Tiny Cottage Wedding Video & Refinery29 Story
Back in May, Adam and I got married here at our tiny cottage. We've lived together in this home for 5+ years, and knew it would be the perfect setting for our mini-wedding.
View my full wedding post here.
Today, I'm excited to share a portion of our wedding video with you (below), along with Refinery29's Real Wedding coverage of our "big" day.
Launch the Refinery29 "Tiny Wedding" Coverage
Related: The Tiny Canal Cottage Home Tour via Refinery29
Our wedding was so relaxed, simple and delightful, which I think is evident from this light-hearted and personal footage. (Also evident is the fact that I spent the majority of our ceremony trying to not cry my face off.) Heart-felt shout-out to the people and businesses who helped us create our perfect lil' wedding day-- particularly TaskRabbit, lensman Jean Marc Cloutier, our dear friend + officiant Nell, and our generous and loving families.
Photo by Monica Wang Photography. Wedding video by Jean Marc Cloutier.
Our Tiny Wedding at the Cottage
On May 21st, Adam and I got married here at our tiny canal cottage. We've lived together in this home for 5+ years, and agreed that it would be the perfect setting for our lil' wedding. We said "I Do" on the front stoop, as our close friend Nell officiated the ceremony.
Handmade dress by Coralie Beatrix via Etsy • Suit by Combatant Gentlemen • Fresh garland by Viva Voce • Photo by Monica Wang
We'd been engaged for over 2 years, but kept putting the wedding off for a variety of external reasons. Initially we had planned on getting married in the tiny medieval village of Belcastel in southern France, where I've lived on-and-off for 10 years. I love the Aveyron region-- it's my home away from home. But over time it became clear that it just wasn't quite the right fit. Adam and I really wanted our celebration to be simple, accessible and intimate. We wanted to be able to truly focus on our friends, family and each other without being distracted by unnecessary details. Basically we wanted our wedding to be exactly like our home life: uncluttered by stuff, while overflowing with love. Luckily, it all turned out exactly as we'd hoped and planned.
As straightforward as we kept the event, it was still a DIY home wedding-- meaning it required a lot of work. But we started 6 months in advance, and had generous help from our families, friends and collaborators. We had a pretty tight budget (especially compared to the average cost of a wedding in Los Angeles), and we did not hire a wedding coordinator, nor an event planning company.
My ring-- an heirloom from adam's maternal grandmother • PHOTO BY MONICA WANG
THE VENUES
CEREMONY - Once we chose our date, we arranged to book the house next door, which is also around 360 square feet. We did this so we could have a 2nd bathroom and backup kitchen, and wouldn't have to bring in any portable equipment. While we wanted our "big day" to remain small, we certainly didn't want our guests and event staff to be uncomfortable within the space.
RECEPTION - We wanted the reception to be a no fuss situation, so we committed to renting out The Butcher's Daughter in Venice. The owner and designer is a good friend of mine, and the restaurant is one of my clients. Their Abbot Kinney location is less than a mile from our home, and basically looks like a large version of the cottage. (Photos below.)
IN LIEU OF A REHEARSAL DINNER - We decided to skip the rehearsal dinner. It costs so much money to secure a venue and menu, and takes nearly as much coordination as the wedding itself. (Plus we personally cringe at the idea of toasts and prolonged attention.) Instead, we opted for a casual brunch stroll the morning after the wedding, beginning at our cottage and meandering through the canals. This gave us the opportunity to show off the neighborhood to our guests.
INVITATIONS
For the ceremony (held at our cottage), we invited 60 of our closest family members and immediate friends. We invited an additional 60 guests to the reception (held at The Butcher's Daughter), and ended up with about 95 total attendees at the restaurant. We opted for digital invitations. I know digital isn't for everyone, but we LOVED it. About 80% of our guests replied almost immediately, and could simply click on our website upon receipt for additional information. No wasted materials, no time allocated for printing and addressing, no money spent on postage or stationary, and no paper clutter for our guests.
HOME + GARDEN PREP
Since we hosted the ceremony and brunch at our home, we started preparing well in advance. Adam and I both have full-time jobs (he works at a digital advertising agency, and I run a small creative firm from home), so I needed help getting the space ready. I worked with TaskRabbit for such to-dos, and they were completely amazing. Taskers helped me prepare the cottage in ahead of time by painting our new fence and assisting with gardening. Additionally, Rolling Greens helped me select new plants for the interior and exterior, which is something I'd been meaning to do for months anyway. It ended up being a wonderful and effective team that was super easy to coordinate. And there were no budget surprises-- everything was clear-cut, and cost only a fraction of what a traditional wedding/event planning team would have.
