Carmen Hovhannisyan and Garik Sayadkhanyan welcomed guests to a wedding that balanced elegance with intention. Set in Los Angeles, the celebration featured soft, refined florals, sculptural décor, and subtle water elements that added depth without distraction. Designed to feel timeless rather than trendy, the event reflected the couple’s shared appreciation for tradition, understated beauty, and thoughtful detail.

Their story began in 2019 through student government at college, though it almost started earlier. A mutual friend had unknowingly captured both of them in the same photograph six months before they officially met. When Carmen was introduced at a campus event, Garik immediately noticed her. “I thought she was the most beautiful girl I had ever seen,” he recalls.

Carmen, however, had a less favorable first impression. After a basketball mishap at the event left her best friend with a minor injury, she wrongly assumed Garik was to blame. But when he was the only one to check in and walk them to get ice, her opinion shifted. They were paired on a few school projects shortly after, and a natural friendship formed. “Talking to him felt easy,” Carmen says. “It felt like we had known each other our whole lives.”

The relationship evolved with equal ease, and Garik knew early on he wanted to propose. He chose to do so in February 2023, just before they graduated. “I wanted us to step into a new phase of life with a new chapter in our relationship,” he admits. With the help of their friend and event designer Edgar Hay of Edgar Hay Events, he planned a surprise proposal during a rare stretch of perfect weather in an otherwise stormy month.

Carmen believed they were headed to a friend’s birthday party; instead, they arrived at a private estate overlooking the ocean. A string quartet played her favorite songs, and a heart of red roses framed the view. “I was in awe,” she reveals. “It felt like a moment out of a movie.” As Garik slipped the engagement ring on her finger, a light drizzle began – an unscripted, cinematic touch to an already unforgettable romantic moment.

Over the following year, Carmen and Garik worked closely with Edgar to design a wedding that felt personal and immersive. Carmen envisioned a setting that was timeless and romantic, inspired not by typical wedding references but by elements of architecture, nature, and art. “I showed Edgar a mood board with peacocks, vine-covered gazebos, and fountains – things that gave me a feeling more than a look,” she explains. The result was a space that felt removed from time, filled with classical influences and a palette of soft green and white tones.

“I showed Edgar a mood board with peacocks, vine-covered gazebos, and fountains – things that gave me a feeling more than a look.”

The ceremony, held in an Armenian church, honored the couple’s cultural roots. “We wanted to keep it traditional and let the ceremony speak for itself,” illustrates Carmen. Her two young nephews served as ring bearers, arriving down the aisle in a miniature vintage car – one of the few playful departures from tradition. Carmen was a vision and carried a bouquet of white peonies, while her sister and matron of honor held soft pink roses that coordinated with their dresses. Mendelssohn’s “Wedding March” played as the bride entered.

The reception, held later that evening, marked a shift in tone while maintaining the same level of refinement. “It felt like we walked into a different world,” remembers Garik. “When we sat at our sweetheart table, it didn’t feel like a table, it felt like a new realm.” The table was framed by statues, florals, and custom-built columns that evoked a sense of grandeur without overwhelming the space. Centerpieces varied by table: some held white roses in vintage urns; others featured white fountains surrounded by florals. Delphinium-lined banquet tables flowed into miniature waterfalls, creating a seamless blend of nature and design.

Traditional Armenian customs were thoughtfully incorporated, including the groom’s mother placing lavash on their shoulders and feeding them honey, a symbol of abundance and sweetness in marriage. Together, they broke a plate to signify new beginnings. Carmen also surprised Garik and their guests with a traditional Armenian bridal dance, performed with a professional troupe she had trained with in the weeks leading up to the wedding.

Their seven-tier wedding cake echoed the reception’s theme with carved details reminiscent of ancient architecture. At each guest’s seat was a thank-you note and a custom illustration of the couple, based on a photo from a trip to San Francisco to obtain their marriage license.

Looking back, both agree they wouldn’t change a thing. “Everything came together exactly as it should have,” confirms Carmen. “The day was filled with love, and that’s what everyone felt.” Garik echoes her sentiment: “We were calm, happy, and surrounded by everyone who matters to us. It felt perfect.”

Following the wedding, the couple embarked on a 16-day honeymoon across five countries, beginning in Cape Town and ending spontaneously in London. From safaris in Kruger National Park to helicopter rides above Victoria Falls, it was a fitting start to the next chapter of a journey already full of unforgettable moments.

This real wedding was originally published in the Fall 2025 issue of Inside Weddings magazine. 

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