Jessie & Philip at the Natural History Museum

September 1, 2024 · Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County, Los Angeles

A Natural History Museum Wedding in Los Angeles

Jessie and Philip love going out to eat, staying in for a movie and taking their corgi out for waddles in the park, so of course the corgi came to the wedding. They married on September 1, 2024 at the Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County in Los Angeles, getting ready at the USC Hotel and spending the rest of the day among the museum's dinosaurs, dioramas and the Rose Garden next door. The palette was peach, orange and violet florals with shades of pink and light blue. The day moved from a first look by the fountain to portraits in the Rotunda, a Jewish ceremony beneath the dinosaurs, a dinosaur plush toss and a Hora that lifted them both in chairs. Here is their Natural History Museum wedding, photographed by One and Only Production.

The Details

Jessie's engagement ring and both bands came along with a little corgi figurine and a red dish with a gold character, laid out next to Philip's light blue tie, cufflinks and black shoes at the USC Hotel.

View over the USC neighborhood from the hotel window on the wedding morning

Jessie's engagement ring resting on a white porcelain dish

Engagement ring stacked on the two wedding bands

Engagement ring balanced on the head of a little corgi figurine

Wedding bands in a red scalloped dish with a gold character

Philip's black dress shoes, light blue tie and cufflinks laid out

Philip's shoes and tie with silver cufflinks, photographed by One and Only Production

Philip Gets Ready at the USC Hotel

Philip got ready at the USC Hotel in a light blue suit with his groomsmen in navy. The best guest in the room was the couple's corgi, who showed up in a tuxedo of his own.

Philip's light blue suit hanging beside framed photos at the USC Hotel

A groomsman in a navy suit fixing his tie

Philip smiling while his tie is adjusted

Philip in his light blue suit by the hotel window

Philip and his groomsmen laughing together in the hotel room

Philip holding the couple's corgi, dressed in a tiny tuxedo

Philip lifting the corgi in its tuxedo bib, photographed by One and Only Production

Jessie Gets Ready

Jessie got ready with her bridesmaids in blush, coral and hot pink. Her dress had soft flutter sleeves and a bow at the back, and the corgi kept close by the whole time.

Jessie's wedding dress hanging in the hotel room

Close up of the bow at the back of Jessie's dress

Jessie having her makeup done with her bridesmaids nearby

Jessie's earrings held out in an open palm

Jessie with her bridesmaids in shades of pink at the USC Hotel

The back of Jessie's dress being fastened

Jessie and her bridesmaids in blush, coral and hot pink

Jessie from behind, showing the flutter sleeves and bow of her dress

Jessie standing in the morning light of the hotel room

The corgi in its tuxedo sitting among the bridesmaids' gowns, photographed by One and Only Production

Pumpkin the Corgi

One of Jessie and Philip's favorite things to do together is take their corgi out for waddles in the park, so Pumpkin had a full role in the wedding day, tuxedo included.

Pumpkin in a tuxedo bib on the hotel bed

Pumpkin resting on the pillows, photographed by One and Only Production

Philip and His Groomsmen in the Rose Garden

Before the first look we took Philip and his groomsmen into the Rose Garden beside the Natural History Museum, with the museum dome behind them and Pumpkin on a leash.

Philip and his groomsmen with the museum dome behind them

Philip adjusting his jacket with a peach boutonniere

Philip laughing with a groomsman in the Rose Garden

Philip and his groomsmen walking between the rose beds

Philip walking Pumpkin on a leash through the Rose Garden

Pumpkin in his tuxedo sitting on the Rose Garden lawn

A First Look by the Fountain

Philip waited by the fountain with Pumpkin while Jessie walked up with her peach and violet bouquet. One tap on the shoulder and he turned around.

Philip waiting by the fountain with Pumpkin before the first look

Jessie walking up with her peach and violet bouquet

Jessie tapping Philip on the shoulder for the first look

Philip turning to see Jessie while Pumpkin watches

Jessie and Philip together by the fountain with Pumpkin at their feet

The Wedding Party

The bridesmaids in shades of pink and the groomsmen in navy joined Jessie and Philip in the Rose Garden, then followed them inside to the Rotunda for more photos under the dome.

Jessie, Philip and their wedding party in the Rose Garden

Pumpkin sitting between the wedding party's feet

The full wedding party with Pumpkin on the lawn

Philip and his groomsmen under the dome of the Rotunda

Jessie and her bridesmaids in the Rotunda at the Natural History Museum

Jessie with a bridesmaid in blush beside the Rotunda statue

Jessie and a bridesmaid in hot pink sharing a laugh in the Rotunda

Portraits in the Rotunda

From the grand front steps of the Natural History Museum we went inside to the Rotunda, where the marble floor, bronze statue and coffered dome make one of the best portrait spots in Los Angeles.

