Being by the ocean, I wanted the design to feel timeless yet fresh, with a clean and sophisticated aesthetic.
Tell us a little about yourselves, what you do, what you love…
Hi, I’m Esther, and I am 28 years old. I am an elementary teacher. During my free time, I love to be in the sun and by the beach, watching reality TV, and I love trying new things, especially food and beauty products! Hi, I’m David, and I am 28 years old. I am a strategy consultant. In my free time, I like to stay busy playing basketball and training for marathons. I, too, love reality TV…from the Housewives to the Challenge.
How/where/when did you meet – and what were your first impressions?
We met in middle school but became friends in high school. We quickly became BFFs, and the rest was history upon graduation.
Esther: My first impression of David was “who’s this smarty pants?”
David: My first impression of Esther was, “She is absolutely stunning…why am I so nervous?”
When did you first realise that this was someone you’d like to spend the rest of your life with?
Esther: The first time I realized I wanted to marry David was when we went on our first date on Valentine’s Day. He set up the most memorable date with different foods all over LA based on David Chang’s show that we watched together as friends months ago. Super special.
David: I always knew in the back of my head that Esther and I simply got each other from the beginning. From our love of the beach to our taste in music to our shared morals and similar upbringings, she was always my person.
Was there a proposal? Tell us a little about it…
There was definitely a proposal, and it was insane!
Just to preface, David had broken his ankle two months earlier, so he had a cast on the entire time.
David had planned a brunch with me on Saturday morning, and I waited for him to pick me up. I got a doorbell ring that morning instead of an “I’m here” text, and when I opened the door, there was a bouquet of peonies (my favourite) and a note that said, “Today is THE DAY! JJ (my best friend) will take you where you need to go .” JJ took me to the next spot, NAILS. David set up a nail appointment for me, making sure I had THE NAILS when I was proposed to. While I cried at my nail appointment the whole time, JJ gave me another letter leading to the next event. He wanted me to go get lunch, pack a bag, and get ready for the day. After I ate and got ready, JJ gave me another letter stating that we were going to the airport. Crying all the way to the Van Nuys airport, I thought I was finally going to see David. Instead, I saw JJ’s boyfriend, who’s a pilot, and he had a plane waiting for us!! At this point, I just wanted to see David ASAP, and I thought David was going to propose to me at the airport. That wasn’t the case. JJ’s boyfriend flew us around the coast, and it was surreal, to say the least. We arrived in Torrance and I thought I was going to see David immediately, but NO! We took a car ride to a cliffside in Palos Verdes, and down the cliff was David, waiting for me with a beautiful set-up, champagne, and a red box. After he proposed, he set up a surprise dinner with all of my best friends and family members. IT DID NOT END THERE! He gave me another letter that led us to a beautifully decorated room at the Intercontinental Hotel with a beautiful view of downtown. It was magical.
Tell us about the vision you had for the mood or style of your wedding.
The vision we had for our wedding was modern, elegant, and dreamy. Being by the ocean, I wanted the design to feel timeless yet fresh, with a clean and sophisticated aesthetic. We focused on a refined simplicity for the flowers, tablescapes, and signage—something that would complement the natural beauty of the surroundings without overshadowing it. It was all about creating a serene and breathtaking atmosphere that felt both elevated and effortlessly chic.
What was one element you were happy to splurge on?
One element I was truly happy to splurge on was photography. These images are the lasting memories of our entire day, and I’m so grateful that Tayler was able to capture the essence of how we experienced it—the joy, the emotions, and the beauty—exactly as we saw and felt it in the moment.
Did anything happen on your wedding day that you laugh about in hindsight (even if it was stressful at the time)?
We definitely underestimated how early we would have to get up for the makeup (yes, I did have to wake up and kick David out at 6 am). We were so tired the entire day, but as soon as we put on our dress/tux, all of the delirium went away. It was quickly replaced by excitement and adrenaline!
Tell us about your main outfits, what was unique, is there a story?
Esther: For my dress, I went through so many ups and downs with that outfit! I believe I made alterations about seven times. I picked up my dress four days before the wedding. It was a stressful process, but it turned out beautiful!
David: My tuxedo was all custom. Inside the tuxedo was an emerald green lining and had my initials engraved with the wedding date. I also found the perfect watch to pair with my tux as my watch dial was the same shade of emerald.
VENUE La Jolla Cove Rooftop, @lajollacoverooftop PHOTOGRAPHER Tayler Irene Photography, @taylerirenephotography VIDEOGRAPHER Hesed – Shedy Shoots, @shedyshoots PLANNER Taylor – Wedgewood Weddings, @lajollacoverooftop FLORIST Stephanie – Sungrown Floral, @sungrown.florals CELEBRANT Father of the Groom ENTERTAINMENT DJ Dancing Productions, @dancingdjproductions CATERING Wedgewood Weddings, @wedgewoodweddings CAKE Cute Cakes, @cutecakes STATIONERY Minted, @minted BRIDE’S SECOND DRESS Meshki, @meshki BRIDE’S SHOE Dolce Vita, @dolcevita; Amazon BRIDE’S ACCESSORIES Earrings – NADRI Jewelry, @nadrijewelry; Pearl Necklace – Gifted by the mother-in-law HAIR & MAKEUP Kelly Huang BRIDE’S FRAGRANCE Le Labo, @lelabofragrances SUIT Custom Made – SuitSupply, @suitsupply GROOM’S SHOE Stacy Adams, @stacyadamsstyle GROOM’S ACCESSORIES Santos de Cartier – Cartier, @cartier GROOM’S FRAGRANCE Le Labo, @lelabofragrances BRIDESMAIDS DRESS Birdy Grey, @birdygrey
