AN ELEGANT AND ROMANTIC WEDDING WITH DARK DÉCOR, CANDLELIGHT, AND LUXURY FLORALS
Elmira and Hovanes Supikyan first met at a banquet hall. With Hovanes being an owner and operator in the venue and catering industry, the couple considers it a coincidental twist in their love story.
“As someone else's guest at the event that night,” Elmira recalls, “my now husband came over to our table and introduced himself. It was truly love at first sight. The following morning, I had to go to the bank with my mom.
While standing in line, I was telling her about the handsome boy I met. As our turn got closer, I looked at the teller's window and realized that the handsome boy was the next open teller. It was fate.”
“Our relationship has always been rooted in privacy, romance, and elegance.”
From Hovanes’ point of view, he shares: “On the night of the event, I saw her and had to at least introduce myself. The following day, my shift at work was over, and I was helping the last customer before clocking out. I looked over at the line and saw the same girl I introduced myself to the night before, and who I was describing to my coworkers. I had to convince my boss to let me work a few minutes longer to help her.”
The two chatted for a bit at the window, and Hovanes later found Elmira on Twitter. Their first date ended up being a group outing to Horror Nights with Hovanes’ friends in tow.
A Surprise Proposal
For their engagement, Hovanes planned a surprise proposal during what Elmira thought was his birthday party. Upon arrival, Elmira was saying hello to the guests when a waiter pulled her away and led her to the center of the event, where she was greeted by dancers who performed a beautiful routine.
“I had no idea what was going on and thought maybe this is a grand entrance to his birthday,” she says. “As the dance ended, the dancers created a walkway, and I was guided up the stairs, which were lined with rose petals and candles. THAT was the exact moment I realized this was definitely not a regular birthday party. As I got closer, a big curtain was opened, and my fiancé came out with a big Marry Me sign made of red roses behind him. It was honestly one of the most magical and surreal days of my life.”
Privacy, Romance, and Elegance
When the wedding planning process began, the couple envisioned a celebration that would make their guests feel the type of love they share.
“Our relationship has always been rooted in privacy, romance, and elegance,” Elmira states. “I wanted the room to be dark and lit with candlelight and chandeliers, with minimal flowers, just enough to set the mood, in white and dusty rose to bring in the element of a wedding celebration. Our amazing team of vendors delivered just that.
Every part of the wedding was perfect. It is hard to choose my favorite details when every detail was a favorite. Some of my favorite details include our place card setup, the center stage with chandeliers, and the beautiful combination of flowers.”
A BERTA Bride
After a roller coaster of a wedding dress shopping experience, Elmira became a BERTA bride, wearing a stunning gown from the Colony Collection.
“I found my dress the first day we went dress shopping,” she adds. “It was not something I had originally envisioned and not something I pulled to try. I saw the dress as it was taken back from another bride's room. One glance, and I had to try it on. The dress was not your typical white wedding dress. I thought I would be wearing a white dress with a detachable big, long skirt — so although we all fell in love with the dress, we didn't buy it that day.
I then decided to go the custom route after visiting every store in Los Angeles. Halfway through the custom dress process, I changed my mind and knew that I had to get my hands on the original dress I fell in love with. Thankfully, on a rush basis, we were able to get the dress right on time.”
While the bride wore BERTA, the groom sported a custom suit by William & Co.
“I wanted my look on the wedding day to be different,” he says, “and didn't want to wear the classic black suit. I did a white blazer with black pants, and William & Co. did a perfect job at bringing my vision to life.”
The Wedding Day
The wedding day unfolded perfectly, with the bride and groom relishing the opportunity to spend time with friends and family.
“We really enjoyed every moment and felt the happiness of each and every guest in the room,” says the bride. “The ambiance was everything from start to finish. We talk about it every day and would do anything to enjoy even one more minute of the night.”
Some highlights of the wedding included the couple’s first look, their grand entrance as Mr. and Mrs. Supikyan, their first dance, and the bride’s dance with her father.
“I had waited for these moments my whole life, and each one was better than I could have ever dreamt of,” she says. “If I had to give any advice to couples, it would be this: Your planner/coordinator plays such an important role if you have one. Make sure they know what your dream wedding would look like.
During the planning period, there will be a lot of ups and downs and a lot of stressful moments; don't let that get to you, and remind yourselves that it is all about your union. Most importantly, although it is a stressful period of time, enjoy every single second because when you are all done, you will look back and wish you could go back in time. It really is the sweetest time.”
A Honeymoon in Greece and Italy
After the wedding, the newlyweds headed to Europe for a honeymoon in Greece and Italy. Their itinerary included visits to Rome, Florence, Venice, Milan, and Positano – plus Athens, Mykonos, and Santorini.
“It was always a dream of mine to visit Italy,” Elmira explains, “so to be there with the love of my life and explore the beauty of each city was unforgettable, to say the least. Each city was exciting in its own way and we made memories everywhere we went.
One of the most memorable moments for me was seeing the Trevi Fountain for the first time with my now-husband by my side, and tossing coins for good luck! Another incredible moment was turning 27 in Santorini, Greece and visiting Tuscany for wine tasting the following day to continue the celebration.”
WEDDING TALENT
Location: L.A. Banquets – The Landmark, Mission Hills, CA; Ceremony Location: St. Leon Armenian Cathedral, Burbank, CA; Planner, Floral & Event Design: Eddie Zaratsian Lifestyle & Design, Los Angeles, CA; Rentals: Rental Avenue, Burbank, CA; Caterer: Dolce Catering, Los Angeles, CA; Cake: Rafi’s Cakes, Glendale, CA; Lighting: So Cal Event Lighting, Burbank, CA; Engagement Ring: LionArm, Glendale, CA; Wedding Dress: BERTA; Hair: Lucy Gedjeyan, Los Angeles, CA; Makeup: Elizabeth Seropian, Los Angeles, CA; Groom’s Attire: William and Company; Groom’s Watch: Rolex; Entertainment: Grand Stage Dance Studio, Glendale, CA; Invitations: Golden Moments LA, Glendale, CA; Cinematography: Stavrovideo Productions, Los Angeles, CA; Photography: Armen Asadorian Photography, Studio City, CA