Have you ever met someone and felt like there was an instant connection? It happened when I first met Lauren and Nick back in 2018 when they toured Bel-Air Bay Club as a potential wedding venue. They were seeking a date further out in 2022 as they were moving to London and wanted to have plenty of time to settle in from their move and enjoy the planning process. We instantly connected and I excitedly assisted them in booking a date at the Club for December 2020.

Even though I left Bel-Air Bay Club in 2019, we stayed in-touch regularly, with Lauren and Teresa (Mother of the Bride) sending me updates on their process via email. I loved watching their vision unfold and felt so privileged to be included. Everything was humming right along for these two beautiful humans, when covid hit… and not to be deterred from their original plan for a large, elegant wedding, they rebooked/pushed their date a few times, ultimately settling on New Year’s Eve (12/31/21).

In July 2021, planning for their December 2021 date was really starting to heat-up, and Lauren and Teresa (MOB) reached out to me saying that it wouldn’t be the same without me included in their big day. In fact, they wanted me to jump in as their planner – I was ecstatic! Together, we planned an epic, black-tie, stunningly gorgeous, and ridiculously fun wedding celebration for the ages. The omicron covid variant showed an appearance just in time for their event, but nothing was stopping these love birds from getting married on 12/31/21.

The day before, there was a massive rainstorm. And as we Californians know, that means the next day will have the most clear, beautiful skies. The weather on the day of their wedding was perfection. Lauren and Nick were married at Corpus Christi, Lauren’s childhood church, with the reception following at the ever-gorgeous Bel-Air Bay Club. They hosted an evening to remember with the best speeches I have ever heard, such a fun dance band, and the greatest vendors. Did I mention that we installed disco balls over the dance floor? For a NYE wedding you must go all out, right? When the clock struck midnight, with a glass of champagne in our hands (of course), we “Auld Lang Syne’d” our way to 2022 with incredible feelings of joy, thankfulness, and hope… and as they say, the rest is history!
Their family and friends were treated to a wedding celebration AND New Year’s Eve celebration of a lifetime. I’ve never planned a New Year’s Eve wedding, and I must tell you that planning a wedding celebration to culminate in the clock striking to a new year, a new start, is such a collective meaningful celebration for all. From here, every NYE will be an anniversary celebration of Lauren and Nick, sending them positive vibes as they move into a new year together. I’m so honored to have been and continue to be a part of their journey.