When Dena Beber and Reggie Arvizu saw one another for the first time at a local restaurant, they were intrigued but still left as strangers. When they ran into each other a second time that same night, however, Reggie was not about to make the same mistake twice: He asked for Dena’s number and the two began dating right away. About four years later, Reggie proposed to Dena in the relaxed setting of his mother’s backyard.
Forgoing a flashy and elaborate fête might seem like an unexpected choice for the bassist of the rock group Korn, but it was exactly the way Reggie wanted to commemorate his engagement to Dena. Therefore, it made perfect sense that they would plan a celebration rooted in simple, classic elegance with just a few key touches of rock star glamour thrown in.
It was particularly important to Reggie that he and Dena pay tribute to his late father, and they did so by claiming the Saturday closest to his father’s birthday, May 16, as their wedding date. With this significant day secured in their minds, Dena and Reggie chose the luxurious St. Regis Monarch Beach Resort and Spa as the setting for both the ceremony and the reception. The resort served as a central location for all the wedding activity and offered convenient accommodations for their guests. The white Spanish architecture also provided the perfect backdrop for Dena’s dream of a monochromatic décor in shades of cream and champagne accented by crystals and candles.
Tall arrangements of curly willow branches strewn with orchids, roses, hydrangea, and crystal garlands decorated both ends of the ceremony aisle, which was also lined with rose petals and sheer fabric draped from chair to chair. Four bridesmaids and four groomsmen led the processional wearing coordinating shades of ivory, which allowed Reggie to stand out in his chocolate brown, three-piece suit. But all eyes were on the bride when she entered wearing a beaded ball gown and carrying a full bouquet of peonies and roses held together with crystal-studded ribbon. Seeing Dena walk down the aisle toward him is a vision Reggie still remembers clear as day.
The classic color palette of the ceremony was repeated in the ballroom, creating a consistent feeling of elegance. Tables were adorned with centerpieces that alternated between tall crystal candelabra dripping with flowers and low arrangements grouped in glass cylinders. But the presence of traditional elements did not prevent the newlyweds’ less conventional sides from shining through. At the head of the glossy white dance floor was a sweetheart table fit for a king and queen, complete with striped thrones arranged under a fabric canopy. “We felt like royalty,” admits Dena. “Everyone gathered around us and took pictures. The huge chairs made it look so much more dramatic. I loved the idea!”  Not that Dena and Reggie had much time to sit, as the mix of music provided by a former LA radio deejay soon beckoned them to the dance floor. They took only a slight break in the action to cut their four-tiered wedding cake, which was piped with a draped design and crowned with a sugar vase and an oversized magnolia blossom.
Despite what many guests thought, the crystal napkin ties were not designed to be taken home as wedding favors (“They were all missing!” laughs the bride). Instead, Dena and Reggie bid their guests farewell by inviting them to fill bags with loot from a large candy bar stocked with assorted sweets and treats.