Right on Santa Monica Beach, at the Annenberg Community Beach House, sits a piece of American History…The Marion Davies Guest House. More importantly for our story, it sits just a stones throw away from Lifeguard Station #2, where Howie proposed to Karen just one year ago. Couples who choose to have their wedding at the Guest House get the entire run of the place. The ceremony takes place in the courtyard below the house. Then, the guests enter the house and enjoy cocktails and appetizers while looking at the history of Marion Davies and William Randolph Hearst. Less than an hour later, the courtyard is transformed into the reception area and is ready to receive the guests.
Karen and Howie had about 50 of their closest friends and family members there. MCing a 50 person wedding sometimes has more challenges than, say, a 300 person wedding. The feeling is more intimate, and my style has to be a little more toned down and personal. I think back to my days DJing in Las Vegas where 50 guests was the average size wedding. If you connect with the crowd, these parties can be a lot of fun, because you feel like you get to know everyone in attendance. Karen and Howie’s wedding was no exception, and I found myself having fun with the guests as they enjoyed their evening. Despite the cool Spring beach air, the guest kept warm under the heat lamps, and of course, on the dance floor.
Because of the intimacy of the wedding, it was once again important for the vendors to all work together closely to ensure the guests enjoyed a smooth evening. Karen’s sister was their photographer and handled much of the coordinating prior to the ceremony, as well as helping Karen and Howie, who live in Arizona, select their vendors. The catering staff did an amazing job of not only preparing a scrumptious buffet and tending bar but also turning around the courtyard in between the ceremony and reception. Also, the staff at the Annenberg made their house the guests’ home for the evening.
Dave’s recommended vendors for this wedding are:
- The Annenberg Community Beach House – annenbergbeachhouse.com (Jen Quinn)
- Art 2 Soul Photography – art2soulphotography.com (Kaitee Doll-Bell)
- Back On The Beach Café – backonthebeachcafe.com