REAL WEDDING | A CLASSIC AND ELEGANT WEDDING IN SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA

When Mike Petrosyan first saw Sandra Vulis, he noticed “her million-dollar smile that came with the attitude of a high school principal.” Meanwhile, Sandra found him to be quite charming and handsome. After messaging back and forth on Facebook, Mike asked Sandra out on date.

Five years later (and two days after Sandra’s birthday), Mike proposed. Sandra came home to find Mike’s iPad on the table with a post-it that read “Play Me.” It was a video of him saying, “Your birthday present is a little late–come up to the roof.” On the roof, Sandra found her then-boyfriend with champagne and rose petals, down on one knee and asking her to marry him. Instead of saying “Yes,” she accepted with a “Thank you!” Afterwards, preparations for a glamorous wedding at the St. Regis Hotel–“with a touch of crazy”–soon began

On the day of the wedding, San Francisco’s weather was perfectly sunny, and the ambiance was serene. The invitations were handmade, the wedding gown was Monique Lhuillier, and the bridal shoes were Christian Louboutin. Sandra chose Mike’s sister Mariya to be her Maid of Honor, as a touching way to represent Mike’s mother who had passed away. She also pinned a small frame with Mike’s favorite picture of his mother to Mariya’s bridesmaid bouquet.

Before the bride’s entrance, the room went pitch black and a spotlight hit on a camouflaged box to reveal the bride’s silhouette. The lights flickered back on as the bride walked down the aisle, and the dramatic entrance made it seem as if time had stopped. The ceremony was conducted by a rabbi and a priest together, connecting the bride and groom’s two religions.

The reception décor was harmonized by three-foot tall centerpieces arranged with balls of white hydrangeas and roses with dangling crystals. A three-tiered stage was custom built to support a 20-person live band from New York City, and the dance floor was circular and featured the couple’s wedding logo.

Guests enjoyed a lavish menu, and the courses were punctuated by dances and songs. Deviled eggs topped with black caviar in a silver shell were served, followed by duck crepes and a burrata and heirloom tomato salad–during which, the bride’s father serenaded the newlyweds with a song. While the couple shared their first dance to Marc Anthony’s “You Sang to Me,” guests were served courses of lobster and black cod. Although the mother-son dance was a challenge, Mike has a strong relationship with Sandra’s mom, who danced with him to Louis Armstrong’s “What a Wonderful World.

After the garter and bouquet toss, guests were treated to rosemary lamb chops followed by the wedding cake–a five-tiered Nutella, strawberry, and buttercream creation with white chocolate passion fruit custard tart as a second option. Late night snacks also included mini Kobe beef sliders with fries. The last dance ended at 3am, with the newlyweds feeling incredibly blessed to have had their dream wedding.

“From the bottom of our hearts, we would like to dedicate our wedding in loving memory of Ruzanna Petrosyan, Mike’s mother,” Sandra says.