Aja + Steve’s funky, boho chic wedding at Big Daddy’s Antiques in Los Angeles was exactly what they wanted; LARGER THAN LIFE! Anything But Gray Events is thrilled to share that this uniquely, “eclectic and mismatched”, wedding has been featured on A Practical Wedding.

Aja + Steve:

Aja is a bubbly, free-spirited flower child and dreamer. She is made out of beams of sunshine and has an infectious laugh. Steve is a businessman in commercial real estate. He lives and breaths numbers and logistics. He has a strong, witty personality and gives teddy bear hugs. She is boho and he is chic. A funky, but fabulous combo!

Together, these “opposites attracts” are the most unstoppable couple!

 

The Details:

Aja + Steve’s outdoor ceremony amidst loving family and friends at Big Daddy’s Antiques in Los Angeles was the ultimate in funky, boho chic perfection! Aja and Steve are all about making people feel comfortable and welcomed. You feel that from the moment you meet them! Their wedding was not only a celebration of their love but a chance to make those who are most important to them feel cared for and loved as all. Don’t you love that?!

From the get go, elevated catering and hospitality were two critical parts of the wedding planning process for this boho chic couple. Aja + Steve wanted to make sure that both food and drink were incredible and that guests had everything they needed throughout the evening. As three foodies, we took time to craft their customized dinner and bar menus together.

We turned to Room Forty to BRING IT with a three option, multi-course plated meal that wowed and delighted their family and friends. This was not to be overshadowed by the literal 5 foot “gutter of nachos” that hit that dance floor at the end of the evening as a midnight snack! Talk about a crowd pleaser.

Cocktails were nothing to scuff at at this funky, boho chic wedding! Pharmacie shined with multiple bars throughout the space as well as passed champagne and virgin cocktails to ensured that guests could enjoy libations with out waiting long.

When designing the overall look of the room, Aja + Steve wanted to focus on the funky, boho chic mismatched element of the antique store itself. We loved that in every nook and cranny of Big Daddy’s Antique we saw something eye-catching. This gigantic warehouse space was so much fun for me to dress and design! I took this idea of  “funky, boho chic mismatched” and ran with it to create a vibe that had surprises around every corner. Literally!

Antiques, by nature, are unique, one of a kind pieces and not matchy matchy. To keep with the look of natural “patina”, we kept the colors rich but muted with a focus on green and plum with pops of gold, bronze and rust. The venue came with a collection of vintage and distressed tables and chairs in all shapes and sizes.

All other rentals and tabletop items had to be brought in by Town and Country Rentals.

For a multi course, plated reception for 225+ guests, that is a TON of rentals. With 6 utensils at each places setting that comes to over 1350 pieces of cutlery!

The textures of exposed wood farm tables draped with antique lace runners were a nice counterbalance to each other. One was strong and firm and the other more dainty and delicate. Perfect for Aja + Steve! Lace was also the prominent focus in Aja’s & For Love bridal gown which paid homage to 1970’s Stevie Nicks flair with giant bell sleeves and a waist hugging shape. Are you sending a pattern here?

Positive and healing natural rose quartz stones and air plants added to the table design to bring in a element of Mother nature, furthering to continue the funky, boho chic wedding vibes. The recycled wood rounds and hand painted table numbers with pressed florals were made by Aja’s crafty Aunt!

Load in and set up for this 225+ guest funky, boho chic wedding took over 3.5 hours to get every detail just perfect. Did you notice the giant LOL sign in the background?!?

Every bit and bobble of this funky, boho chic wedding had texture that made you want to just reach out and touch it. This certainly included Aja’s stunning bouquet by Primary Petals featuring photo charms of loved ones no longer with us.

Cecile’s Paper Co. designed this whimsically bohemian invitation suite including a customized map of Los Angeles for out of town guests. If you look really close you can see embossed peace signs on the invitation and vintage stamps on the envelope.

The venue was so large that we wanted to make sure guests didn’t get (literally) lost in all the goodness so we turned again to Cecile’s Paper Co. to fabricate this free standing, wood map that highlighted all the key points of the evening throughout the warehouse space. This keepsake now serves as wall art in Aja + Steve’s home! YAY!

Adding an element of surprise for guests was a priority. “Gray, let’s keep them (our guests) wanting more”, Steve said. (He loves to call me by my last name.) The Booth and Bus Co. not only added a vintage backdrop to the ceremony area but later opened up to become a functioning photobooth for the evening within the cab of the this 1970’s VW Bus! Surprise!

“Music was a huge priority for us, so it was everything to have a DJ who knew our preferences and read the crowd perfectly all night long”. – Aja on hiring Lee Dyson of Hey Mister DJ.

Fun fact, I have known Aja since our high school days at Immaculate Heart in Los Feliz! She lives her life to the fullest and has an infectious personality you just can’t help but fall in love with. Oh, ya, and she loves to dance. I mean, alot! Aja was on the dance floor ALL NIGHT LONG. So really, nothing has changed since we were teens dancing on the lawn at IH! It was amazing to watch this little 5’3 energizer battery bunny bride groove her heart out!

Aja gave this advice to couples, “Having a wedding planner is indispensable. Holly made the entire planning process so much easier, and she made the day of entirely flawless. It was amazing not having to worry about a single thing the entire day. With that said, there are a lot of decisions that need to be made and logistics worked out that no one else can decide for you.”

Even a funky boho chic wedding needs cake! This beautiful naked cake by Sweet Lady Jane Bakery was the perfect centerpiece for Aja + Steve’s rustic dessert bar dripping with candy, cookies and mini desserts. Steve, who has a sweet tooth, couldn’t decide on just one kind of dessert, so, we went with them all! Gotta love a man who appreciates sweetness!

 

Vendor Team: