Three and a half years before their wedding day, Kimberly Pappas and Alexander Tran met for the first time at the airport before a group trip to Mexico City. “I could tell he had a huge heart and was a really amazing person,” remembers Kimberly. A couple of years later, Kimberly and Alex were visiting Monterey, California, when Alex proposed at a beautiful viewpoint along the famed 17-Mile Drive. 

Taking the advice they’d been heeded, the couple made sure to enjoy the engagement period, instead of focusing solely on wedding planning. “It’s easy to let the planning stress take over and cause tension if you don’t step back and remember why you’re doing it all in the first place,” shares the bride. 

As they reside in Los Angeles, it’s where Alex’s family lives, and the city would be most convenient for the majority of their guests, they selected a modern venue in the heart of Downtown LA for their winter wedding. 

Friends and family took the elevator up to the grand event space, which featured stunning panoramic views of the city through floor-to-ceiling windows. Guests were seated atop clear chairs with white cushions for the ceremony, which showcased minimalistic décor. Two tree-like arrangements were placed at the start of the aisle, and the spot for the vow exchange showcased an arch adorned with white drapery, verdure, and ivory blooms. 

“I wanted slight enchanted-forest vibes, while still featuring the beautiful surrounding city lights.”

Kimberly was stunning in a long-sleeve gown with floral appliqués. Her tresses were styled in glamorous curls, with one side pulled away from her face by a sparkling headpiece. When she approached Alex, the couple placed flower bouquets on two empty chairs in honor of the bride’s parents, who sadly passed away when she was younger, before greeting the parents of the groom. They shared handwritten vows to one another, which proved to be Alex’s favorite moment of the day, before being pronounced husband and wife. 

While the ceremony design featured a color palette of greens and whites for a classic, clean look, the pair decided to balance out the crisp, modern feel of the venue with warmer tones for the reception design scheme. Round and rectangular tables were covered with colorful punch-toned linens and decorated with centerpieces in hues of dusty rose and terracotta, accented with the ivory and greenery from their initial vision. 

“I wanted slight enchanted-forest vibes, while still featuring the beautiful surrounding city lights,” shares Kimberly. Thus, a large tree comprised of florals and greenery was displayed at the bar, with other tree-like centerpieces placed throughout the reception space. “The rest of the florals were beautiful, natural, overflowing centerpieces with small bud vases surrounding,” describes the bride. “My favorite flowers were the Japanese sweet peas that were hand-dyed to match our color palette.” 

Loved ones enjoyed a sit-down dinner service offering selections of fine fare highlighting Asian-inspired flavors. “We are foodies, so having delicious food and late-night snacks with fun music to dance the night away was perfectly us!” smiles the bride. “We wanted our wedding to be beautiful and elegant, but also fun and relaxed like us,” she adds, sharing that they chose not to go with traditional “wedding music” and instead focused on upbeat, energetic tunes throughout the entire evening. “[It] turned into a mini club with us dancing with our closest friends until the very end of the night!”

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