A cemetery isn’t where one usually expects to meet the love of their life, but that’s what happened to Briana Harris and Lauren Corcia. The Hollywood Forever Cemetery regularly hosts outdoor screenings of classic films, and Briana attended a showing with her good friend, who at the time was dating Lauren’s friend from work. “We saw each other occasionally, but then our friends split,” Briana explains. But the universe was not done with these two yet, and they ran into each other a couple of years later at a bar in West Hollywood. Briana approached her former acquaintance, but it took Lauren a few seconds to connect the dots. “She was ‘the beautiful girl in blue’ that I pointed out to my friend, but I didn’t realize that I knew her, much less that I had a shot to be with her!” admits Lauren. Once recognition struck, Lauren pulled Briana through the crowded bar so they could catch up at an outside table. “Her hand just felt so perfect in mine,” Briana remembers. “We talked all night, lost track of time, and have pretty much been inseparable ever since.”

Around a year later, Lauren was ready to make up for the time they lost before becoming reacquainted. She coordinated with her friend and eventual maid of honor for an elaborate proposal. Both Briana and Lauren were home from work when there was a knock on the door. Upon opening it, Briana found a hat box with a rose on top. Inside were two front row tickets to her favorite musical, The Phantom of the Opera, and a wooden photo album of the couple. “She thought it was just a gift for her upcoming birthday,” laughs Lauren. But there was still more – at the bottom of the box were slate coasters that spelled out “Will you marry me?” in chalk. “Briana said ‘Yes of course!’ which we leveraged for our wedding hashtag of #yesofcorcia,” Lauren shares. 

After spending a few months enjoying their status as an engaged couple, the sweethearts began planning their Southern California nuptials with the help of Tessa Lyn Events. A color scheme of dusty blue, grey, champagne, and light pink were selected for the big day. The palette helped create the soft, romantic look the couple desired, as did the floral arrangements by Empty Vase, which included an abundance of fluffy peonies along with roses and orchids. 

With her black hair worn down in soft waves, Lauren donned a custom-tailored suit as she walked down the aisle. Standing under a Tuscany-inspired dome, she was soon met by Briana, wearing a flowing gown with a lace bodice. “We wanted it to be pretty much as traditional as possible,” Briana divulges. “We both had our fathers walk us down the aisle and both wore something old, new, borrowed, and blue.” Briana’s uncle became ordained for the occasion and officiated a touching vow exchange for his niece and her beloved. 

Following their marriage pronouncement, the new Mrs. and Mrs. joined their 70 guests for dinner inside. The chandelier was embellished with the same lush flowers that made up the centerpieces and ceremony arrangements, while the wooden chairs matched the rustic European vibe of the space. However, the real party didn’t start until after dinner when everyone went back outside for dancing. Briana and Lauren spent hours on a playlist that reflected their taste and personality, and it certainly paid off. “We had most of the attendees on the dance floor for the whole night!” Briana exclaimed. 

As there isn’t a single aspect of their wedding they would do differently, the newlyweds have one piece of advice for couples planning their nuptials: “Just make sure you’re true to yourself.”