Tell us a little about yourselves!
Mandy is a resident doctor in dermatology, James runs a publicity and communications company. We have a Persian cat named Nilou, and we live in a house that was designed to look like a boat.
Why did you decide to get married where you did?
We knew that neither of us were interested in a big wedding, and as we spoke more about it, it became clear we wanted to make the actual ceremony as small as possible! The Beverly Hills Courthouse just felt right!
How many guests did you have?
We had no guests!
What was your budget?
To give you an idea, it costs $37 to get married at the Beverly Hills Courthouse.
Tell us about your outfits.
We both took a very relaxed approach to our outfits. James wanted a simple Hugo Boss tuxedo and loafers. Mandy wasn’t sure she could pull off the Alice + Olivia bridal suit but after seeing the photos is so glad she did -despite taking scissors to the suit for her own alterations the night before!
Back at the house James switched it up with what has since been referred to as the matrimonial turtleneck - also a last minute purchase the day before. Likely the last turtleneck sweater to be found in Los Angeles in late April.
What was the most important aspect for you, in terms of planning your wedding?
There was something romantic and meaningful about the simplicity of our wedding. We plan to have a party/reception with friends and family later on, but being able to keep the ceremony so small and relaxed not only relieved a lot of pressure throughout the planning process, but added to the intimacy of the day.
Were there any elements that were important for you to incorporate?
Mandy: My mom wore baby’s breath in her hair at her wedding so that was the first detail that I was certain I wanted to include. I also tucked a square of blue fabric from one of her dresses in my suit pocket.
Any tips for couples getting married?
This is your day…It is about the two of you. Remembering that can really clarify the planning process.
Are there any vendors that you would like to tell us a little more about?
Nate at The Shalom Imaginative. His work speaks for itself, but throughout the day he was wonderful. He was the only other person present throughout the day– he even served as our witness– and he kept it fun and relaxed the entire time.
Photographer : The Shalom Imaginative @theshalomimaginative | Ceremony Location : Beverly Hills Courthouse | Flora : Los Angeles Flower Market | Makeup : Beauty By Chloe @beautybychloe__ | Hair : by the Bride | Cake : Kassie Mendieta @ibakemistakes | Car : Dimitry Shtolz Kaminsky @shtolzmusic | Bride’s Suit : Alice + Olivia @aliceandolivia | Bride’s Dress : For Love + Lemons @forloveandlemons | Groom’s Tux : Hugo Boss @boss | Engagement Ring : Jewels by Grace @jewelsbygrace | Wedding Rings : Kinn Studio (Bride) + Heirloom (Groom) @kinnstudio | Shoes : Lulus (Bride) @lulus + G.H. Bass @ghbass | Pearl Bag : Six Stories @sixstories