Chloe Woods and Ben Nussbaum began dating in high school, and although it was during college that Ben realized Chloe was the woman with whom he wanted to spend the rest of his life, a sudden impulse a few years after graduation let him know that the time had come to pop the question.
“I was driving home from work one day and I couldn’t shake the burning desire to ask for Chloe’s hand in marriage,” he reveals. After securing a little guidance from his mother, and a blessing from Chloe’s father, Ben proposed. Shortly thereafter, the high school sweethearts selected the eighth anniversary of their first date to host their nuptials.
Vendors were chosen based on service and reputation, but primarily on chemistry. “Our wedding team quickly developed a familial feel,” beams the bride. “Everyone got along exceptionally well.”
The San Diego-based couple’s outdoor wedding ceremony was held in the lush courtyard of a coastal Southern California resort. Taking great care to select décor that would blend with the hotel’s classic Spanish Colonial Revival architecture, they chose imported roses and hydrangeas in a palette of ivory and white to decorate the area and lavish the roof of their picturesque chuppah. The traditional structure rested on ebony beams that glistened with draped crystals, while a charming chandelier suspended from the middle of the canopy provided a focal point that was delicate yet elegant. The ceremony aisle was embellished with swirls of white rose petals, framed on either side by perfectly aligned rows of wooden chairs that reflected the natural beauty of the setting.
It wasn’t until the bridal party appeared wearing floor-length gowns in a rich shade of eggplant that color was boldly infused into the scene. Each maid carried a nosegay in various hues of the royal color, completing the romantic ambiance the bride had hoped to achieve. Even the groomsmen contributed to the spectrum by sporting vibrant purple ties along with personalized cufflinks that had been given to them as a gift from the groom.
The bride was a vision in a fitted gown that featured lace applique and a satin sash with jeweled accent. Her lavish bouquet contained blossoms in the same tone and variety as the ceremony flowers, its stems wrapped in ribbon and decorated with sparkling gemstones. Hidden beneath her dress was an exciting pair of crystal-paved high heels.
To personalize the ceremony, the couple asked a close friend to officiate. “I found myself more emotional than expected,” the groom confesses of the occasion. “I looked around and fully grasped the magnitude of what was unfolding.”
The reception décor further established the bride’s fondness for bling, orchids, and shades of indigo. The seating-card table provided a dazzling introduction to the evening that lay ahead. Clear vessels supported an oak branch draped with cattleya orchids and a waterfall of luminous gems. Individual escort cards were adorned with lilac crystals.
The bride fondly recalls walking hand in hand with her new husband into the reception to be introduced as Mr. and Mrs. Nussbaum for the first time. “That was one of the happiest moments in my life,” she effuses.
The reception was held at an exquisite hotel ballroom that was transformed with festive violet lighting, glistening decorative elements, and stunning floral arrangements. Dinner tables were draped in sleek lavender linens and set with metallic-rimmed charger plates. Centerpieces consisted of a mix of crème colored roses and cascading white phalaenopsis orchids that rested in tall glass vases adorned with hanging crystals. Each arrangement was surrounded by dozens of candles in glass holders in a variety of shapes and heights. Though the bridal party dined together at one long rectangular table in the center of the room, the newlyweds preferred to enjoy their first dinner as husband and wife seated together at an elaborately decorated sweetheart table.
Because the groom is the grandson of legendary musician and entertainment guru Wayne Foster, expectations were high for the music at the event, and the exhilarating performers did not disappoint. A smooth white dance floor that featured the couple’s monogram was lined on either side by lounge chairs, the entire set-up designed to make it impossible for guests to resist rising from their seats and joining in the celebration. One of the most memorable and touching moments occurred when Mr. Foster himself was escorted on stage to debut a song he wrote for the occasion.
Before the end of the evening, onlookers cheered as the newlyweds cut their three-tired wedding cake. The white chocolate confectionary featured a mouth-watering raspberry swirl and buttercream frosting that had been encircled with an eggplant ribbon and adorned with a smattering of delicate white orchids.
Though the couple agrees that the stress and anxiety associated with the wedding-planning process was strenuous, in the end both agree it was worth the toil. “All the insignificant details pale in comparison to being able to share the day with family and friends,” says the bride.
For the happy groom, however, the true meaning of the day was embodied in one very special person. “The details don’t matter,” he says. “The woman standing next to you does.”