FURNITURE
We didn't require any rental furniture. We simply put out some of our regular folding patio seating for guests who needed to sit during our brief ceremony. We waited until 10 minutes before our vows to set up the chairs, because the garden and home are too small for those to have been in place the entire time. We said our vows "in the round," with guests on all sides (within the house and outside in the garden).
The only new piece of furnishing we acquired for the wedding was this garden bar, which was part of the sale I curated with Joss & Main earlier this year. Adam and I used a potting bench as a bar for years, but we liked the more vertical design of this set, as well as its ample storage. It was the perfect spot for the ceremony bartender from TaskRabbit named Ryan, who we adored.
The garden bar (from joss & Main), styled for the wedding events. i used live plants to decorate most areas, but also mixed in some clippings from the flower market. instead of buying event vases, i used bottles and glasses from the companies whose beverages we were serving: small batch oola liquor, santa monica brew works local beer, plus champagne and a selection of wines. Bartending by TaskRabbit.
GIFTING
I'm not going to lie-- I completely broke my simplicity rule when it came to the gifting. While we normally prefer to take a "less is more" approach here, I totally admit that gifting carefully selected goods to our guests was important to us. This was a way for us to thank our loved ones, while giving us a chance to introduce them to the items that we love and use daily at the cottage. Plus it was a great way to share information on Venice, along with a sampling of local art and eats.
We gifted to five groups. (Click on a category to see the full gift posts.)
1. Bridal Gifts (I didn't have "bridesmaids," but I still wanted to show my girls some love!)
2. Groom's Guys (Adam didn't have "groomsmen," but he still wanted to offer a token of thanks to his close friends.)
3. Hosts (Something extra for the hosts of the bachelorette evening and wedding reception.)
4. Out of Town Guests
5. Reception Attendees (Every party got a little bundle of items, including grow kits from Shop Terrain. The tagline on the planting box reads, "Grow Happiness in Small Spaces"... how perfect is that?!)
MENUS
I'm not much of a foodie, but we had the best time selecting our meals and beverage for the wedding events. The tasting at The Butcher's Daughter was wonderful, despite the fact that I had to pass on all the alcoholic beverages due to the pregnancy. (But Adam left feeling goooood.)
For the ceremony, Gjusta provided light bites, and we used our own small-space friendly CB2 dishes and glassware for the buffet and bar. For the cottage brunch, we had DIY mimosa stations (click here for the full story and images) in the garden, with bubbly from Winc, whose L.A. branch shares a building with Adam's office. TaskRabbit came to the rescue yet again by being our only resource for bartenders, servers, busers, cleaners, and last-minute delivery drivers.
We translated aspects of the menu into upcycled decor, which helped save us a bit of money. Instead of buying event vases, I used bottles and glassware from the companies whose beverages we were serving to display florals. We chose small batch liquor from OOLA, and local beer from Santa Monica Brew Works. (Bar tip: have a Soda Stream handy! It cuts back on tons of extra bottles.)
DECOR
The two decor elements we hired professionals for were the doorway garland and the photo backdrop. The fresh, natural garland was 26 ft long, and was created and installed by Viva Voce. It looked wild, alive and absolutely gorgeous. It was exactly what we wanted:
The hand-painted photo backdrop, created by Art Design Surface, was also perfect for the setting. It was a custom 4' x 6' canvas featuring Silver Philodendron, a plant we have inside the house and throughout the garden. (We'll certainly be using this canvas in photos for years to come.)
We didn't have too much decorating to do specifically for the event, as we wanted to keep everything uncomplicated and natural. Other than styling up the bar, we simply did what we do normally, and filled our usual glassware with clippings and market finds. In order to save money, Adam and I opted to make our own arrangements, and we visited the Los Angeles Farmers Market in Downtown LA to get all of our flowers and branches. We spent about $150 at the market-- and that greenery was used for gifting, decorating the cottage, and filling all the vessels at The Butcher's Daughter. (And we still had leftovers!)
We used beaker vases from cb2 (paired with farmers market clippings) to liven up the blank exterior walls at a minimal cost.
