapel tuxedo and To Boot New York dress shoes. I gave him the watch he wore as a gift for his last birthday before our wedding day.
Everyone says that the best moment during a wedding ceremony is watching the groom’s face as his bride walks down the aisle towards him. I couldn’t agree more. Phil’s smile was his best accessory that day. It took all my nerves away and made it easy to be completely present in the moment even as our guests were cheering from the sidelines.
Bridesmaids in Gold
My bridesmaids (my sisters and two best friends) were encouraged to wear something gold and sequined that fit their own personal style. Some of the girls rented from Rent the Runway and others purchased their dresses… All were in love with what they wore.
My twin sister, Lauren, was my maid of honor. Her dress was also gold sequined but more dramatic and floor-length. One of my favorite photos is the one of the two of us together, all dressed to the nines!
An Asymmetrical Chuppah
I found a photo that I was obsessed with on Pinterest of an asymmetrical draped chuppah and pretty much recreated it… Kayla of House of Magnolias used beautiful garden flowers to make the bamboo posts extra special, and we added a little bit of sheer fabric too.
A Sunset Ceremony
A small cocktail table was set inside our chuppah with all of the wedding essentials: wine, Phil’s new tallit, and two beautiful kiddush cups. We chose to use one that is new and was given to us by my parents as a wedding gift and another that has been in Phil’s family for a long time and belonged to his beloved Papa Joe.
As we were waiting for the sun to go down to start the ceremony, we opted for a non-traditional schedule which put the cocktail hour first. This was also a great way for guests to mingle and grab a drink before taking their seats and created a bit of excitement for what was to come.
Meanwhile our immediate families and wedding party joined us for a very intimate havdalah led by my brother (on guitar) and mom (vocals) and ketubah signing in a private room. What I love most about our ketubah to this day are the words at the top (“You are my beloved, and my beloved is mine”).
When it came time for the ceremony, all five of our nieces and nephews made an appearance during the processional. Lauren’s girls looked especially adorable in their blush dresses and flower crowns. Ava (the oldest) carried a gold basket that I made myself, and the ring bearer had a small pouch with the words “with these rings” on it.
Thinking Out Loud
My brother, Aaron, played a special song for me as I walked down the aisle, a slowed down version of Rather Be by Clean Bandit. It was so perfect! We left the ceremony to the same song, but the speeded up radio version. We entered the grand ballroom to Uptown Funk and got the party started.
As I mentioned, Phil and I love to dance so naturally we provided lots of fun dance music for our guests to get down to. We were on the dance floor almost the entire time! Our first dance was to Thinking Out Loud by Ed Sheeran. I still get chills every time I hear it!
From start to finish music really tied everything together. From having my brother sing while I walked down the aisle, to my mom chanting the Sheva Brachot, to our first dance, to dancing the night away!
Garden Glam Florals
Kayla of House of Magnolias is perfection, and my go-to girl whenever I am planning an event. She made the most stunning garden-esque centerpieces and bouquets. Flowers were key in all aspects of the design for our Garden Glam theme.
A Gold Leaf Wedding Cake
All of our guests were surprised when the music changed mid-way through the party and a large dessert lounge was revealed. It was complete with a delicious and stunning gold leaf wedding cake with a large flower in the middle.
We also had other fun desserts made by Sweet and Saucy Shop, a large tent with lounge furniture (from Signature Party Rentals) and a floral wreath hanging inside (also by House of Magnolias), and some gold sequin covered cocktail tables for guests to mingle at.
The gold foil sign in the dessert lounge said “Love is sweet, please take a treat.” The best part of all of this is that it was a gift from my sister Lauren and her husband Scott. They know us so well!
DJ All the Way
We went DJ all the way because we like to hear songs the way we know them from the radio! DJFX was our man.
We also had a photo booth set up with all gold props just for fun. Neither Phil or I ever made it to the photo booth… guess we were too busy dancing!
Guest Boxes
I especially loved the wooden boxes I painted and filled for each of our hotel guests. The idea was to add a little bit of warmth and comfort to their room as well as a snack!
We included a bud vase full of garden flowers that matched our wedding’s color scheme, a candle and custom matches complete with our names (Tami + Phil… the perfect match!) and wedding date, a mini bottle of champagne, and some cookies and other treats.
A perfect day
I know it is cliche to say, but our wedding day really was perfect. I think when you know it is right, you are able to be calm and present in the moment, enjoying every aspect from chilling with your girls in the bridal suite before, to walking down the aisle, and especially the party!
An Italian Honeymoon
Two things were very important to Phil and me in planning our honeymoon. We wanted to leave pretty soon after our wedding so we were still on a high from getting married and then able to relax.
We also wanted to get out of the country, so we planned our wedding date accordingly. September is the perfect time to travel abroad, as the tourists have left town and the locals are back at work and school. We chose Italy for its wine, food, and gorgeous scenery! We visited Rome, Florence, and Positano and found the perfect balance between seeing historical sites and cruising the Amalfi Coast.
Advice to couples currently planning their wedding
Keep calm and let your wedding planner worry about all the details… easy for me to say (I know!). If I am being completely honest, planning my own wedding was the most stressful thing I have ever done, but I know from the other side it is important to find someone you trust to lend a hand.
I am a complete perfectionist (as I am sure many of you are too!) and loved coming up with the overall look for my own wedding. This is what I love most about working with other brides. Each event is unique and different, and I love to see how we can collaborate to make their vision come to life
Tami & Phil’s little white book
Photography – The Argus Image
Wedding planner – Side by Side Design
Venue – Sheraton Universal
Bride’s dress – Nicole Bakti
Bride’s shoes – Jimmy Choo
Groom’s shoes – To Boot New York
Bridesmaids – Rent the Runway
Groomsmen – The Black Tux
Hair + Makeup – Koby B and Face You Beauty
Flowers – House of Magnolias
DJ – DJFX
Dessert bar and cake – Sweet and Saucy Shop
Stationery – Minted
Rentals – Signature Party Rentals
Rings – Korshak Diamond Corporation
Amazing pictures! I wonder how many time a bride needs to plan such a chic fabulous wedding on her own?