NYC Inspired Wedding at Ebell Long Beach

Date: October 26, 2019

Since meeting on a professional hip-hop dance team, Rachel and Jeffrey have danced their way through some epic travel and a long-distance relationship. Jeffrey proposed seven years after they met, on a private terrace in New York City—complete with a striking view of the Empire State Building. The concrete jungle became the theme for their nuptials, with the theater show Sleep No More inspiring their colorful aesthetic. Rachel centered her color scheme on burgundy peonies, with the gorgeous flower featured in her bouquet, the boutonnieres and the reception table centerpieces. The Ebell Long Beach served as the perfect location for their vibrant wedding, with the couple tying the knot underneath an altar covered in lush greenery and sweeping pink fabric. Working with the picturesque décor, the couple made the night as personalized as possible. Rachel hand-painted escort cards, and guests were given glass mugs inscribed with their names. Guests also could sign and send New York postcards in place of a guest book. The reception included watercolor portraits painted on-site, custom-made photo-booth props ranging from the Empire State Building to Backstreet Boys album covers, and made-to-order boba tea and late-night Filipino-inspired snacks of tosilog and sisig burritos. Of course, dancing was the main highlight of the night. Rachel and Jeffrey made a showstopping grand entrance flanked by their dance team. To honor their Filipino heritage, they included a money dance, or sabitan ng pera, with festive money crowns created by Rachel’s mom. Later in the evening, Rachel switched out the traditional father-daughter dance for a cha-cha with her momma. “It was more than just honoring our love and new journey,” says Rachel. “It was a celebration of all the amazing relationships in our lives.”