1. Real Weddings

A Whimsical, Rustic Chic Wedding at Tiato in Santa Monica, California

Cynthia Brown (32 and a senior marketing manager at Mattel) and Andy Waruszewski (33 and a cinematographer) pulled off a stunning whimsical, rustic af

Cynthia Brown (32 and a senior marketing manager at Mattel) and Andy Waruszewski (33 and a cinematographer) pulled off a stunning whimsical, rustic affair for their Memorial Day weekend wedding in Santa Monica, Calif. “I’ve always loved design and decor and could not wait to craft all of the little details that would make our wedding feel special,” says Cynthia. “I’m a bit of a perfectionist and knew at some point I would have to hand over the reigns to someone I could trust completely to orchestrate the details with our dream team of vendors so Andy and I could just show up to our wedding and have a blast.” With their incredible talent and creativity, planner Lina Wallace and her team at A Stunning Affair proved to be the perfect sounding board throughout every part of the planning process. Their expertise paired with the florists at Little Branch’s creativity and Cynthia’s own craftiness, ensured every element of the day came together flawlessly.

The festivities kicked off with a traditional Catholic ceremony at St. Monica Catholic Church. “I always knew I wanted the traditional experience of walking down the aisle in a church to meet my handsome husband-to-be!” says Cynthia. Finding a reception venue that reflected the couple’s personalities and sense of style — playful, quirky and intimate — was a bit more of a challenge. Santa Monica’s slew of beachfront ballrooms came with a hefty price tag and lacked the character and charm the pair were after. When Cynthia and Andy finally came across Tiato, they instantly knew they’d found the perfect backdrop for their reception. Complete with a gorgeous succulent wall, a garden filled with lush trees dotted with twinkling lanterns and modern minimalist design with a subtle Napa-inspired twist, the unique venue embodied the chic, yet laid-back feel they hoped to achieve.

With the location settled, Cynthia and Andy got to work on the details. “I spent most evenings and weekends designing the handcrafted elements for our reception, like our Mr. & Mrs. chair backers using drapery cords with tassels,” says Cynthia. “Andy is 6’ 5” like a giraffe and I love the good luck that elephants bring so I was excited to see a DIY blog post with gold spray painted toy animals that added a whimsical touch to the beautiful tablescapes.” Chantilly lace table runners, champagne shantung linens and gilded lanterns added a touch of romance to the decor. Little Branch upped the wow-factor by lush arrangements of full white blooms layered over antlers for each table top, styled alongside more unexpected elements like terrariums and ferns and succulents displayed in rose gold tin cans.

Personalization went beyond the decor, with Cynthia and Andy creating a menu jam-packed with their favorite comfort foods and sweet treats and surprising guests with lively choreographed dances after dinner. “It was truly the best day of our lives and my feet ached for days following! We are so grateful to all of our friends and family for their help and support and to our amazing vendors who made our day possible,” says Cynthia. 

