1. Real Weddings

Beachfront Wedding in Pacific Palisades, CA

Though James had signed up to teach in Japan for a year, he reconnected with high-school classmate Mollie before he left. While out with mutual friend

Though James had signed up to teach in Japan for a year, he reconnected with high-school classmate Mollie before he left. While out with mutual friends at a comedy club one night, the two started falling in love. The Bride Mollie Marcus, 29, owner of an organizing service The Groom James Starr, 29, restauranteur The Date October 4 Four months later, James headed for Asia. Instead of staying for the whole stint, he returned four months into it, and he and Mollie took a 35-day cross-country road trip. They moved in together after that. Five years later, Mollie and James were vacationing in Costa Rica. Following a long day of hiking and relaxing by the hotel pool, they were getting ready for dinner. That’s when James asked Mollie if she’d be his wife.

Instead of traditional tented escort cards, Mollie and James opted for flat squares of ivory paper with black-paper backing that matched their invitations, menus, and programs.
The couple’s four-tiered wedding cake was covered with buttercream frosting, decorated with white gardenias, and topped with the couple’s first initials in block letters.
So the bridesmaids could wear their dresses after the wedding, Mollie chose black, strapless cocktail dresses. Simple bouquets, each made up of a few calla lilies, kept with the wedding’s black-and-white color palette.
Long, rectangular programs printed on white paper and backed with black paper fit the wedding’s simple, elegant style.
Mollie glammed up her bouquet of mini calla lilies, ranunculus, japhet orchids, and tulips by adding a rhinestone brooch to the wrap.
The ivory table linens, centerpieces and plates created a crisp look. Mollie and James chose chairs with stretched-knit backs for extra glamour.
A quad of tall, rectangular vases filled with submerged dendrobium orchids was topped with hydrangeas, dahlias, roses, tulips and ranunculus.
Mollie and James were married under a simple huppah with mounds of white hydrangeas at the base. Identical arrangements appeared along the aisle as well.