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Tropical Downtown LA wedding: Sarah + Alex

May 11, 2016
Nicole Miller wedding dress

It’s always a major perk when you land on a venue that takes the guesswork out of the theme. For their Los Angeles wedding, Sarah + Alex were inspired by Millwick from the moment they walked in. It already has lots of green décor and foliage throughout, so they played it up with tropical plants and a few pops of orange. And of course, everything looks like it was there to begin with—not a single piece out of place! See what we mean in the photos by Laura Goldenberger:

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Sarah tells it, Instead of doing the unity candle tradition, Alex and I decided to do a tree-planting ceremony. We got a small sapling from a local nursery and planted it in a pot the week before the wedding. During the ceremony, we added soil from our parents’ gardens and then watered it as a symbol of our growing love and joining families. 

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Her Nicole Miller gown is entirely silk with a low v front + back, slim fit, small train, thick sleeves, and of course… that bow.

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About the space and accommodating 115 guests, Sarah says, Nothing about it says wedding venue, and that’s what I think I liked most. They have everything you need and the space is perfectly accommodating for a wedding, but not traditional at all. They have added so many unique touches like decoupage bar walls, letting couples engrave their names into the bar top, adding all of the tropical plants, and keeping a lot of the original details of the building. I found the history of the space pretty great too—I was told that it was previously a cold storage facility and that originally it was a place where donkeys were sold!

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The bride’s tropical bouquet recipe: ranunculus, banksia, pincushion protea, fern, fritillaria, pieris, leucadendron. See more on her Pinterest floral board.

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They chose Laura Goldenberger as their photog after seeing her website and chatting on Skype. It’s always a huge bonus when your personality totally fits with the person behind the lens. She shot their engagement and captured lots of wedding portraits too. See more in the gallery!

The bride’s biggest tip? Toward the end of planning, unexpected costs WILL pop up, so keep this in mind when making purchases in the beginning.

Thanks for the advice, Sarah! Congrats to you both!

Photographer: Laura Goldenberger + Kayla Ramirez of Laura Goldenberger Photography / Venue: Millwick in Los Angeles, CA / Event Coordinator: Amber Hubbard of The Love Riot / Florist: Angelena Moio of Shindig Chic Creations / Hair: Taylor Sweeney / Makeup: Kimberley Nicol of Nicol Artistry / Invitations: Bride’s Dad / Dessert: Donut Friend in Highland Park / Catering & Linens: Huntington Catering Company / Bride’s Dress: Nicole Miller from BHLDN / Shoes: Sam Edelman / Veil: David’s Bridal / Earrings & Necklace: Taber Studios / Rings: Lacee Alexandra / Lipstick: Honest Beauty / MOH Dress: Reformation / Shoes: Anthropologie / Bracelets: Sundrenched / Groom’s Suit: Joseph Abboud / Shoes: Aldo / Tie: Nordstrom / Cufflinks: Custom