Hotel Bel-Air Wedding

For their Sunday afternoon wedding in Los Angeles, Kary McHoul and Terry Gaten wanted an elegant setting that was luxurious but that also reflected their relaxed lifestyle. As such, they chose the historic Hotel Bel Air-a lush, sprawling property that embodies the best of both worlds. Today, Darcy Miller, editorial director of Martha Stewart Weddings, gets a behind-the-scenes look at this extraordinary event, from the flowers to the bride's make-up to the cake, and assists the couple with a few last-minute details.

In choosing flowers for the event, Kary turned to renowned floral designer Mark Held, who has decorated everything from celebrity weddings to the Academy Awards. Building upon Kary's palette of white, cream, and baby blue, Mark encased bunches of white roses and blue hydrangeas in various silver vessels, such as lofty trumpet vases and diminutive julep cups. He and his team then fashioned breathtaking handheld arrangements to match, including the bride's and bridesmaids' bouquets, a flower-girl basket, and a charming ring-bearer pillow. In addition, Mark created a "sweetheart table" for Kary and Terry, featuring a light-blue duchesse-satin tablecloth with a polka-dot organza overlay, as well as floral garlands for each chair.

In keeping with the color scheme, Joan Spitler and Leigh Grode-a Los Angeles duo known as "the cake divas"-designed the couple's grand wedding cake. Inspired by the baby-blue bows that adorned the invitations, they created a towering, beribboned confection comprising several tiers, each embellished with a bow made of baby-blue fondant, as well as a base surrounded by mixed berries, cream, and fudge.

Like all brides, Kary wanted to look her best at her wedding, so she enlisted the help of Valerie of Beverly Hills. Not surprisingly, Kary's greatest beauty concern was that her make-up would smear if she cried, so Valerie and her team used waterproof cosmetics to ensure a longer-lasting look. Once her make-up was applied, Darcy helped Kary with her gown-the bride's "something new," as well as her breathtaking Harry Winston jewelry-her "something borrowed." As Kary explains, her grandmother's handkerchief will serve as both her "something old" and her "something blue."

Later, after the ceremony and with all the details in place, the reception began with the newlyweds' first dance, as well as champagne and hors d'oeuvres on the lawn. From that point, the guests moved to the garden room to enjoy Philippe Renniger's elaborate five-course menu, including the event's savory pièce de résistance-Santa Barbara prawns with corn coulis, dressed in fresh truffles, chanterelle mushrooms, and leeks. Sources:

Hotel Bel Air 701 Stone Canyon Road Los Angeles, CA 90077 (310) 472-1211 www.hotelbelair.com

MARTHA STEWART LIVING OMNIMEDIA

Hotel Bel-Air Wedding

Mark's Garden 13838 Ventura Blvd. Sherman Oaks, Ca 91423 818-906-1718 www.marksflower.com

Valerie Beverly Hills 460 N. Canon Dr. Beverly Hills, CA 90210 310-274-7348 800-282-5374 www.valeriebeverlyhills.com

Cake Divas in Los Angeles 9626 Venice Blvd Culver City, CA 90232 310-287-2609 www.cakedivas.com

Ken Worthy Salon 310-274-9360 www.kenworthysalon.com

Gallerie Salon 818-528-7373 Masse Made to Measure 306 N. Flores Street Los Angeles, CA 90046 323-653-2941 www.melissamasse.com

Harry Winston 371 North Rodeo Drive Beverly Hills, CA 90210 310-271-8554 www.harrywinston.com

MARTHA STEWART LIVING OMNIMEDIA

Hotel Bel-Air Wedding

Stuart Weitzman 437 North Rodeo Drive Beverly Hills, CA 90210 310-860-9600 www.stuartweitzman.com Jay Lawrence Goldman 6139 Wilshire Blvd. Los Angeles, CA 90048 323-954-7436 www.jlgphoto.com

MARTHA STEWART LIVING OMNIMEDIA