Real Weddings
Katie and Shane in Newport Beach, CA
Published on November 16, 2006
Butterflies offer a touching tribute at a tropical-inspired wedding
The blue Pacific Ocean, the coral sunset and the groom's Hawaiian heritage inspired the tropical decor at this Newport Beach wedding. Butterflies were woven throughout the decor, as were bittersweet reminders that the bride's brother, who happened to be a high school friend of the groom's, couldn't be there. —Meredith Bodgas
Vendors
WEDDING DRESS
Reem Acra, Mon Amie Bridal Salon, 714-546-5700, monamie.com
JEWELRY, VEILS AND HAIRPIECE
Mon Amie Bridal Salon, 714-546-5700, monamie.com
GROOM'S AND GROOMSMEN'S OUTFITS
Tommy Bahama, tommybahama.com
BRIDESMAID DRESSES
After Six, aftersix.com
HAIR AND MAKEUP
Design Visage, 800-603-1383, designvisage.com
FLOWERS
White Lilac, 949-222-2234, whitelilacinc.com
CAKE
The Cake Studio, 714-964-7338
FAVORS
The Ample Hamper, 949-786-9715, theamplehamper.com
CEREMONY PATH DECOR
Shinoda Design Center, 714-541-4444
LIGHTING
Pro Audio & Lighting, 949-727-9080, proaudiodj.com
PLANE WITH PERSONALIZED BANNER
US Sky Ads, usskyads.com, (booked through Adville USA, 626-397-9911)
RECEPTION RENTALS
Classic Party Rentals, 714-540-6111, classicpartyrentals.com
PHOTOGRAPHER
Bleu Cotton, 949-574-1900, bleucotton.com
WEDDING COORDINATOR
Cynthia Pritchard, 973-893-1386, cpeventcompany.com
After a processional to the "Hawaiian Wedding Song," Katie and Shane exchanged vows under a bamboo structure adorned with taro leaves, white hydrangeas and roses, orange gloriosa lilies and hanging Bombay orchid leis by While Lilac in Irvine. Their friend, an ordained nonpracticing minister, officiated the ceremony.
Using a design they found online, Katie's mother and aunt printed and hand-cut each butterfly-shaped escort card. Marcie, the bride's mom, artfully wrote the words to "Babylon"—a song by David Gray, which was played at the ceremony and the reception—on watercolor paper displayed above the escort cards. The couple's wedding coordinator, Cynthia Pritchard, hung everything from ribbon (available at ribbontrade.com) by the ceremony area.
The bridal party took portraits outside the former Newport Beach Four Seasons. The couple loved the tropical look of the venue so much that they took one of its last available dates—just six months after they got engaged—before it changed management and became the Island Hotel.
Shane's father, Dennis, surprised guests, including the couple, with an aerial banner. A plane from US Sky Ads (booked through Adville USA in Pasadena) carrying the congratulatory banner flew over the wedding just as the cocktail hour began around sunset.
Clusters of white hydrangeas and roses, touches of orange gloriosa lilies and coral cockscomb, and hanging alabaster shell discs by White Lilac sat atop tall vases, which rested on brown taffeta-covered square tables. Silk pillows in coral, brown and blue covered brown wicker chairs rented from Classic Party Rentals in Santa Ana.
The bride's classically elegant look was created courtesy of Design Visage, which did her hair and makeup in the bride's parents' house, her childhood home. "It was symbolic to leave from my childhood house to go to my wedding and new life with my future husband," says Katie.
The bride wanted a dark-chocolate spiral cake with blue detailing on ruffled edges, and Linda Goldsheft of The Cake Studio in Fountain Valley turned the vision into a tasty six-layer confection frosted with buttercream wrapped in dark-chocolate dough. Fresh orange gloriosa lilies and candy butterflies brought in the coral part of the color scheme.
The couple believed butterflies were a logical wedding theme because they symbolize a new beginning. To Katie, the butterflies also represented the presence of her brother and his friends who died in a car crash when they were in high school. These white floating designs from Shinoda Design Center in Santa Ana lined the walkway to the ceremony.
Katie's mother's friend—Susan Stahl of The Ample Hamper, a catering company in Irvine—made the chocolate butterfly cookie favors, which were iced to match the blue-and-coral color theme, wrapped in cellophane and tied with ribbon from ribbontrade.com.
As a tribute to Katie's brother and Shane's friend, Ryan, who died 12 years earlier in a car accident, guests drank a 1999 pinot noir called "Ryan" during the ceremony. Notes wrapped in blue rice paper from sterlingart.com explained how Katie's father Guy found the wine and planned to serve it at Katie's wedding, even before she was engaged.
“Babylon” by David Gray, was playing in the background on Katie and Shane’s first date, which took place after the couple, who had known each other for years, finally decided to give a long-distance relationship a try. They realized then that the lyrics were especially relevant to their situation. They danced to “Babylon” for their first dance under soft blue lighting from Pro Audio and Lighting in Irvine and white Bombay orchid leis from White Lilac.
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