Common Space Brewery

Wedding Day

Wedding

Our Wedding

~Starbucks and Secrets~

Chelsea and Troy met in Torrance in 2014 in a quaint little coffee shop known as Starbucks. It would be easy to imagine these two bumping into each other in line and bonding over a love of coffee, but alas, that is not how our story begins. Because, you see, while Troy might have been a customer, Chelsea was not. Oh no, she was the girl in the green apron behind the counter. Because anything else would have been far too mundane a meeting for them. Gradually, the two got to know each other over the barrier of the coffee counter, learning bits and pieces about one another over a series of weekend visits, whereupon Troy would walk to Starbucks and order, Chelsea later learned, whatever Troy thought would take her the longest to make so that he'd have ample time to chat with her while she made his drink. Fun fact: for a (blessedly) brief amount of time, Starbucks made custom sodas, (not so) affectionately called Fizzio. It required a special machine to carbonate the liquid and these machines were an absolute menace to wrangle. The barista had to wrestle the chalice with the beverage into an obnoxiously tight fitting vise that held lid and chalice together during the process, and then wrestle the beverage oh so carefully out of the ill-fitted vise without spilling it. Needless to say, there was some strength and perseverance required to achieve the desired results. So, of course Troy took to ordering a soda every weekend to spend more time with Chelsea, getting to know more about her and making her laugh with his witty responses. Until the day Chelsea saw Troy holding in his laughter as he watched her wrestle the heinous machine into submission. Chelsea, who likes to think she never acts without considering all options and consequences, immediately declared Troy "banned from Fizzio," though she tempered the ban with a promise to find him a drink he enjoyed just as much that wasn't such a pain in the -tea shaker- to make. Thankfully, Troy was not that easy to scare off. He regrouped, landing on the Butterbeer Frappuccino instead, and happily continued his weekly visits.

The Beginning

For weeks, Chelsea wrote her schedule to include morning shifts on the weekends so as not to miss the intriguing customer with the delightful nerd shirts and the witty banter. Every time he came in she'd look to see what was on his shirt- the first one she remembered being a depiction of a mouse traveling from one portal to another, a remote control it its hands. This shirt especially delighted Chelsea because her roommate had spoken of a game with portals in which there was (not) a mythical cake. When she realized that the cute customer's shirt was a reference to the game, she was delighted to realize that there was a high probability of this man being a true nerd. With delight, she paid attention to all his shirts after that, and not a single one disappointed, up to an including a Serenity shirt, honoring the cult favorite TV show that was canceled too soon that he wore on their first date, but that comes later in the story. One morning, Troy came into the store looking particularly upset. When he approached the counter Chelsea could tell something was wrong, but she had no clue what the next 10 minutes had in store for her and this cute customer she had to remind herself not to have a crush on (you see, Chelsea was going through an "I'm done with men!" phase and wasn't in a headspace to even consider a real romantic relationship) every time he came into the store and made her smile.

The Virtue of Patience 

Robots and Romance

Our Story

Event start: 2:00pmDress code: Cocktail attire Ceremony: 3:00pm Family pictures: 4:00 pm Dinner: 5:00 - 7:00pm Afterwards, there will be dancing, dessert, and delightful discussions throughout the rest of the night*! (*Or at least until 10pm)

Details

Although this is a vow renewal rather than an actual wedding, it was still important to us to recognize those who we originally asked to stand with us on the day we said "I do." Had we been able to have the wedding we initially envisioned, the Bride Side would've been standing with Chelsea wearing their finest swords and lightsabers (as one does), and the Doomsmen would've stood valiantly alongside Troy in all his wedding finery. In lieu of that, we choose to honor these beloved folks through heartfelt words.

If you're really lucky, you'll meet a few people over the course of your life who bring you peace and joy and perfectly compliment your uneven edges; Michelle stepped into Chelsea's life a little over fifteen years ago and has since proven to be one of these amazing people. Even though adulting gets hard and life gets busy, she is still the one who Chelsea thinks of as another 

Michelle Dove

Some people are lucky enough to have a brother who's more than just a sibling- they're also a true friend. It's virtually guaranteed that any time the two are on the phone or in the same room that there will be raucous laughter, deep conversations, and a touch of that Philly accent (at least on Troy's side). The moment project Celebration Patterport was a go, Ed was a shoe in for the role of best man because no one else could ever hold that role in our hearts.

Ed Patterson

In first grade, Chelsea was approached by a classmate who declared that they would thenceforth be friends. Now, some *cough cough* years later, such is still the case- that's some staying power! Some people become more than friends and wind up being the family you choose, and in more ways than one Anja is undeniably a sister to Chelsea.

Anja Freeman

Robert and Troy clicked from their first meeting; their friendship was never a question. Bonding over a shared love of games and a similar sense of humor, their easy camaraderie is undeniably entertaining and brings joy and laughter to those around them every time they team up! 

Robert Hornbek

A close friend to both Chelsea and Troy, William is always quick with encouraging words and entertaining content. His genuine love of games (playing and making) created a an instantaneous friendship with Troy, and his deep sense of morality and willingness to fight for others cemented a strong bond with Chelsea, a fellow activist. When Chelsea graduated from UCR in 2019 without any sign of a proposal from Troy in sight, she confided in him that she was ready to take matters into her own hands by proposing to him. Ironically, Troy had ALSO shared his proposal plans with Will, so the poor guy had to sit on BOTH of their secrets for several months before everything had played out.

