REAL WEDDING

  • Photography By:

    Joe Buissink

    DINA STASISHYNA & ALEX NELSON

    September 6, 2013 in Los Angeles, California

    When mortgage broker, Alex Nelson, met model, Dina Stasishyna, at his birthday celebration in Los Angeles in 2011, he knew he had met the woman of his dreams. Dina confides she felt a connection but was distracted by plans to catch a flight soon after the event. It was her hasty departure that left Alex with an opportunity.

    Unaware she had left her phone at the party, Dina was surprised to find Alex in the lobby of her Miami hotel the next day, with her phone in hand. “I couldn’t help but be impressed,” she laughs. “I knew he was something special.”

    One year later, as the couple vacationed in Paris during the holidays, Alex surprised her again, this time with a marriage proposal. Dina had been anxiously waiting to exchange Hanukkah gifts and admits her impatience almost sabotaged his plans. It was during dinner at Le Ciel de Paris overlooking the city that he finally expressed his intentions.

    “HE TOLD ME HIS GIFT FOR ME WAS REALLY A GIFT FOR HIM. IT WAS SO UNEXPECTED AND SWEET.” DINA STASISHYNA

    “He told me his gift for me was really a gift for him,” she says. “It was so unexpected and sweet.” Reluctant to jump into the stress of wedding planning right away, Alex and Dina took their time and instead, started the process by turning to Aliana Events to make their dreams reality.

    “We wanted our wedding to be fun yet sophisticated, pretty but not formal,” says the bride. It was a recipe that proved to work well for this adventurous twosome. 

    The Taglyan Cultural Complex, nestled in the heart of Hollywood, served as their venue of choice for the ceremony and reception. Known for its opulent grand ballroom and the simplicity of its garden space, the site served as a canvas for a wedding palette inspired by the bride’s love for designer Christian Dior—a collection of pale pinks and creams, accented by the glimmer of gold and silver.

    Unable to source the dress she had clipped from a magazine, Dina wore a custom-made version featuring a vintage lace bodice and layered skirt to meet her groom beneath their tulle-covered chuppah. Alex donned a custom blue tuxedo by clothier Art Lewin.

    “It was very emotional,” she says of their traditional Jewish ceremony. “But, we managed to focus on one another, and on the words of the rabbi.”

    Cocktail hour in the garden featuring vodka and pomegranate martinis—the couple’s signature drink—kicked off the reception. Nearby, a lounge area ensured their 150 guests could mix and mingle with whiskey and cigars on hand. 

    Once in the ballroom, the couple served their cuisine family style while food stations enabled experimentation with delicacies including black and red caviar. DJ violinist, Jennifer Spingola of Spags Music, followed by gospel and funk sensation, Roxanne Freedove, kept the crowd on their feet.

    “Our wedding was everything we wanted it to be,” Dina says. “It was intimate and fun, and it represented exactly who we are.” 

    The newlyweds honeymooned during a month-long, cross-country excursion through Europe to include destinations in Hungary, Austria, Czech Republic, Germany, Switzerland and France. A cruise departing from Barcelona to Italy returned the couple home.


    WEDDING TALENT

    Location and Caterer: Taglyan Cultural Complex, Los Angeles, CA; Event Design and PlannerAliana Events, Los Angeles, CA; Floral Design: tic-tock Couture Florals, Los Angeles, CA Linen: La Tavola Linen, Beverly Hills, CA; Rentals: Classic Party Rentals, Los Angeles, CA; Rentals: Revelry Event Designers, Los Angeles, CA; Cake: Rafi’s Pastry, Glendale, CA; Stationery: Elegant Invitations, Beverly Hills, CA; Wedding Dress and Veil: Shin Bu Bridal; Bride’s Shoes: Christian Louboutin; Groom’s Tuxedo: Art Lewin & Co.; Groom’s Shoes: Salvatore Ferragamo

     

    Follow us: