Whimsical Wedding at Reflection Bay Golf Club

Cristiana and Tyler had their exquisite Fall Las Vegas wedding at the Reflection Bay Golf Course on Lake Las Vegas on November 9th, 2019. And man oh man … it was a good one.

Reflection Bay is one of the most high-end and chic wedding venues in Las Vegas for a reason and it is easily on par with its a competition like Bears Best, Red Rock Country Club Weddings and Wedgewood for the best Wedding Venues in Las Vegas. With the ceremony backdrop being the beautiful lake and perfectly manicured landscaping it is the ideal place to get married. Architecturally, the venue is extremely Italian inspired with quaint archways, lush greenery and more. I’ve documented over 30 Las Vegas weddings now and I can say with certainty that Reflection Bay is one of my favorite venues in Vegas. For your ceremony, the backdrop is the lake and you can hear the palm trees rustling in the wind while saying your nuptials. To the right is the manmade beach which is a fantastic spot for couples portraits after the ceremony is done. As are many other places on site, but we’ll get to that. 😉

Fall weddings are really popular in Las Vegas because the temperatures are finally cooling off and it’s the perfect season for an outdoor wedding on the lake. I get very few inquiries for summer because most of my couples love outdoor weddings (At least for their ceremony and have an indoor reception) and no one wants to live through that 110-degree outdoor wedding. My body thanks you for that. That being said, my schedule is always packed for Spring and Fall Weddings. But yes to Fall Weddings when it’s a nice 70 degrees out on Lake Las Vegas. A lot of people they get married in Las Vegas don’t realize that yes, we have water! And, yes, it’s gorgeous and makes for the perfect backdrop – especially with the mirrored reflection of the surrounding landscapes reflecting off it.

Cris and Tyler got ready at the Westin Lake Las Vegas Resort and it was absolutely perfect. I took the dress to hang in all of its glory overlooking the beautiful lake and golf course. If you’re looking for an upscale Las Vegas wedding venue, Lake Las Vegas has an abundant amount of options.

Cristiana’s dress was The Sable by Chic Nostalgia and there aren’t enough words to describe how unique it was. It is modernly romantic with boho undertones bursting with femininity. Featuring peacock lace and a halter neckline it is a bold and whimsical wedding gown that is perfect for the wanderlusty and boho bride.

Cristiana’s bridesmaids wore stunning blush Birdy Grey Bridesmaid dresses which added to the softness of the day.

Tyler’s family gifted Cristiana with a beautiful emerald and gold necklace that had been in the family for generations as a welcome to the family which was super sweet. She incorporated it into her wedding by having it tied around the bouquet. I’ve seen this used a lot recently to use family heirlooms and pay tribute to past generations and I think it’s the most sentimental and beautiful gesture.

Tyler and his guys wore smart Navy Blue Westbury Indochino Suits and Tyler paired his with an adorable plaid pink and white bowtie.

Cristiana had the perfect large wedding bouquet. While some brides say “Hey it’s fall do lots of dark colors” I’m digging the rebellion by having soft pastel colors in her bouquet. Buzy B Floral designed a bouquet overflowing with classic roses with hues ranging from peach to lilac and beautifully contrasted by eucalyptus leaves. It was perfectly balanced and very feminine and suited the day exquisitely.

They had a short and sweet ceremony where they included some very special cultural touches from Cristiana’s Hawaiian and Korean roots. To pay homage to her Hawaiian roots they partook in a lei ceremony where Cristiana’s father gave them both leis. It was Cristiana’s fathers way of accepting the marriage, and the gift of a lei to Tyler was a symbol of welcoming him to the family. You’ll also note that Tyler wore Hawaiin Kukui Nut Leis the entire day (The beautiful mahogany beads). Kukui necklaces are traditionally given in an exchange of vows by the couple to be wed. Symbolically, the “two lights of two spirits intermingle” to become one in a holy union.

Next, to honor Cristiana’s Korean heritage he gifted a pair of wooden mandarin ducks to her mother. When the custom first began, it was common to gift the brides’ parents with two live mandarin ducks. Personally, I’m glad that the tradition changed to wooden ducks instead! The symbolized meaning behind the mandarin ducks is because they symbolize 신의 (fidelity), 사랑 (love), 평화 (peace), and 자손 (offspring). Ducks mate for life and are monogamous creatures and it is a testament to the bride’s family that he will be forever faithful to his new wife. Tyler treated this custom with the utmost level of respect by also bowing repeatedly while gifting her mother with the gifts. In Korea (And a lot of countries throughout Asia) the deepness of your bow symbolizes how much you respect the person and Tyler bowed a total of 6 times to the delight of Cristiana’s mother.

Wishing them and their two pups, Abby and Jax, the happiest of lives in their journey together as husband and wife.

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Wedding Vendors:

Photography: Fig + Willow Studios

Getting Ready Location: Westin Lake Las Vegas

Ceremony + Reception: Reflection Bay Golf Club

Bridal Dress Designer: Sable by Chic Nostalgia

Bridal Dress Store:Bridal XOXO

Bridal Shoes: Badgley Mischka

Bridesmaids Dresses: Birdy Grey

MUA: Sona Cox

Hair Stylist: Hair Hethaa

Grooms Tux: Indochino

Grooms Shoes: Florsheim Shoe Company

Catering: Reflection Bay Golf Club

Cake: Cakes on the Move

Florals: Buzy B Floral

DJ/Photobooth/Videography: Elegant Entertainment Las Vegas

Stationary: Shutterfly

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