Photography by: Embrace Life Photography www.embracelifephoto.com
After living two blocks from each other for most of their lives and going to the same elementary school, Lily Stofman and Cyrus Girson had never crossed paths. Perhaps, it was because he was a year older and they attended different middle schools and high schools. Finally, though, they did meet, and after years of knowing each other sparks flew when they met up in Pittsburgh during winter break from college, and they began dating. As a result, they both transferred to and graduated from the University of Miami. They then moved to Los Angeles and had been dating for more than six years when Cyrus decided to pop the question. He took the traditional route and asked Lily’s father, Dr. Guy Stofman, for her hand in marriage. Lily’s father, of course, approved. One day in Malibu, near the couple’s home in Los Angeles, Lily and Cyrus had a picnic on the beach, and Cyrus, one knee in the sand, proposed.
Coast to Coast
Both the bride and groom are Pittsburgh natives, so of course, a majority of their 175 guests flew from their hometown for the ceremony. The couple worked with local event planner, Bonnie Walker of Bonnie Walker Events, and Lily’s mother, Carol Lynn Tabas, to make the day come together. Lily’s childhood rabbi from Pittsburgh, Rabbi Chuck Diamond, married the couple after a cocktail party at sundown, on the rooftop of The London West Hollywood Hotel in West Hollywood, Calif. The entire event, from cocktail party to dinner to late-night pizza snacks, was catered by celebrity chef, Gordon Ramsay! Lily says she remembers her excitement as the wedding party was walking down the aisle in front of her. “It didn’t hit me until everyone stood up, and it was time to walk down the aisle,” Lily says, “and then I saw Cyrus, and he had the biggest smile on his face. I did too.”
Double the Dresses
During the pre-wedding, rooftop cocktail party, the bride wore a white, Aidan Mattox cocktail dress before changing into her gown for the wedding: a strapless Stephen Yearick gown. She wore Benjamin Adams shoes, covered in Swarovski crystals, and carried a white bouquet of phalaenopsis orchids (with Cyrus sporting one as his boutonniere to match), calla lilies, orchids, and gardenias. Lily’s bridesmaids carried bouquets of pink and purple roses, wrapped in leopard ribbon, and wore hot pink, Tadashi Shoji one-shoulder dresses with five-inch leopard heels by Steve Madden.
A Long Weekend
The groom’s mother, Rachel Stein, and grandmother, Faye Stein, held a rehearsal dinner at Morel’s French Steakhouse in Los Angeles the night before the big day, and the morning after the wedding, the bride’s grandmother, Evelyn Tabas, held a Sunday brunch for their guests, also catered by celebrity Chef Gordon Ramsay. The couple took a two-day “mini-moon” to La Jolla, Calif., before honeymooning in Europe for three weeks.
A Roar of a Reception
A color scheme of hot pink and purple, accented with touches of sparkle and leopard print, filled The London’s ballroom. Lily designed and made flip-flops with leopard bows, so the women had comfortable shoes for dancing the night away. Two cherry blossom trees stood as stage décor, provided by Butterfly Floral and Event Design of Los Angeles, while each table featured a centerpiece of a candelabra with hanging crystals, filled with purple hydrangeas, hot pink roses, purple roses, and hot pink phalaenopsis orchids. Sequined purple tablecloths sparkled to match the floral arrangements. And, check out that sparkling leopard-print cake! Guests were seated in silver Chiavari chairs with hot pink cushions, and were later invited to sit in the lounge area arranged with white couches and leopard-print pillows. Mid-way through the evening, the mother of the bride and Walker planned a surprise for the newlywed couple — a confetti drop over the dance floor!
An Added Experience
The Infusion Xperience, a musical mix of a DJ and live musicians, “enhanced the songs,” by playing over top of popular tracks, Lily says. The bride shared a first dance with her husband to a Latin-salsa version of “Stand By Me” by Prince Royce. She also shared a special, surprise dance with her father to a medley of songs, including tunes by Otis Redding, Michael Jackson, and Wild Cherry.
