Acclaimed Film Composer Hans Zimmer Personally Scored This Couple's Epic Church Ceremony in California

wedding couple portrait with beach behind
Jenny Quicksall

Cami and Larry met—through mutual friends—at a Santa Clara bar in March of 2013. At the time, they were both attending Santa Clara University, and although their respective friends tried to introduce them before that fateful night, Larry admitted to Cami upon meeting her that his nerves got the best of him. He worried for nothing: The pair hit it off and spent the next few months getting to know each other before making their courtship official. Post-grad, two duo moved together to San Francisco, and then San Diego; six years into their relationship, on April 6, 2019, Larry proposed to Cami at the La Jolla Beach and Tennis Club. To the bride-to-be's surprise, both of their families were already there, waiting to celebrate.

The pair originally planned an August 2020 wedding, but they made the difficult decision to reschedule into 2021 as the pandemic surged. "I always had a vision of what our wedding would be like and, despite external pressure, we decided against a small ceremony with just family. We waited to do it the way we wanted," Cami shares. They selected a new date—July 10, 2021—and required their 200 guests to provide proof of vaccination or a negative COVID-19 test to attend.

Their big day began with a ceremony at St. Monica Catholic Church, in Santa Monica, California, during which a very special selection of music—curated by Hans Zimmer, a friend of the bride's parents—resounded through the massive place of worship. Dinner and dancing followed at Bel-Air Bay Club in Pacific Palisades, California. Cami grew up going to the club, where her mother and father are members, and loved the idea of celebrating her and Larry's union at a place that brought back such fond memories. (The stunning ocean views were another plus.) The couple worked with Kelly Patrice to plan an event with a neutral color palette and organic, textured details and tropical elements to incorporate the bride's love of Hawaii and the couple's mutual appreciation of the sea.

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Neutral Invitations

elegant white wedding invites with orchids
Jenny Quicksall

The couple's planner, Kelly Patrice, created a cohesive invitation suite that incorporated the wedding's neutral color scheme. The welcome party card included a small palm tree design to mimic the foliage seen on the grounds of the venue.

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Getting Ready

bridesmaids in white robes toasting champagne
Jenny Quicksall

Cami and her bridesmaids clinked glasses as they got ready on the morning of the wedding.

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100 Dresses

mother helping bride with wedding dress
Jenny Quicksall

Cami tried on about 100 different wedding dresses at 14 different bridal boutiques. "I am very particular and I knew I wanted something classic that felt like me," she says. She kept coming back to one of the options she tried on, and when she found out it came in different fabrics, she was sold. Cami chose a form-fitting crepe Pronovias gown with a cowl detail and buttons down the back.

She borrowed her mother's diamond tennis bracelet and donned her mother-in-law's diamond earrings. "I wanted to have something from both of them on that day," she explains. Saint Laurent and a custom veil from Laura Jayne Accessories, which she put on just before the ceremony, completed her look.

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Orchid Bouquet

elegant white floral wedding bouquet
Jenny Quicksall

She held a classic all-white bouquet—composed by Edwin Portillo Floral Designs of the Bel-Air Bay Club—of gardenias, orchids, spray roses, veronica whites, scabiosa, and delphinium, which was embellished with greenery.

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Circle Round

bridesmaids and bride in white hugging in huddle
Jenny Quicksall

The bridesmaids—who wrapped Cami in a group hug after she debuted her big-day look—donned matching cream colored midi dresses by Line & Dot. "I wanted something that was simple, neutral, affordable, and something they might wear again!" the bride notes.

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Small Posies

bridesmaids holding quite bouquet
Jenny Quicksall

Her attendants held miniature versions of her own cream-colored arrangement.

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Hi, Dad!

bride and dad first look on balcony
Jenny Quicksall

Cami is an only child, so she wanted to make sure her wedding day was special for both of her parents—which is why she decided to have a first look with her father. "My dad was speechless when he saw me in my dress, which made me tear up just a little bit. Most of all, it was just a moment I will cherish forever."

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Dapper Groom

groom buttoning suit in front of wooden doors
Jenny Quicksall

Larry donned a black tuxedo from Bonobos for the occasion. He accessorized with a watch that Cami gave him on their first dating anniversary and carried a handkerchief that once belonged to his late grandfather. His groomsmen rented tuxedos from The Black Tux, resulting in a classic lineup.

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Exciting First Look

couple first look under palm trees
Jenny Quicksall

Cami and Larry shared their own first look on the upper lawn at the Bel-Air Country Club, overlooking the ocean. "As I was walking up to him with his back turned, I got butterflies in my stomach," Cami says. "Once he turned around and saw me, the emotions hit and he teared up, which made me tear up—but mainly we were just so excited that this day was finally here after waiting for so long."

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Drive on Over

bride looking out the window of car with bouquet
Jenny Quicksall

The bride flashed a smile as she arrived for the ceremony at St. Monica Catholic Church.

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Cool Welcome

wedding fans in basket
Jenny Quicksall

As guests arrived at the church, they were greeted by a welcome sign (which was placed on an easel) and a tray of woven fans to keep cool in the July heat.

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Floral Touches

wedding welcome sign on wooden easel
Jenny Quicksall

Cami had a vision of a "broken arch" flower arrangement at the entrance, so the church doors were flanked by vertical swags of tropical florals.

