When they went to Los Angeles for the holidays, the groom-to-be thought it would be the perfect time to ask for his beloved’s hand in marriage, as he had already received her parents’ blessing. She had just started her own fashion blog as a creative outlet, and he typically acted as her photographer. 

“He suggested we try a spot near my parents’ home that overlooked all of the city. I was excited for the idea and hadn’t really questioned anything,” she admits. As he started to take pictures of her, another photographer who appeared to be photographing nature asked if she could take a photo of the couple. “I was quick to say yes and then as soon as I turned around, I saw him on one knee,” she happily recollects. “I don’t remember much after that, except my sister’s smiling face climbing up the platform and then my parents and his family quickly following after.”

Though they lived in New York, the betrothed chose to wed in California because it was where they met and fell in love and the destination was convenient for most of their family and friends. The bride sought out a venue that had both European and garden vibes. “I wanted a place where the natural beauty was enough with or without decorations. The lavender fields of the estate provided that and so much more,” the bride reflects of the dreamy location. “We wanted it to feel like stumbling upon a secret garden in the middle of the French or Italian countryside.”

To introduce the theme to loved ones, the couple opted for nontraditional invitations: vibrant acrylic floral invites placed in holographic envelopes. Their beloved cat, Colonel “Kerny” Kingsley, served as the inspiration for the crest on the stationery suite and was also featured on the custom stamps.

A beautifully manicured lawn was decorated with a juxtaposition of décor elements: imperfect wild arrangements set up as guests entered the ceremony space and then flower arrangements shaped like hedges down the aisle for a more formal feel; and modern Lucite chairs alternating with traditional wood benches for seating. The pièce de résistance was the massive arch created from hundreds of florals arranged in stunning color blocks. “Beth, Madeline, and the rest of the [Beth Helmstetter Events] team really brought my vision to life. It was wilder than my wildest dreams!” confides the bride. 

“Beth, Madeline, and the rest of the [Beth Helmstetter Events] team really brought my vision to life. It was wilder than my wildest dreams!”

The mother of the bride acted as flower girl. “At first she was a bit hesitant, but when the moment came she strutted and threw those flowers like no one’s business,” smiles the bride. “She won’t admit it, but she really enjoyed that little moment.”

The bride herself was a vision, wearing an ethereal gown from Mark Ingram Atelier with intricate detailing. The groom admits that listening to his bride read her handwritten vows was indescribable. “This perfect person who gives me butterflies is somehow so in love with me,” he shares. As a nod to the bride’s Persian culture, doves were released after the vow exchange. 

An alfresco space was set up for the family-style dinner, featuring a single, very long 160-person table, arranged beneath the olive trees. Striking arrangements of florals and feathers, along with grapes, oranges, and lemons set in towers, adorned the tablescape.

Listening to speeches was a memorable part of the evening for the newlyweds. “I’ve always been a daddy’s girl and his words meant the world to me,” remembers the bride. For the groom, it was his sibling’s toast that replays in his mind. “My brother took his time in the spotlight to deliver a series of one- and two-liners that had me legitimately crying from laughter from start to finish,” he says. 



Guests danced until 3AM on the eye-catching dance floor that had been uniquely decorated with an image of pastel ocean waves. “The dance-party vibe is something you can’t curate and luckily we have the greatest friends and family in the world,” muses the bride. A mixture of party songs were played: “Eclectic beats across decades, cultures, and styles that made even the most flat-footed Frank jump in and boogie,” notes the groom. 

The aesthetic of the celebration was exactly what the couple had dreamed. “We were pretty strong in the vision of having it different than most weddings creatively, and I’m so happy we did because it felt special and new,” the bride tells. The newlyweds changed into matching metallic attire for the full night of revelry. Loves ones enjoyed desserts served on a vanity table, took photos on swings adorned with blooms, and played a corn hole game painted with the likeness of Kerny’s kitty face. 

The groom says he took time to pause: “I was square in the middle of the best night of my life with my favorite people, and I’ve never been so happy.” His new wife mimics the sentiment; “Looking at him throughout the night was an amazing feeling. I was so happy to be married to the love of my life.”