Classy & Fun Wedding at The Charleston in Downtown Fullerton

E first spotted M when they were both working as chefs in the kitchen of an Orange County restaurant. Little did he know that he had just laid eyes on “the one.”

Hospitality is a common core trait of chefs, and for E & M, this quality carried over into how they planned their wedding. Guests enjoyed a delicious buffet dinner, a photobooth with keepsake photos to take home, a photo op with the newlyweds, and a cake bar so they could customize their slice to personal preferences!

They chose to host their wedding at The Charleston – a historic building in the heart of downtown Fullerton, CA. This venue is so fun, with its moody, art-deco vibe and convenient variety of event spaces so that guests don’t have to travel from venue to venue on the big day.

M got ready in the venue’s gorgeous Champagne Parlor bridal suite. Le Charme Beauté Boutique provided makeup and hair services to M and her bridesmaids, while The Charleston’s staff made sure champagne and mimosas were ready for the girls to enjoy.

Meanwhile, my second photographer photographed the guys getting ready in the venue’s moodier styled Foxtrot Lounge. I love the dramatic feel of the lighting and decor in this room. Not only is it a fun spot to grab a drink during the event, but it makes for great portraits!

M really wanted to share a special moment with her dad before he walked her down the aisle. So, leading up to the wedding, we planned some extra time for a “first look” moment with him. When the time came, we brought Dad into the room, eyes closed. When he opened his eyes, he saw his beautiful daughter, all grown up and done up as a stunning bride. The look on his face was priceless, and there wasn’t a dry eye in the room!

Even though M had a first look with her dad, she and E decided to save their moment for the aisle! When I got upstairs to the Petit Ballroom, I could already see the anticipation on E’s face. It was time!

Right after the ceremony, guests were guided into the Jitterbug Bar and Foxtrot lounge so they could enjoy cocktails and appetizers while the couple took some pictures with their family and bridal party.

One request that the couple had was to incorporate a few “Bridgerton” or “Vanity Fair” style poses into the family and bridal party photos. While time didn’t allow us to do it for every grouping, we were able to work it into some of the shots with their VIPs!

Since guests were occupying the other spaces in the venue, we took the couple outside for a few romantic portraits before the reception began.

Guests were invited into The Grand Ballroom, and Nic from Night and Day Djs got the party going with the couple’s grand entrance! After the couple’s first dance, some brief toasts were given, and the couple invited each table to take a photo with them before heading to the buffet line.

After dinner, the celebration continued with dancing and a cake bar hosted by Sweet Oven Bliss.

Whenever my clients are up for it, I love to look for opportunities to create a dramatic nighttime portrait during the reception. Night portraits add variety to the gallery and give the couple a chance to catch their breath for a few minutes during the reception. Once I’d found the spot I wanted to use and got the lighting set, we snuck the couple away for a few minutes to create some moody portraits in the Foxtrot Lounge.

The night wrapped up with a Grand Exit for the newlyweds! Guests lined up with mini lanterns as M & E made their way through the cheering crowd and waved goodnight! As they made their way down the stairs and out the door, a getaway car waited for them at the curb. We snapped one last shot of them as they were about to take off – it was a great way to end the night and wrap up their photo gallery!

Vendor Credits:
Venue, Catering, and Photobooth: The Charleston
Photography: Photography by Belinda Philleo
Beauty Team: Le Charme Beauté Boutique
Flowers: Christina’s Flowers
Marquee: Memorable Marquees
DJ/MC: Night & Day DJs
Cake: Sweet Oven Bliss