Planning an international wedding might seem to be challenging, but we believe everything is possible when done with love. Our stunning couple, the groom originally from England & the Californian bride with Lebanese roots, these two love birds planned their day effortlessly turning it into the most beautiful day of their lives. And so it should be, but if you still wonder how to plan a big multicultural weddings, we recommend reading a sweet note from the bride.
Your special day is not about details or incredible planning (though those things are important), but it's about going with the flow and asking your family members to help with whatever you need help with. At the end of the day, your wedding day will be the very first day of your new happy life and we know you will celebrate it in style!
This coastal wedding photographed by Brett Hickman Photographers depicts how bright and blissful the newlyweds are and how precious their smiling faces are as they are surrounded by dear friends and family visiting from all over the world!
From the bride: We like to think of our wedding as traditional with our own twists! Max is from England, and I am from California, with my father and his side of the family from Lebanon. As you can imagine, it was a very international wedding! We had family and friends fly in for the wedding from England, Lebanon, Jersey (Channel Islands), France, Canada, The Bahamas, Saudi Arabia, Morocco... The list goes on! This is, perhaps, what we loved most about our wedding day. We were completely overwhelmed by the huge effort that so many people made to be there and share our special day with us.
The cultural differences manifested in the church when it came time for the hymns. Max thought that he had so aptly chosen the hymns for the service, when in fact, they were English hymns that virtually no one knew. Hence, an awkward silence struck when the music commenced, leaving Max and I snickering at the alter under our breaths. In retrospect, neither of us would have changed this, though. It was just too funny and made for a great story!
Advice for engaged couples: When all is said and done, your wedding day truly should be the most beautiful day of your life. I've seen so many brides get caught up in the stress of petty little details that, in the grand scheme of things, won't matter. Those details aren't what make up your wedding memories. I made a promise to myself, that I would not let anything, no minor mishaps or grand disasters, upset me in the lead up to the wedding. No matter what, I was going to walk down the aisle and marry my best friend and the love of my life that day; and no damaged cupcakes, dress mishaps, or seating mixups would get in the way of me being blissfully happy. It was the best promise I could have made. I wasn't overly picky about reception food selections, I let my father choose what he wanted, and wasn't too fussy. I wasn't dead-set on very many details. I compromised. I didn't stress or micromanage. I didn't diet before the wedding. I ate what I wanted, drank all the wine I wanted, and celebrated just about every day for the two weeks preceding the 23rd, and enjoyed every, single minute leading up to the big day. On the day of my wedding, I sat down, criss-cross-apple-sauce on my couch with a grilled cheese sandwich and an espresso and just goofed off with my bridesmaids while we all took turns having our hair and makeup done and ogling about how excited we all were. I wore white converse shoes underneath my dress, as I wanted to dance the night away, blister free! All of the smaller details of the ceremony and reception would fall into place, and if something didn't, oh well! I was going to smile regardless. So there you have it! Relax. Smile. Enjoy your wedding for everything that it is REALLY about!
Photographer: Brett Hickman Photographers // Ceremony Venue: Laguna Presbyterian Church // Reception Venue: St. Regis Monarch Beach // Event Planner: High Society Event Planning // Cupcakes: Sweet and Saucy // Rentals: Signature Rentals // Invitations: Francis Orr // Hair & Make-up: Brie Does Makeup // Florist & Decor: Inviting Occasion // Bridesmaids Dresses: Donna Morgan // Grooms Suit: Favourbrook (from London) // Wedding Gown: Rosa Clara // DJ: Vive Entertainment // Submitted via Two Bright Lights
