Dee and Cameron’s wedding took place in sunny California, surrounded by green hills, palm trees and the Pacific Ocean. The bride and groom arranged everything as beautiful and timeless weddings require: elegant outfits, tender decor, music performed by a string trio. And at the same time, the celebration turned out to be modern and stylish. We talked to Dee and learned all about the organization moments, as well as her love story with Cameron.
Tell us a little about yourselves. How did you meet?
Cameron and I met in March 2019 on Hinge and have been inseparable since that moment. Our first date was at Wally’s Beverly Hills, where he forgot his wallet and we still joke about it up to this day. Three months into knowing each other, we went on an unforgettable, month and a half long trip to Norway and Spain. We dated long distance from LA to Madrid and then got engaged on my 30th birthday in Cabo, followed by a private beachfront dinner at Nobu Hotel Los Cabos.
What do you do for a living and for fun?
I work in communications at Paramount, and Cameron is a senior technical recruiter at GoFundMe. We love to travel. Cameron and I usually take at least one international trip together every year. We also love trying new restaurants, hiking, going on walks at the Palisades Park and the beach with our dog Millie.
What was the concept behind your wedding and how did you find your inspiration?
The concept behind our wedding was a modern, romantic California wedding that would stand the test of time. I went with an ivory and blush color palette, fresh greenery, gold accents, and tons of candles. Our ceremony was held outdoors on the Bel-Air Bay Club lawn with breathtaking views of the Pacific Ocean accompanied by a string trio performance. We had a mariachi band surprise our family and friends, who performed during the cocktail hour, held at the beautiful outdoor Spanish-style courtyard patio, followed by our guests flowing into the living and dining room for the rest of the evening. I even let my husband take the reins on a grand wedding party entrance to the Chicago Bulls Theme song. We had a variety of elements from both of our backgrounds and cultures — I was born and raised in Panamá and Cameron has family from Mexico. We wanted to make sure that the wedding felt like the two of us.
Where was your wedding? Why did you choose this venue?
Our wedding took place at the Bel-Air Bay Club in Pacific Palisades, California. It’s perched above the coastline between Santa Monica and Malibu, with breathtaking views of the ocean. We chose our venue for a number of reasons — its elegance, sprawling 1920s Mediterranean-style, Spanish Revival architecture, being able to host our entire wedding day and evening on-site both indoor and outdoor, their award-winning executive chef and cuisine, and amazing staff who was able to ensure a streamlined experience from start to finish. We met and fell in love in Los Angeles, so getting married here was incredibly special.
How many guests did you have?
We had 102 guests.
Tell us about your outfits.
My wedding dress is by Galia Lahav. It’s made up of white silk tulle, adorned with delicate embroidered lace. The original gown was actually strapless and displayed sheer paneling on the area around my legs. I ended up customizing it by adding straps and an extra layer of tulle around the bottom half. I kept the illusion details and sheer corsetry because that is what Galia is known for — sheerness. I wanted a touch of glamour, allure, romance, delicacy, modern and elegance. My husband wore a black tuxedo and bowtie from The Black Tux.
What was your first dance song?
It was “Conversations in the Dark – Violin Remix” by John Legend and Lindsey Stirling. We love John Legend and it felt right to us to have our first dance song by him. It starts out slow, unexpectedly picks up, and the violin is absolutely beautiful.
What flowers did you choose for the bride’s bouquet and why?
My bridal bouquet included white roses, spray roses, garden roses, ranunculus and white lisianthus. I wanted a classic and timeless feel, with white and ivory tones.
What was your wedding cake like? And where did you order it?
Our wedding cake was from SusieCakes. It was a three-tiered chocolate and vanilla cake, filled with vanilla buttercream, and adorned with fresh flowers.
Bride: @deemilstein
Groom: @cameronjmilstein
Photo: @seanthomasphoto
Venue: @belairbayclub
Gown: @galialahav
Tux: @theblacktux
Videographer: @tatianafilms
Makeup: @ellyway
Florals: @wild_and_behold_florals
Cake: @susiecakesbakery
