Maxwell House Wedding

I’m thrilled to share a look back at Kendall and Brian’s exquisite winter Maxwell House wedding, which took place in the heart of Pasadena. The crisp winter day set the stage for an intimate gathering of 50 of their closest friends and family. The cozy atmosphere was just perfect for their December celebration. We embraced the chilly weather outside by leaning into the warm ambiance inside the Maxwell House, which offered the ideal blend of historical charm and modern elegance.

A Historic Wedding Venue

The Maxwell House provided the perfect backdrop for their elegant and minimalist celebration. The smaller spaces allowed their guests to seamlessly transition from one intentional experience to another. Kendall and Brian fell in love with the venue’s historical charm, which they combined with modern details to create a wedding day that felt uniquely theirs.

The couple chose to share their vows with an intimate group of 15 immediate family members, creating an incredibly connected and heartfelt ceremony. After the ceremony, more loved ones arrived for a cozy cocktail hour in the library and a delicious dinner in the main historic dining room. A live band performed in the beautiful atrium of their Maxwell House wedding, setting the stage for an epic and lively dance floor. 

Make It Unique, Make It You

Something special that the couple incorporated into their Maxwell House wedding day was photos from Brian and Kendall’s traditional Korean wedding celebration held overseas in South Korea. These pictures added a beautiful layer of cultural significance to the day. And showcased a beautiful connection to family near and far. 

A unique standout moment of the evening was Kendall and Brian’s first dance, which was nothing short of magical. Their talented friends performed a live rendition of ” Simply The Best,” capturing the essence of their love story. The same song, played in an upbeat rendition by their band, marked the grand finale of the evening. Ensuring the night ended on a high note with friends and family dancing the night away.

The Meet Cute

I originally met Kendall and Brian at another client’s wedding in 2018. Kendall was one of the bridesmaids, and these two held onto my name for years. When they got engaged, they reached out ready to partner together! They had already fallen in love with The Maxwell House but were struggling to figure out what to focus on next. Kendall and Brian shared, “We don’t even know what we don’t know”! They were looking for direction and guidance to book the best vendors to bring their wedding vision to life.

Together, we embarked on a wedding planning and design partnership. This gave Kendall and Brian the support they needed to lean into crafting a day that not only looked and felt like them but also gave them ample time to connect with their guests intentionally. Designing this wedding is absolutely in my top 5 favorites with its modern and elegant vibe. Let’s dive into how I approached designing with them. 

Designing a Maxwell House Wedding

For the overall wedding mood board for their Maxwell House wedding, I paired an elegant, minimalist vibe with a relaxed ambiance. This allowed us to lean into the vintage architecture and colors of the venue while also adding in more textured and stylized elements. This highlighted the chicness of their wedding celebration.

The images I chose for their main moodboard reflect the elements found in the architecture of the venue and the ambiance that we wanted to tie into the event. Keeping it naturally relaxed, yet still classic. Focusing on items like gothic and vintage architectural shapes helped tie in the cozy and historical vibe of the venue. Then we modernized that by adding elements that highlighted clean lines, bold elegance, and rich decorative details. 

The couple wanted to keep their color palette simple yet statement-worthy! The color palette started with anchoring colors of cream and taupe. These colors very easily tied into the venue, and allowed for the other colors to draw specific attention! The secondary colors are muted greens and were heavily tied into the design elements of the day: greenery, tablescape elements, attire, etc.

After working on a few adjustments, we added the Dijon yellow color as an accent. This showed up as small elements in their florals and tablescape settings. This color tied in well with the gold accents like tabletop votives and flatware, allowing it to be a very minimal “cherry on top” kind of color!

A Great Sense of Design

I couldn’t be more thankful to Kendall and Brian for trusting my expertise and design suggestions for their Maxwell House wedding, and I’m deeply touched by their kind words:

“We wouldn’t have had the perfect day without her! Working with Sarah was a dream from our first meeting through the wedding day. She walked us through the entire process with patience, expertise, and a great sense of design. By the morning of our big day, we weren’t worried about a thing and were able to enjoy the day without any stress… which was our greatest goal from the start. Plus, she’s just a joy to work with! 10/10 would have Sarah plan our wedding again”

Maxwell House Wedding Vendors

Venue | The Maxwell House

Photographer | Amy Van Vlear Photography

Planner | Kindred Weddings and Events

Catering | LA Roots Catering Co.

Bartending | Black Lab Events

Band | The Weekend Society

Florist | Flowers By Lady Buggs

Hair + Makeup | Emily Lynn and Co.

Rentals | MTB Events

Cake + Dessert | Portos Bakery

Dress | Melange Bridal

Suit | Pocket Square Clothing

Shoes | Birdies

Jewelry | Mr. Jones Watches, Tiffany & Co., family heirloom

Rings | Tiffany & Co.

Invitations + Signage | Minted