1. Real Weddings

Jennifer & John: An Outdoor Wedding in Pasadena, CA

This decidedly modern couple met in the midst of the dot-com frenzy, but Jennifer Dysar and John Christopher created a wedding that honored tradition,

This decidedly modern couple met in the midst of the dot-com frenzy, but Jennifer Dysar and John Christopher created a wedding that honored tradition, infused with elements of their own contemporary lifestyles. The Bride Jennifer Dysart, 36 The Groom John Christopher, 39 The Date July 10 It all started with a Palm Springs proposal. John, a commercial analyst, had an heirloom ring (his maternal grandmother’s) ready to present to Jennifer when he popped the question on a starry night by the pool at the Viceroy. “I tried not to form any opinions so I would be happy with whatever he gave me,” Jennifer says, “but you can’t help looking at ring ads when you are hoping to be proposed to.” Jennifer was in for a pleasant surprise. “When he opened the little box, I about died,” she recalls. “It was exactly what I had imagined as my dream ring, and the fact that it is his grandmother’s makes it a million times more special.”

Ceremony music provided by a string trio included the early-20th century song “Bless This House,” a favorite in Jennifer’s family, and “Au bord de l’eau” by Fauré, a nod to John’s parents’ Francophile tendencies.
Asian decor elements, like illuminated red, pink, and orange Chinese lanterns, added a splash of color to the night sky.
Jennifer wore an ivory silk and lace dropped-waist dress by Sue Wong. “It had a ’20s flair, which was appropriate since the Christopher family home was built in the early 1900s,” says Jennifer.
Jennifer's bridal bouquet of dahlias, roses, berries, and French carnations carried out the couple’s bold color palette.
The Music
Following the ceremony, everyone descended to the garden’s lower tier where the tables were adorned with rosy red linens. Dahlias, roses, berries, and French carnations also carried out the couple’s bold color palette.
At the end of the meal, the guests were served small sweets, assorted truffles, and the couple’s Asian layered wedding cake, which was graced by a chocolate branch with sugared cherry blossoms.
The Hair
Jennifer and John report “no major calamities” at their wedding or even during the planning process. Jennifer sees wedding planning as “a rite of passage, the steps that you take to be ready for the commitment of marriage.” She also believes that a wedding can build a couple’s personality and reflect their unique character, and that of their families. “It is so much fun to plan, to dream, and to come up with ideas that are uniquely yours,” she says. “It gave us time to reflect on our families’ pasts and think about our life together.”
The couple’s honeymoon destination, Thailand, inspired the Asian decor elements and hors d’oeuvres choices.
Guests indulged in Bellinis and lemonade, Vietnamese spring rolls, ahi tuna tartare, prosciutto toast, filet of beef with soy glaze, and an assortment of sweets and truffles. Later, everyone enjoyed a sit-down dinner of cold green-pea soup and Asian-style salmon, beef, and vegetables.
The Reception Decor
When it came time for wedding bands, the couple nodded to their ancestors again. Jennifer had a band made, this time with diamonds from John’s paternal grandmother’s wedding ring, and John chose a replica of a unique antique ring design. “I now wear rings with diamonds from both sides of the Christopher family,” says Jennifer, “and John spent the time to find something special to him too.”