Smitten Paper took the reigns on Cynthia and Andy’s stationery, creating an understated, yet playful invitation suite dotted with dainty floral flourishes and whimsical fonts.
While the couple originally considered hosting their nuptials in Andy’s hometown of Tulsa, Oklahoma, Los Angeles eventually won out. “We briefly considered Andy’s hometown, as it would be more affordable, but quickly decided Los Angeles was best for our many friends with young families and would be easier for us to plan with our hectic work schedules,” says Cynthia. “Most of our extended family would be traveling from across the U.S. anyhow, so we settled on Memorial Day weekend to throw what we hoped would be an unforgettable vacation for the wonderful family who had nurtured us along the way.” To make their out-of-town guests feel comfortable from the moment they arrived, the couple provided their friends and family members with customized totes filled with snacks, treats, guides and maps to help get them acquainted with the area.
“I always knew I wanted the traditional experience of walking down the aisle in a church to meet my handsome husband-to-be!” says Cynthia. A Catholic ceremony was a given for the pair and St. Monica Catholic Church seemed like the perfect place to say “I do.”
Before heading to Tiato for a night of alfresco dining and lots of dancing, Cynthia and Andy exchanged vows in a traditional Catholic ceremony at the St. Monica Catholic Church in Santa Monica.
When it came to their wedding day attire, Cynthia and Andy went for timeless elegance with a subtle modern twist. Cynthia’s wedding dress, a one-shoulder Amsale design with an A-line silhouette and playful bow details was both sophisticated and fun. Andy stunned in a classic Calvin Klein tuxedo, black bow tie and sleek black dress shoes.
Wanting to allow here bridesmaids’ to show off a bit of their own personality, while maintaining and element of cohesiveness, Cynthia allowed the girls to choose their own dresses from J.Crew’s bridesmaid line, asking only that they stayed with gray, chiffon fabric.
Each element of the decor tied together seamlessly. A gilded lace motif on the hand-crafted place cards played up the Chantilly lace table runners, while floral wreaths and antlers on the menus mirrored the whimsical centerpieces.
Cynthia spent the months leading up to the wedding handcrafting small touches that would give the decor a fun, personalized feel. “Andy is 6’ 5”, like a giraffe, and I love the good luck that elephants bring, so I was excited when I found a DIY blog post with gold spray painted toy animals,” says Cynthia. The gilded fauna were woven throughout and injected a whimsical, glam note to the tablescape design.
Vintage details, like this display of reclaimed wooden crates, provided unique backdrops for classic wedding day details, like the card table, while playing up the day’s rustic chic theme. Succulents, rose gold tin cans and lush peach-colored blooms heightened the effect.
Instead of escort cards, Cynthia and Andy helped guests find the way to their seats with a classic seating chart. To tie into the wedding’s rustic theme, the seating assignments were displayed on chicken wire held in an antiqued wooden frame.
“Andy and I have this paper mache deer head over our fireplace that we love, so when Meg and Annie from Little Branch showed me the amazing floral work they had done with antlers, I knew they were the right people to capture the romantic, whimsical, rustic vibe we were going for,” says Cynthia. The pair more than delivered with the series of unique arrangements they created for the reception, which ranged from succulents potted in rose gold tin cans to dainty bud vases filled with full white and peach blooms and striking bundles of greenery, lush romantic florals, driftwood and antlers.
After settling on Los Angeles as the location to gather together their families and friends, Cynthia and Andy set out to find a reception venue that reflected their personalities and sense of style and would exceed their budget. “Santa Monica is limited when it comes to budget friendly venues – most options are beachfront ballrooms, which were out of our budget and also lacked the character and charm we were looking for,” says Cynthia. “Our wishes were answered when we visited a cool urban garden called Tiato at the recommendation of a friend.” The pair instantly knew they’d found the perfect backdrop for their reception the minute they stepped on the property. Complete with a gorgeous succulent wall, a garden filled with lush trees dotted with twinkling lanterns and interiors boasting modern minimalist design with a subtle Napa-inspired twist, the unique venue embodied the chic, yet laid-back feel they hoped to achieve.
Food was a top priority for the couple and Tiato did not disappoint. The restaurant offered an extensive menu to choose from with some of Cynthia and Andy’s favorite comfort foods, including truffle macaroni and cheese and Kobe beef sliders. “I have a sweet tooth like no other, so when I saw this amazing long rustic table at Tiato, I envisioned it covered with our favorite sweet treats — French macarons, crème brulee shooters, cake pops, mini cupcakes and a rustic three-tiered cake with layers of red velvet, salted caramel chocolate and vanilla with strawberries and cream,” says Cynthia.
“The most memorable moments of our wedding reception happened on the dance floor,” says Cynthia. “I’ll never forget the look on my Dad’s face after nailing our trick move during our first dance to ‘My Girl’ after spending weeks practicing in the parking lot at work or watching my nephews and mom jump rope with a rope they had fashioned with glowstick necklaces.” Cynthia and Andy also planned an epic dance off to a mashup of David Guetta’s “Titanium” and the Proclaimer’s “500 Miles” and two of their close friends surprised everyone with an impromptu Vanilla Ice impression and an a capella performance of “Somewhere Over the Rainbow.”