William Joseph Hillstrom III

While Mitchum and Troy's relationship began as that of boss and employee, Mitchum quickly became a cherished part of our Fund Family. He and his husband, Justin, who is also a truly amazing human being, are two of our favorite people and are always in our hearts. Whether it's planning a game night or helping fix a daunting birthday present, Mitchum is always there to lend a hand and stand as a reminder that there are good people in this world.

Mitchum Owen

Chelsea and Jasmine found themselves coworkers many years ago, but they swiftly became family in every sense of the word and have been a part of each others' lives since. Fiercely protective and thoughtful in ways that defy the expectation, Jasmine is absolutely the little sister Chelsea always wanted growing up, although it should be noted that more often than not her deep wisdom and quiet strength actually make her seem like the big sister regardless of chronological age. 

Jasmine Deathrage

For Chelsea, high school was undeniably a time of angst and growth. Luckily, out of the chaos and turmoil of adolescence came a wonderful friendship between two women with a love of literature and a devotion to fighting for and protecting others in their own ways. A vigilant champion for the children who visit her library, Sami's beautiful heart and generous nature have become a cherished constant in Chelsea and Troy's lives.

Samantha Kline

Jamie is, in a word, our person. While she may have known Chelsea first, she's become an integral part of both their lives, acting as the one in-person witness on the day they got married (and supplied the check neither Chelsea nor Troy realized was the only way to pay for the marriage license). She also had to carry the burden of knowing both Chelsea and Troy's plans to propose to one another for several months and did a great job not saying a single word to either one.

Jamie Drulis

While Chelsea met Kona in high school, Troy's first introduction to him occurred in an unlit car late one night. Unaware that Chelsea's roommate was already sitting in the back seat, Troy got into the car after work one night, unsuspecting that his life was about to change- again. While talking to Chelsea on the way down the hill from PV, all of a sudden he heard a male voice right behind his ear commenting on the topic at hand. Needless to say, they've been bro-mancing ever since.

Kona

Wedding Party

Photos

Q + A

Registry

Sonesta Select Los Angeles LAX El Segundo

Travel

Enjoy the beach or relax in one of the many beach-side restaurants, some of which have lovely Happy Hours during the week. You can find tons of souvenir shops with knickknacks, clothes, and jewelry. There's also places to rent a kayak, go pedal boarding, ride on a glass bottom boat, or learn how to handle a sailboat.

Redondo Beach Pier

Right down the street from the event venue, Common Space Brewery, you can check out the house that was featured in the cult classic movie Friday and take pictures on the front porch. Some reviews say that you can buy merchandise there as well.

The Friday House

Check out the historic landmark marking the site of the now demolished Wilson family's house where Brian, Dennis, and Carl grew up.

Beach Boys Historic Landmark

The 7th largest shopping mall in the US, Del Amo Mall was featured in Quentin Tarantino's movie Jackie Brown and has a California Welcome Center inside the main building. It hosts a wide variety of stores, services, and restaurants, including Macy's, Apple, AMC, Dick's Sporting Goods, Bath &amp; Body Works, Sanrio, BJ's Brewery, and Old Navy. Here are some of the other highlights:Food--85 Degrees, a Korean bakery-Lucille's BBQ, classic smokehouse cuisine with a good Happy Hour-Outback Steakhouse-Pressed Juicery-See's Candy-Lazy Dog, a dog friendly restaurant with a great Happy Hour Entertainment--Dave &amp; Buster's-AMC Theaters-Dig It (Play and Learn), an indoor kids' play space modeled after construction sites-Mitsuwa Marketplace, Japanese market with food stalls and a dining area-Book Off-The Game Chest, a game store with toys, TCGs, and in store gaming events Services--Pure Foot Spa &amp; Massage, a low cost walk-in massage parlor (Chelsea is a frequent client here)-Fast-Fix Jewelry And Watch Repairs-Sephora-Del Amo Tailors &amp; Alterations-Brow Arc-USPS

Del Amo Fashion Center

WeeklyEvery Tuesday Trivia at 6:30 Every Wednesday Common Space x Evolution Fitness Run Club 5:30 pmMonthlyFirst Monday of every month - LA Synth Club Meet up &amp; Jam SessionFirst Wednesday of every month - FREE live Comedy Night hosted by Sean McBride &amp; Dave WilliamsonSecond Wednesday of every month - Patch n’ Play LA Synth Open Mic Night in the Beer OasisFourth Wednesday of every month - Bonsai Tree Making Class with Bonsai Bar. Tickets required. Last Wednesday of every month - FREE Video Game Tournament with Amateur &amp; Competitive Brackets 5:30 pm-10 pm. We play all LA sports games on our giant projector and multiple TVs throughout the taproom &amp; beer garden. Dodgers, LA Galaxy, Lakers, Kings and Angel City. Want a specific game on? Just ask our taproom team and someone will put it on for you!

Chelsea & Troy

Chelsea & Troy

Photos