ATTIRE
Adam and I took an informal approach to the wedding overall. We didn't have an aisle walk, and we were present to greet our attendees upon their arrival at our home. We informed our guests via the website that the attire was "Festive Casual"... which basically meant, "Wear Whatever You'd Like." In keeping with the relaxed vibe, we wanted to wear comfortable clothing that upheld the sense of occasion without being too serious or too delicate.
I found my dress almost immediately via Etsy. I thought it would be a tricky hunt, seeing as how I'm 5'11" and pregnant. But it was truly one of the easiest clothing purchases I've ever made. I selected a versatile "octopus" dress from Coralie Beatrix, a family-run, California-based small business. Katie, the designer and maker, was extremely helpful throughout the entire process, and my dress ended up being so perfect that I didn't require one single adjustment, despite my ever-changing preggo body. I selected the Tulip Cut Lace Satin Octopus Wrap Dress in Abalone with off-white lace, and my friends wrapped the sashes into sleeves, and then down around my waist. I paired the dress with a matching off-white lace tube top bandeau for a little extra coverage on my sides and back.
I accessorized with a live succulent ring from We Are the Makers (local via Etsy), and nude wedges. I also had (and wore) a backup pair of handmade flats by Shop Painted Bird (also local makers). While getting ready, I wore the Texas Kimono in Ivory by my friends and neighbors over at Show Me Your Mumu.
Adam chose his suit from Combatant Gentlemen-- the same company that made the ties he gave to his buddies during his bachelor party. We liked the Summit Royal Blue Sharkskin Slim Fit Suit, which he wore without a tie.
And we obviously planned a little something for #StanleeStubs! Our first rescue beagle-mix has been by my side since he was 2 (he's nearly 10 now). I found a cute navy & coral bowtie collar via this Etsy shop, and Stubs sported it throughout the ceremony. Unfortunately our puppy Sophee wasn't with us for the wedding. She was attending a behavioral training course to help us all best prepare her for life at home with our baby come October. We missed her, but we were worried she would escape out the front gate anyway, so it was also safer for her to be in training.
REGISTRY
We used Honeyfund for our registry. We didn't want to do a registry in the first place, but everyone kept sweetly asking what to get us, and we realized that it was actually kinder to our guests if we provided them with some help, rather than continually insisting that they skip the presents. I've heard some folks say that they find non-traditional registries to be tacky, but I completely disagree. In our case, people would have ended up wasting their hard-earned money on items we can't fit in our home, or they would've gotten us gift cards to help us buy stuff that we just don't need. The Honeyfund was the perfect way for us to start our baby and travel funds-- and since those are the things that are the most important to us, our guests were completely happy to gift accordingly.
BEING FOCUSED AND PRESENT
Adam and I heard many stories about people being so stressed or in such a daze on their wedding day that they ended up forgetting most of it. We didn't want that to happen to us. Once the event started and our guests appeared (and they began arriving extra early, which apparently happens frequently with home weddings), we stopped working and started interacting. We were exhausted, of course, but we remember ever wonderful moment, and wouldn't change a single one.
PERSONAL PHOTOS
Here are some personal images of us with our family and friends. They're not the sort of pictures that I would usually share on my blog, but this occasion and post call for an exception. These photos say more about our life here at the cottage than any decor shots ever will. Adam and I wouldn't be who and where we are without having all these exceptional people in our lives:
Thank you everyone for your kindness and support. We feel it. We are so excited to bring our son into this extraordinary world so that he too can experience such incredible love.
Photos by/© Monica Wang Photography, with contributions by Whitney Leigh Morris and friends.
Garden Mimosas
When entertaining larger groups in small spaces, I find it helps to have mini stations (for food, beverages, a bag/coat drop, etc.) instead of one main area dedicated to this-or-that. Compact entertaining spots positioned wisely around your tiny home and/or garden will naturally break up large clumps of people, and allow folks to move around with greater ease. We did this for our wedding brunch with lil' mimosa stations:
Garden Beverage Station: Sparkling wine for classic mimosas by WINC, H20 by Boxed Water.
I placed a 3-tier bar cart in the shade of our bougainvillea and grapevine to hold our CB2 champagne flutes, baked goods, fresh market produce, plants, and the beverage dispenser with sparkling wine mimosas from Winc. I upcycled an old wine crate top to make a space-saving hanging shelf where we offered Boxed Water that guests could take with them when strolling the canals throughout the brunch. (As I'm midway through my pregnancy, I had to refrain from enjoying the drink stations. While it's obviously well-worth it, I gotta say that I've never been so sad to say no to a mimosa-- especially after hoofing it through a DIY home-wedding!)
