M&S' Greystone Mansion wedding day marked the culmination of a love story that began six years ago to the day, when a girl and a boy walked into a bar in New York City...
Innocently enough, they were there meeting some friends for happy hour when, not looking for anything, they found something nonetheless. She was drawn to his radiant eyes. He couldn't get her smile out of his head. They liked each others sense of humor. They honestly just liked everything about each other. The two kept in touch on a daily basis over all the little details that made their lives so fulfilling and interesting to each other; things like staying up late, waking up early, their ambitions, music, reading books in the park, and life in general. They eventually saw each other again (and again), and shared heaps of laughter and adventures as they were falling in love. Halcyon days were coming to an end, however, as M was accepted into graduate school on the west coast. S adored New York City and couldn't imagine her life anywhere else, but then, life without M wasn't a very good life, so they made the decision and packed up their lives and moved to Los Angeles. Once the amalgamation into their new surroundings was complete, they adopted a sweet little floppy-eared rescue puppy they named Ziggy Stardust. Their shared love for Ziggy (and David Bowie) enhanced their love for each other, and their adventures continued as a family.
The next adventure was going to be a memorable one; a luxurious wedding to inspire at an historical Los Angeles mansion. With such voracious appetites for art and culture, M & S chose a venue that is iconic in both categories. Greystone Mansion is a national historic landmark that was built in 1927 by oil tycoon, Edward Doheny, as a residence for his son and son's family. Designed by architect, Gordon Kaufmann, Greystone Mansion is a Tudor Revival mansion on a landscaped estate with distinctive formal English gardens. The mansion spans 46,000 square feet, has 55 rooms, and is situated on 16 acres of land. At the time it was built, it cost over $3 million and was the most expensive home in California. As a true crime buff, S appreciates the murder-mystery aspect of the home and being a film buff, M appreciates all of the movies filmed at Greystone, including Ghostbusters II, The Big Lebowski, and There Will Be Blood, which was based on Doheny's life and features the infamous bowling alley inside the mansion.
Weaving elements of eastern and western tradition amidst the palatial setting, the wedding day was a magnificent feast for the senses. M and S cut no corners ensuring that their wedding day would be fun, extremely memorable, and represent them completely. The wedding's decor borrowed inspiration from the gardens and the grounds of the venue, with lots of florals and springtime colors. S's mother made all the elements of the sofreh and M's mother donated many of the antique pieces used throughout the day. The ceremony was held in the Formal Garden where the couple sat at the sofreh surrounded by blooming roses and loved ones. After they were pronounced husband and wife, guests were then encouraged to explore the grounds, as we took M and S to some of their personal favorite spots (the Cypress Walk and the Reflection Pond) for their portraits. Departing from a common grand entrance into dinner, M and S instead, entered the cocktail hour for their first dance and then mingled with the guests as the sun set over Los Angeles. The extended course menu for the dinner in the Inner Courtyard was perfectly selected and beautifully presented by the team at Wolfgang Puck as speakers shared their fondest memories of the couple.
And with that, they succeeded 200 percent and we're so happy we were there to documents such a gorgeous wedding for two incredible people (and one very sweet little dog).
