Janis + Shawn's Vintage Glam Long Beach Wedding
All photography by Broach Photography
Come and see Janis and Shawn's romantic, vintage glam wedding at Parkers' Lighthouse. Janis has roots in New Orleans, which explains her affinity for antiques, French, and vintage. The word that accurately and succinctly sums up Janis' personality and wedding style is "glam." She embodies this entirely and this is one of the reasons Shawn said, "Who is THAT?!" when he first spotted the bombshell with magnetic blue eyes.
Now, there would be no Janis and Shawn without their corresponding versions of a love story. We tried our best to synthesize two similar, yet different, narratives; like a love Venn diagram. Once upon a time, Janis and Shawn met in Chicago. In fact, many of the guests in attendance were from Chi-Town (as well as Texas, Kentucky, Wisconsin, Arizona and Minneapolis). Who would've known that so many chance encounters would lead to their romance? According to Janis, when Shawn first met her he pestered her in her office (his sister, Bridget, was Janis' co-worker). Unbeknownst to Janis, Shawn claimed Bridget admonished him to steer clear of all things work-related including the snack bar and especially, Janis. Following this, Shawn and Janis repeatedly ran into each other. Eventually it just started to seem, well, funny. These chance encounters were dubbed "Shawn-sightings" by their circle.
One evening out at a comedy club with the group, Shawn attempted to be chivalrous to the object of his affection when Janis actually offered to drive him home. To Janis, he played a cool hand and appeared standoffish especially when bolting out of the car. To Shawn, he was physically hurt and did not want to make Janis drive him further than she had to. This was not going to work out thought Janis. Time marched on. One November evening, Shawn ran into a female friend, Ramara, and, lo and behold, the radiant Janis was with her and another friend (these were Janis' new co-workers). Shawn, making the wrong move, hugged Ramara and was polite and conversational. His non-verbal cues signaled Janis to take matters into her own hands. Being the straight-forward, confident woman that Janis is, she messaged him via Facebook with a friend request playfully suggesting he might treat her better if they were officially friends. Since then he has met and exceeded her expectations. That spot on Kinzie Street near Mercadito on November 19th will forever be sacrosanct. Anytime they are there they bow their heads in prayer and gratitude. Now you many ask, why Long Beach? Well, the lovely couple relocated for Shawn's job in 2011. They love the beach and have spent lots of time at Parkers'. It was a natural fit when their supremely talented wedding planner Taryn Collins of SoCal Wedding Consultant suggested it.
We adore so many elements of this wedding. Janis and Shawn made custom requests of Provenance Rentals. We, of course, said YES! They wanted something special for their vow exchanges. We created and constructed a ceremonial enclave just for them. Our vintage doors flanked the couple as Rev. Brian Kurth officianted. Atop the doors we crafted a roof to hold our vintage trumpet chandelier. It was ethereal and romantic, especially with Janis and her glam bridal headpiece by Erica Koesler Wedding Accessories and chic two-piece dress by Amare Couture Bridal. Tall pampas grass by Bella Blooms surrounded the doors and the couple. We also fashioned a rustic glam escort card display. The details made it pop. The cards were pinned with gold mini-clothespins on rose gold baker's twine -- this had to be fit for Janis' style. We love how Taryn and her team dressed it up with gems and jewelry for Janis' signature look.
Following a heartwarming ceremony, the party moved upstairs for a lively reception. There was certainly lots of dancing and upbeat music played by DJ Jonathan Phillips; not a dull moment with this crowd.
Their wedding was also a time to celebrate shared birthdays of Janis' fabulous mother and her mother's friend. We can tell where Janis gets her good looks. Shawn and Janis are inherently generous souls. These two special people shared their most important day to celebrate these awesome women. And with Janis' impeccable taste, she and Taryn dreamed up a gorgeous cake table. Our timeless vintage white vanity and pink glass cake stand showcased a wedding and birthday cakes by Rossmoor Pastries and some dope mini-bundt cakes from Bundts on Melrose? What makes this pop even more? The greenery garland with soft colored roses by Bella Blooms.
Friends and family traveled from far and wide to celebrate their happiness as husband and wife and enjoy the ambiance they created whether it was the scrumptious dessert, the bespoke decor, the sweeping panoramic views, or the fun dancing. Before we depart, we loved what Janis and Shawn envisioned for their head table. Our grey-washed sweetheart table with blue velvet cushioned chairs was decorated with sparkly things and a glam runner draped it. Our vintage bar cart from Germany was nestled nearby to add to the glam presence. The wedding and birthdays were memorable, special, gorgeous, and meaningful to all who came. Wishing you a life together filled with love and happiness Janis and Shawn.
xo, Provenance Rentals
Credits: Vintage Rentals Provenance Rentals | Photography Broach Photography | Planning + Design SoCal Wedding Consultant | Venue Parkers' Lighthouse | Mini Bundt Cakes Bundts on Melrose | Florals Bella Blooms | Officiant Rev. Brian Kurth | Bridal Accessories Erica Koesler Wedding Accessories | Wedding Gown Amare Couture Bridal | Bridal Salon Bridal Elegance Salon | DJ DJ Jonathan Phillips | Charger Plates Glam Events | Cakes Rossmoor Pastries | Paper Goods Le Paperie & Company | Bridesmaids Dresses BHLDN | Groom + Groomsmen Attire The Black Tux | Hair Salon 36 + Jody Williams | Bridal Makeup Powder Puff and Brushes + Debbie Davis | Bridesmaids + MOB Makeup Diana Poston