GARDEN BEVERAGE STATION: SPARKLING WINE FOR CLASSIC MIMOSAS BY WINC, H20 BY BOXED WATER.
Updating the Cottage Garden with Rolling Greens
Our tiny wedding at the Cottage took place this past weekend! Everything went exactly as we'd hoped, and we couldn't be more grateful. (Wedding photos coming soon!)
In preparing our home and garden for the festivities, I decided I wanted to decorate with live greenery in lieu of traditional floral arrangements as much as possible, so I partnered with Rolling Greens in LA to make it happen:
Above: The stoop and side garden, where we said our vows.
ABOVE: THE STOOP WHERE WE SAID OUR VOWS, and the lil' porch between our cottage and the neighboring house.
Above: The front garden, where we set up our small-yet-mighty bar from the recent Joss & Main daily sale, inspired by The Tiny Canal Cottage. Exceptional bartending services provided by Task Rabbit.
We added three potted trees to the property (which made a HUGE difference on the more barren outside walls), along with about 10 medium house plants (the Silver Philodendron are my current favorites), and about 20 small plants including tropical varieties and herbs.
Above: Bougainvillea surrounding the Cottage garden.
I love wandering around Rolling Greens-- it's completely gorgeous, and feels like a hidden escape in LA. I live closer to the Culver City location, so that's the one I frequent, but there's another on Beverly Boulevard, too. The staff helped me select drought-tolerant greenery, and advised me on how to care for my existing plants as well. They delivered everything to the Cottage on the same day as my visit (which was extremely helpful, as Adam and I share one tiny car). They even provided me with a few tips on what to place where, depending on the varying levels of sunlight throughout our yard. I can't wait to share the rest of the photos with you soon!
Below: Images from my wedding-prep trip to Rolling Greens. (Click on thumbnails to enlarge.)
Images by Whitney Leigh Morris, Ghost Media, Lindsay Hollinger
Gifts for Out of Town Guests
With the wedding around the corner, we've started prepping and delivering lil' gifts to our out of town guests at their hotels, Airbnbs, and One Fine Stay homes. As always, our main aim is to delight our friends and family with goodies that won't clutter up their homes (and, in this case, don't hinder their ability to travel light).
These are the main items I chose. (For various boxes, we added bubbles for kids, and ties by Combatant Gentlemen for select guests.)
Ikea Decorative box with lid ($1.99)
“Venice” History Book from Arcadia Pubishing & The History Press
Freshly Baked Goods from Gjusta and/or Superba Food & Bread
Fresh Market and/or Garden Florals in Reusable/Recyclable Glass Spice Jars
We also made little favor bundles for all parties attending our wedding reception, including the following:
- Venice Greeting Cards by Brittney Banks
- Grow Kits from Shop Terrain (I love the tagline: "Grow Happiness in Small Spaces")
- Chocolate Bars from Nohmad Snack Co.
Bridal Gifting
The Cottage wedding is less than a week away! Last month, I prepped some Bridal gift boxes for my nearest and dearest friends. But I needed a little extra something for the three hosts of all my wedding-related events. For this round of presents, I worked with TYSA Designs in Malibu, as I love their boho style and California roots. I wanted to give each lady something that was uniquely her own style, but that also shared a common thread with the other hosts' gifts:
These dresses ended up being PERFECT. I had to pick dresses for a tall, willowy brunette, a chameleonic red-head, and a tiny surfer-build blonde. I chose the "Gateway Sunrise" pattern for all three ladies, but there are so many other beautiful options from which to choose.
I prefer to avoid traditional wrapping papers and supplies (why waste the packaging?), so I simply bound each dress with twine, and topped it off with fresh bougainvillea and a mini-bottle of gorgeous found glass from my friend Lynette of Sea & Glass.
While I don't own many clothing items here at our tiny cottage, I do have numerous pieces by Tysa. Here's a look back at some of my favorites from the past year:
Big thanks to Tysa Wright of Tysa Designs for helping me select these wonderful gifts for my incredible friends.