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Magical Music

bride and father processional in church overview
Jenny Quicksall

Cami's parents started their careers in the music industry, so her mother called on a dear friend, composer Hans Zimmer, to curate the ceremony music. Hans selected the orchestrators and musicians and gifted the music to the couple. As guests were seated, three cellists performed "Moon River" by Henry Mancini and Johnny Mercer. Larry made his way down the aisle accompanied by his mother as "Walk with Me" was performed by Jeffrey David Goldford, accompanied by a rhythm section, gospel choir, and strings. White flower arrangements embellished the end of each church pew.

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The Bride's Entrance

bride hugging father at wedding altar
Jenny Quicksall

Cami's dad walked her down the aisle to "Can't Help Falling I=in Love," performed by Samantha Shultz and a string ensemble. Cami made sure to maintain eye contact with Larry the whole way—which she says was the best advice she received before the big day. Both the bride and groom come from religious families, so it was important to them to get married in a Catholic church; they brought in a priest from San Diego—he has known Larry and his family for decades—to officiate. Since the duo exchanged vows they wrote for each other ahead of the service, they exchanged traditional promises at the church.

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Signed, Sealed, Delivered

couple kissing on church steps after wedding
Jenny Quicksall

As Cami and Larry were pronounced husband and wife, Jeffrey Goldford performed Stevie Wonder's "Signed, Sealed, Delivered" with help from gospel singers—and the father of the bride on the piano.

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Rolls Royce

white cary with florals and just married decal
Jenny Quicksall

Cami and Larry set off for the reception location in a 1962 Rolls Royce, "Just Married" sign and all.

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Cocktail Hour with a View

long white couch under palm tree outdoor wedding lounge
Jenny Quicksall

Cocktail hour took place on the upper lawn of the Bel-Air Bay Club, where guests took in ocean views as they sipped on a few signature cocktails.

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Signature Drinks

wedding cocktails on table with sign
Jenny Quicksall

Those drinks included a margarita (Cami's favorite) and an old fashioned (Larry's go-to). Passed appetizers like caprese skewers, lump blue crab cakes, ahi tuna crisps, and duck quesadillas made the rounds.

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Parasol, Please

white cocktail hour parasols in wicker basket
Jenny Quicksall

The newlyweds offered their guests white parasols, which were customized with tags featuring their logo.

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Little Lounges

guests relaxing outdoors at wedding lounge
Jenny Quicksall

Attendees relaxed on rattan lounge furniture during the interlude.

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Surf's Up

wedding escort sign with white flowers
Jenny Quicksall

Cami and Larry have a mutual love for surfing, so they incorporated a few boards into their seating chart display and other day-of signage.

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Find Your Seat

muted pink escort sign with tropical plants
Jenny Quicksall

Celebrants' table numbers were displayed in white font on blush-hued signs that were placed between the surfboards. Tropical plants punctuated the vignette.

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Look Up

unscaled tropical wedding reception round tables
Jenny Quicksall

The reception took place inside, in a large dining room at the country club; the couple and their planner wanted to draw guests' eyes top to bottom. They achieved this by incorporating a mix of high and low centerpiece arrangements, embellishing the chandeliers with greenery, and setting up custom lighting that reflected the couple's logo.

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Tropical and Modern

raised floral arrangement on upscaled tropical wedding reception table
Jenny Quicksall

Tropical designs and modern elements converged on the tablescapes: Fringed woven chargers were topped with neutral menus and place cards tied together with twine.

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Creamy Whites

elegant bouquet of white florals on wedding table
Jenny Quicksall

Small compote centerpieces featured trailing orchids.

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Two Dances

couple first dance wedding reception
Jenny Quicksall

Cami and Larry shared not one, but two first dances. After their entrance, they took a spin to "Joy of My Life" by Chris Stapleton—one of their favorite songs. Then, to get their loved ones on the dance floor, they launched into a choreographed number to Toploader's "Dancing in the Moonlight." "The dance lessons were probably the most fun part of the planning process," Cami says.

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What a Night

two men hugging at wedding reception
Jenny Quicksall

As for the rest of the evening's musical selections? The couple hired Soulville, a 10-piece band, and asked them to play a mix of classic and modern hits. Cami's father, a former musical director for Madonna, once played the keyboard on tour with musicians like Stevie Nicks and Michael Jackson, so he had a big hand in selecting the night's entertainment. "He surprised me at the wedding and got up on stage with the band and played the keyboard to 'Signed, Sealed, Delivered'—and was accompanied by special wedding guest, Hans Zimmer," the bride says. "It was a moment that had everyone on their feet."

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Sources

couple kissing with bride's veil flowing in the wind
Jenny Quicksall

Photography, Jenny Quicksall
Videography, Emma Lynn Cinema
Wedding Planning, Event Design, and Paper Products, Kelly Patrice
Ceremony Venue, St. Monica Catholic Church
Reception Venue and Catering, Bel-Air Bay Club
Flowers, Edwin Portillo Floral Designs, Bel-Air Bay Club
Bride's Gown, Pronovias; NWLA
Bride's Jewelry, Tiffany & Co.
Bride's Shoes, Saint Laurent
Bride's Hair and Makeup, Veiled Vanity Artistry
Bride's Veil, Laura Jayne Accessories
Bridesmaids' Dresses, Line & Dot
Groom's Attire, Bonobos
Groomsmen's Attire, The Black Tux
Music, ​​American Events Network
Cake, Susie Cakes
Guest Book, Artifact Uprising
Rentals, Elan Event Rentals; Premiere Party Rentals; Town & Country
Lighting, Stage Labs
Transportation, California Excursions; Classy Chassis

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