Celia & Colin // Smog Shoppe Los Angeles Wedding

When asked about how they met, Colin fondly recalls: “Umm.. we met, hit it off, and then ignored each other for a year.” However, after listening closely to their wedding ceremony & the speeches their friends gave, I DID manage to gather some more intel than Colin was initially willing to disclose. I’ll summarize & stick to the important stuff. 

Celia & Colin dated for a BRIEF 10 years before they got engaged. Completely content in their relationship, it was just never high on their agendas to tie the knot officially, so they waited until the time felt right. On a trip to Europe a couple of years ago, Colin asked Celia to be his wife and she said an easy “yes.”

Fast forward to a beaaaautiful breezy day in LA, where C & C had what I can only describe as the MOST aesthetically stunning & energetically serene wedding I’ve ever been a part of. From the flawless dried flower decor & the carefully curated multicolored seats, to the ambiance set by a two-man instrumental group (who Celia once saw performing on the street, and then asked to play music at her wedding), their SmogShoppe celebration was so unique and stunning. Celia & Colin have an eye for style and it was CLEAR as DAY in every small element of their wedding. Each detail seemed meticulously thought-through, and effortlessly copasetic when combined to create an incredible wedding setup. On top of their taste for decor is the couple’s taste for style—Celia wore a custom champagne silk satin gown, blue velvet heels, and a dainty pearl headband, and was the picture of style and elegance. Colin wore black velvet suit accessorized by one-of-a-kind boutonnière, & looked as handsome as could be. 

Let’s talk more about Colin: a down-to-earth, calm-spirited, big-hearted human with a smile of gold. I spent the morning with the groom as he got ready *in aforementioned black velvet suit* & it was evident how stoked he was to finally be Celia’s husband. Hanging out in a beautiful Hotel Irwin suite with his groomsmen, the guys exchanged jokes and jabs until Colin eventually realized he needed to write his vows down before he walked down that aisle. After calmly writing his vows on a hotel notepad, he and his groomsmen took a shot to get hyped for the day. Overall, Colin seemed to go about the morning with zero nerves and 100% enthusiasm for what the day would bring. 

And then there’s Celia: a sweet-as-candy, stylish-as-fashion-itself, gentle-spirited queen with a heart as big as the sun. A few floors away from Colin, in another stunning suite overlooking Venice Beach, the bride finished up her makeup and slipped into her silk gown and velvet heels. Smiling and giggling through the whole morning, Celia was the picture of positivity and joy as she headed into her wedding day. After getting ready, she popped champagne on the balcony with her best friends, and was grinning ear to ear as she looked out at the blue sky & waving palm trees. Following a quick cheers, we paraded down the hallway and made our way to the Venice Canals for C & C’s first look. We ran into the florist (Petals and Pop Shop) at the bottom of the elevators, and I was immediately STUNNED when I glanced at the bride’s & bridesmaid’s bouquets. Beautiful groupings of dried fall-colored florals were arranged perfectly in each bouquet. These were my personal favorite florals of any wedding this year—period. I wish I could’ve taken a bouquet home!! Ok, back on topic.

Arriving at the Venice Canals, Colin got set up for the big first look as he glanced out at the view and the beautiful colors of the neighborhood. Celia eventually walked up with her friends, took one last glance at them, and walked forward to meet her love by the water. When Colin turned around and saw his bride, his smile just beamed. Overwhelmed by how beautiful Celia looked, once his jaw was up off the floor, Colin gave her a spin (which created my favorite photo) and just continued to looked her up and down. Taking in the moment, the couple embraced deeply & then motioned all of their friends over to join them. Everyone hugged & celebrated together, and then C & C walked over to a beautiful bridge for a few more photos.

Once at the BEAUTIFUL SmogShoppe, which was decked out in more incredible florals & details, we took some wedding party photos and a few more portraits. Energy was so high among the wedding party, and I couldn’t help but smile while taking most of the pictures as a result. Once family & friends began to arrive, Celia & Colin welcomed everyone together, and then briefly rehearsed their ceremony. Again, the joy on every member of the wedding party’s face let me know that the day was going to be legendary and full of SO much love & support for the couple. 

Once guests arrived and were seated (my favorite guest being Grandma, with her walker decorated with a blue ribbon), the music began to play and the groom walked down the aisle with his mama. Once the whole party made their way down, guests turned as Celia descended elegantly from a beautiful staircase to meet her dad. Together, they walked to meet Colin at the front of the aisle. 

The ceremony was short, sweet, and personal, officiated by a close friend of the couple. He took such pride in officiating, cracking jokes and telling stories of the friends as well as quoting philosophers and love poems. When they were finally pronounced husband & wife, Celia gave Colin SUCH a big smooch that when they separated, Colin had a hefty smear of red lipstick all over his face. The couple’s reaction was hilarious and so dang cute. 

Exiting their ceremony as husband & wife, the couple shared high fives & fist bumps with their guests. As cocktail hour began, delicious drinks & tasty appetizers filled the courtyard. Guests gushed over how beautiful the ceremony was as the couple took a few final family photos. A big highlight was seeing how overjoyed Celia’s grandmother was during the entire ceremony & the photo-taking process.. she just couldn’t stop smiling and I found it so darling to observe the wedding through her proud and loving eyes. 

The couple’s reception—just like their attire & the wedding ceremony’s decor—was SO aesthetically flawless and authentically them. At elongated tables lit with dimly candles, family and friends dined on a delicious meal and listened to heartfelt speeches from Celia’s sister, Colin’s best friend, and both the bride & groom’s fathers. Uproarious laughter and love filled the room, and after tears and hugs, the couple headed to the dance floor for their first dance.

Now… as you know… 99.8745% of the time, couples choose a slow, emotional love song to share their first dance. Welp, NOT this couple!!! In front of a giant screen playing a slideshow medley of art stills and videos of random people dancing, Celia & Colin proceeded to bust out high-energy moves to the 80s pop hit “This is the Day” by The The. Music filled the reception space on loud speakers, and guests cheered and clapped, all appreciating just how *them* this first dance was. I couldn’t help but, once again, grin & giggle behind my camera, as this was the first time I’d ever seen a couple have a first dance that looked straight out of a John Hughes movie. 

After cutting their cake & tasting their sweet array of desserts, C & C finished the night out on the dance floor. Celia quickly threw off her shoes, Colin did the splits MORE than once, and the two had a giant dance party with all of their friends and family. The love, joy, energy, and goodness at this wedding was magical from beginning to end. It was all perfect, and it will go down in my memory as one of the most wonderful & aesthetically PRIME days I’ve ever gotten to be a part of.

Congratulations to two amazing humans. I know you have a lifetime of joy & wild dance parties ahead of you.