Jessie and Philip on the grand front steps of the Natural History Museum

Jessie and Philip close together beneath the museum's arches

Jessie and Philip under the coffered dome of the Rotunda

Jessie holding her bouquet of peach roses and violet blooms

Jessie and Philip beside the bronze statue in the Rotunda

Jessie and Philip in the marble Rotunda, photographed by One and Only Production

Ceremony Details in the Grand Foyer

The ceremony was set in front of the museum's dinosaurs, with a floral arch and columns of peach roses, dahlias and violet blooms. A blue prayer shawl was ready for the ceremony.

A skylit museum hall with a skeleton suspended overhead

The dinosaur display in the Grand Foyer ringed with ceremony florals

The Grand Foyer set for the ceremony under chandeliers and a coffered ceiling

Close up of a dinosaur skull above the ceremony space

The floral arch framing the dinosaur display for the ceremony

Peach roses, dahlias and violet stems on a floral column

Close up of peach dahlias and violet blooms

The blue Jewish prayer shawl used during the ceremony

A Jewish Ceremony Among the Dinosaurs

Cantor Daniela Sarah Gesundheit led Jessie and Philip's Jewish ceremony under the floral arch. It included the circling, kiddush from a family kiddush cup, the couple wrapped in a prayer shawl and Philip breaking the glass.

A bridesmaid in red and a groomsman walking down the aisle

Jessie walking down the aisle with two family members

Guests watching the ceremony in the Grand Foyer

Jessie and Philip arriving at the floral arch

Jessie and Philip facing each other beneath the arch

Philip listening with a peach boutonniere on his lapel

Jessie and Philip under the floral arch beside the dinosaurs

A wide view of the ceremony under the coffered ceiling

The wedding party watching as Jessie and Philip hold hands

Jessie and Philip with the cantor at the floral arch

The ceremony framed by a dinosaur skeleton in the foreground

A bridesmaid in blush during the ceremony, photographed by One and Only Production

Reception Among the Dioramas

Dinner was set among the museum's wildlife dioramas, with crimson napkins, peach and pink centerpieces and a head table in front of the bison. A dinosaur guest book and a cardboard cutout of Pumpkin greeted guests along the way.

The seating chart on an easel at the museum staircase

Find your table sign with animal illustrations

A guest book made of wooden dinosaur cutouts

A reception table set in front of a mountain diorama

Tables with crimson napkins beside the moose diorama

The reception hall lined with wildlife dioramas

Peach and pink centerpieces on a reception table

The head table with florals in front of the bison diorama

A cardboard cutout of Pumpkin in front of the bison diorama

Close up of a dessert cup, photographed by One and Only Production

Grand Entrance, Welcome and Speeches

The wedding party danced in for the grand entrance, Philip gave a welcome speech, and friends and family toasted the couple from beside the head table before Jessie and Philip made the rounds to every table.

Groomsmen dancing in for the grand entrance

Guests cheering during the grand entrance

Jessie and Philip dancing in after their grand entrance

Jessie and Philip listening at the head table

Jessie and Philip greeting guests at a table

Cake and the Dinosaur Plush Toss

Jessie and Philip cut their floral cake in front of the bison diorama, then traded the usual bouquet toss for a dinosaur plush toss that had the whole room reaching.

The tiered wedding cake with fresh florals in front of the bison diorama

Close up of the cake florals and a cake knife

Guests gathering for the dinosaur plush toss

Jessie and Philip in the middle of the plush toss crowd

Guests celebrating the catch, photographed by One and Only Production

The Hora and the Dance Floor

The dancing started with the Hora, with Jessie and Philip lifted up in chairs above the circles of guests, and the dance floor stayed full for the rest of the night.

The Hora spinning around Jessie and Philip

A chair rising above the crowd during the Hora

Lifted high above the crowd during the Hora

The dance floor filling up after the Hora

Jessie and Philip on the dance floor, photographed by One and Only Production

Planning a Natural History Museum Wedding?

The Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County gives couples an unusual range of backdrops in one place: the grand front steps and arches, the marble Rotunda under its dome, ceremonies beside the dinosaurs, receptions among the wildlife dioramas and the Rose Garden right outside for portraits. One and Only Production is a photo and video team based in West Covina, serving Los Angeles, Orange County and the Inland Empire in English, Cantonese and Mandarin. We would love to hear your story. Take a look at our wedding portfolio, then check your date with us.

Wedding Vendors

Venue: Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County
Getting Ready: USC Hotel
Planner: Allegro Event, Jaycie Chan @allegro_jaycie
Makeup: Fennie Lin
Floral: Dogwood Floral
Officiant: Cantor Daniela Sarah Gesundheit
DJ and Photobooth: Lotus Event Pros
Photo and Video: One and Only Production @oneandonlyproduction

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