Laguna Beach Wedding-Eric and Albertina
Both Eric and Albertina have a very infectious smile and disarming nature. They are quick to laugh and enjoy laughing! They really don't take themselves too seriously and when a little bump in the road would cause most brides to freak out or at least have a little movement of drama Albertina shows a smile and rolls on. Case in point. As Albertine was getting into her wedding gown there was a small panel the concealed her back and it was missing. Albertina had no problem saying, "oh well I guess everyone gets to see my back". Several suggestions were offered such as we could fold a napkin because it's white, another idea was thrown out and quickly rejected due to the complexity of the process. Honestly it wasn't a big deal and Albertina didn't make a big deal out of it either. I truly admire that spirit of ok, that's that and move on. I get it, it's hard sometimes because you plan your wedding for months and months. You want everything just right. We are imperfect human beings and nothing will be perfect and by lowering our rigidity, life can be a lot of fun.
I thought it was really fun that they incorporated their love for sci-fi and Disney's movie "Up" into the theme of their wedding. While I do not fully appreciate or understand Star Trek the pendants and bracelets made for interesting photos and a very personal touch to their wedding. The movie Up was really heartwarming and I really liked that movie. Love, love, love the cake that Albertina made herself for the wedding. Yes she made her own wedding cake. She sculpted the chairs from the movie Up. How cool is that? Maybe that could earn her a Cake War's spot?
Their wedding reception was held at the Mission Aliso conference center and was a brilliant choice. They were allowed to bring in their own caterer. Eric and Albertina chose a taco truck. OMG! So good! Fresh, spicy, yummy, delicious food served up. Eric's parents brought in Korean food from a restaurant in Korea-town, Los Angeles. I love how colorful the food looked and the variety of cuisine. Sure makes things a bit easier for a wedding photographer to have so many beautiful things to photograph! It was delicious and also a personal statement about their culture, Family and lifestyle.
So let's talk about the reception in detail. The actual space is a courtyard in a park like garden setting. They also have at the conference center a few conversation pits or areas set up that in my opinion are extremely stylish and chic. Orange County weddings have the advantage of beautiful and mild weather so holding the reception outdoors is a common but so amazing thing.They had a photo booth set up with props and scrapbooking supplies available to the guest so they could creative and have a good time making a personalized memento for the couple. The Photo Booth option, continues to be a very popular activity and guests love it! People just love putting on a funny hat or wig and jumping in the Photo Booth. It's not old just yet. They also had a street magician or up close magician who wowed the guests as they stood in line for food. The magician also worked the crowd during the cocktail hour. He was awesome! His tricks/sleight-of-hand, really captured the imagination. How in the world does he do that? I'm still trying to figure out this one thing he did and I think I might be on to his wily ways. Because of the noise ordinance there can't be any live music outside so conveniently just off the courtyard is a room where they set up the DJ and dance floor. It was actually a brilliant transition from the outdoor area going into a club like environment. Lights flashing and smokey fog and a eclectic mix of music. You had EDM for those who wanted to shake their booty and you also had some Mexican music that filled the dance floor quickly as well as a few slow songs for the romantics feeling romantic. Can't stress this enough that your DJ is crucial to the success of your wedding. Even if you're not dancing you want to visually enjoy watching others dance and be in a very festive mood. Alby and Eric were having a great time with their family and friends dancing and then even forming the Congo line. That's a sure sign of a successful DJ when people enjoy dancing in a line through a room Believe me that stuff don't just happen as a matter of fact. You got to work up to that point. Fun night. When people think back to this wedding they go oh my god that was the greatest food, kimchi from Korea-town and a taco truck, orange soda… Great wedding! Really fun. Thank you Albertina and Eric.
