When family and gratitude are at the center of the wedding day, everything leads to perfection. In fact, Hari and Jim’s wedding at Valentine DTLA was the first time that every aunt and uncle from Hari’s extended family were together from as close as LA to as far as Korea! Her mother has 8 siblings and her father has 4 so we’re talking one big family party! H + J knew they wanted to plan an event that felt intimate and celebrated not only their incredible love for each other, but also celebrated the support and love that their families have given them. They wanted their day to be playful and full of fun details. With the help of planners, The Love Riot, they totally nailed their vision by incorporating details like a live jazz band, a disco DJ, Ikebana inspired florals, tiki drinks and dole whips as late night snacks!
Hari shares:
More than anything, we wanted our wedding to be a reflection of our gratitude for our family and friends – a celebration for them, rather than an event just showcasing us. Instead of going with a theme, we focused on having great food, drinks, and music to host the best dinner and dance party of our lives for our guests! In terms of style & vibe, we wanted it to feel more like an intimate dinner party at a restaurant than a traditional wedding, which the venue was really perfect for.
J Wiley Photography captured every gorgeous detail from this special day. Scroll along with us and let’s have a look!
A friend of H + J designed these sweet and simple wedding invitations! We love the modern fonts and skyline detailing!
Sleek and Sophisticated
Seriously think this gown was made specifically for H! It’s stunning and paired with hair and makeup by Jessica Lee Makeup, she’s a vision! She shared with us a little bit about her dress story:
Wedding dress shopping was my least favorite part about wedding planning! I hate shopping in general and was more concerned with menu planning & picking out glassware/china than looking for my wedding dress. It was also challenging since we had a relatively short engagement (6 months) and were in between moving from San Francisco to Seattle so scheduling appointments, etc. was complicated. I ultimately found a dress I loved while shopping alone at Lovely Bride in San Francisco – a simple sheath dress, Devon by Theia Couture, which I had buttons added to for an extra detail.
If you love simple silhouettes and sleek lines like H, check out more dress inspo below!
First Look and Private Vow Exchange
So many to choose from (!!) but the first look and sharing of our private vows in the Grunwald suite at the Valentine before the wedding might take the cake. We really wanted to reserve this moment for just the two of us knowing that the rest of the evening would be shared with our loved ones. We loved seeing the progression of pictures from this special moment afterward – from us laughing to hugging to crying (who knew there was so much dust in that room! :*)) – so many emotions and feels! A close second is Jim’s long awaited breakdance debut for Hari on the dance floor! Hearing Jim cry out “where’s my wife?!” for the first time before launching into an almost pants-splitting routine was definitely memorable!
Totally the sweetest thing ever right?! We love this idea of privately sharing vows before the big ceremony!
H wasn’t the only one nailing the fashion game on wedding day! J looked like a total heartthrob in attire by Beckett & Robb. Their bouquet and boutonniere fit in perfectly with the simple and modern Ikebana inspiration for the decor!
A Ceremony Centered Around Family
A tropical oasis that’s giving us major venue envy!!
They’re married!! Woohoo!
Processional: “Take Care” Beach House, Entrance of the Bride: “Advanced Falconry” Mutual Benefit
Recessional: “Interlude (That’s Love)” Chance the Rapper
First Dance: “Our Way to Fall” Yo La Tengo
The Newlyweds
Invest time finding the right vendors that vibe with you and each other well! This makes all the difference in the world both leading up and on the day of the wedding itself. We are so thankful to have had such great team of vendors who were all super professional and on top of their games! Special shout out to our photo/video-graphers – J Wiley Photography & the Atomic Tangerine Film team, who brought such great energy and made us feel so relaxed while capturing all of these special moments! Also, at some point, trust your gut and get out of the Instagram/Pinterest rabbit hole! There will always be something newer and shinier but stay focused and get it done (and don’t drive your vendors crazy in the process like we did ;))
Fundamental LA provided the catering for the event and we must say, we’ve never met a Charcuterie board that we didn’t like. This one’s just for us, right?? Check out some of our favorite grazing tables and displays to inspire your reception menu!
Modern and Minimalist Reception
Loving the minimal aesthetic of the reception and the simplicity of the tabletop rentals provided by MTB Event Rentals! It’s the perfect look to showcase the Ikebana floral arrangements!
Ikebana Inspired
Ikebana is the Japanese art of flower arranging and Foxglove Los Angeles created the most beautiful arrangements showcasing this style. If you’re curious about this look and you’re wanting to incorporate florals like these into your own big day, let us dive in further. Ikebana is more than just a pretty flower arrangement! At it’s core, this floral discipline is about blending nature and humanity. There’s an intention behind where each bloom and branch is placed and shape, line and form are extremely important. Ikebana definitely leans toward a more minimalist style of design with simple color combinations, graceful lines and usually triangular designs. It’s the perfect look if there’s a certain flower that you love and want to highlight on wedding day!
Talk about some luxurious blooms! With things like ranunculus, tulips, orchids and anthurium, you can’t go wrong!
“Whip Whip Hooray!”
When H + J first met, they bonded over a shared love of jazz so it’s fitting that they brought in The Essentials, a jazz trio, to play at their reception! We love when couples celebrate parts of their story on wedding day. That’s what it’s all about!
Tastyblock Hawaiian provided these adorable pineapple dole whip snacks! Super refreshing after a long night of dancing!!
Congratulations Hari and Jim from all of us on the GWS team! We are wishing you both lots of love and joy in the years to come!
Be sure to check out this adorable video by Atomic Tangerine Films and see H + J’s special and sweet day in action!
photography: J Wiley Photography // venue name: Valentine DTLA, Los Angeles, California, USA // planning: The Love Riot // florals: Foxglove Los Angeles // wedding dress: Theia Couture // wedding dress boutique: Lovely Bride San Francisco // hair stylist: Jessica Lee Makeup // makeup artist: Jessica Lee Makeup // groom attire: Beckett & Robb // videography: Atomic Tangerine // paper goods: Friend of the couple designed the invitations // catering: Fundamental LA // desserts: Tastyblock Hawaiian (dole whips) // tabletop rentals: MTB Event Rentals // music: Dart Collective // photo booth: Third Eye Photobooth // cocktails: LA Speakeasy (bartending) // jazz trio: The Essentials