Groom Gifting
Adam and I aren't having traditional wedding parties at our cottage ceremony, but that doesn't mean we don't want to offer tokens of thanks and love to our nearest and dearest friends! For the guys who helped orchestrate Adam's bachelor party, I put together a few little groom's gifts featuring some of my favorite goodies that I know they'll use and enjoy. As always, we strived to select items that are practical, beautiful, and won't clutter up the guys' homes:
We picked Tech Dopp Kits by This Is Ground. They're the most practical leather organization tools, and the company is based here in LA. (I've worked with TIG several times in the past and absolutely LOVE them-- here's a recent video I shot with them at the Cottage.) We added some bites and drinks (the best items for clutter-free gifting!), including small-batch OOLA Whiskey, and locally-made chocolate by our long time friends at Nohmad Snack Co. Lastly, we topped off the presents with ties from Combatant Gentlemen-- the company where we found Adam's wedding suit. We love how they turned out!
Cottage Fence Makeover with TaskRabbit
A few months ago, we replaced our low fence at the cottage with a higher design. We didn't want to get rid of the old set-up, but the pups kept leaping over the gate, which became problematic for numerous reasons. We opted for a higher design to help keep #StubsandSoph safe.
Before:
(We loved this lil' old gate and bougainvillea, but they unfortunately had to be removed for safety reasons.)
After:
(Our new, taller fence. Finished & painted by TaskRabbit, primer & paint by Dunn Edwards.)
The fence was unfinished for months. I got pregnant around the same time I'd planned to paint, and my doctor advised against me tackling the task myself. But with the cottage wedding drawing nearer (we're only three weeks away), it needed to get done.
Sophee REALLY loved the brushes, but we had a feeling she'd make a lousy painter, so we hired a professional named Andrew from TaskRabbit.
It took Andrew about four hours to complete the job. First he had to sand down the rough and splintered sections of the fence, and then apply the primer. After the primer dried, he added the paint, and then replaced the hardware on the fence and gate. He was even mindful to avoid the grape leaves and budding concord clusters, which I really appreciated:
I chose "Play on Gray" paint from Dunn Edwards because I wanted a hue that worked with the cottages, without being SO white that it clashed against the old wooden fence beneath the grapevine. Andrew really did a wonderful job, and we're thrilled with how everything turned out. It's amazing what a difference the fence color makes for the overall appearance and feel of the garden.
I'm looking forward to using TaskRabbit again soon, as they're helping me do some extensive prep-work and day-of jobs for the cottage wedding... but more on that later! For now, it's time to relax in the improved garden with Adam and the pups.
Bridal Gifting
Our wedding at the Cottage is less than a month away! While we don't have a traditional bridal party or groomsmen, Adam and I are of course celebrating with our nearest-and-dearest this month in anticipation of tying the knot.
I wanted to gift something practical and beautiful to my closest friends, so I decided to make them little gift boxes featuring some of the goods I use daily here at home. I'm pretty happy with how they turned out, but Sophee is quite the critic:
Inside the boxes:
Lulu & Georgia Acrylic Sheepskin Throw
I use this Sheepskin Throw daily to cover my desk chair. At night, I move it out into the garden when I lounge around with Adam and the pups. I have another that I placed in a willow basket and turned into a spare pet bed.
True & Co "Best Lace Hipster Ever" Panties in assorted colors
The team over at True & Co. is completely delightful, and their underwear is 🔥🔥🔥.
Nohmad Snack Co. Chocolate
The makers of Nohmad Chocolate and I have been close friends for years. Their chocolate is my absolute favorite, and is my go-to gifting item from the Cottage.
Aquiesse Candle Travel Tin in my favorite scent, Luxe Linen
I burn these Luxe Linen candles daily-- I even pack one for road trips. The smell relaxes me, and the branding is simple and beautful.
Urban Decay NAKED products
I use Urban Decay any time I put on makeup. Naked 2 is my preferred eyeshadow palette, and I always have one of their Naked On the Run boxes in my purse.
California & Venice Cards by Brittney Banks
I recently discovered the California-inspired illustration of Brittney Banks in a local store, and it actually made me laugh out loud. She created a compilation card of iconic Venice Beach visuals, and it's spot on. Not only did I get these cards for my Bridal friends, but I also got one for every party attending our wedding.
Cinch Belts
Since the ladies range from sizes 0 to 12, and since some of us are pregnant-- from the first trimester to the third-- I included a selection of Cinch Belts for us all. I've been using my Obi Belt Long (in Camel) a few times per week to help accommodate my rapidly-changing waistline (I'm currently at week 16). These compact and versatile wrap belts make for handy gifts and accessories.
Fresh flowers, bread and satsuma mandarins from the Venice Farmers Market
I love our little Venice Farmers Market, just a block away from the Canals. (Click here to view my #WLMMarket series.)
Click on the images below to enlarge:
