Real Wedding | Danielle & James

Tell us a little about yourselves!

Hi, we’re Danielle and James! We’re both California natives currently living in Los Angeles. We met in 2016 the way all modern couples meet, from the comfort of our own phones on Tinder. Before we had a chance to arrange a first date, we ran into each other by happenstance at the same Blood Orange concert in Downtown LA, sitting only two rows apart. Neither of us were bold enough to make the first move, but each approving of the other’s taste in music, we decided it was safe to meet IRL. 

We had our first date at our (now favorite) wine bar in Echo Park and haven’t stopped seeing each other ever since. In the past 8 years, we’ve lived in LA, New York, traveled the world, been to many more concerts, and made it all official last May.

Why did you decide to get married where you did?

We really wanted a venue that reflected Los Angeles – the city we’ve called home for most of our relationship – and that reflected our values (good food and wine!). When we saw Redbird’s garden it checked all the boxes we were looking for – something that was outdoors, intimate, floral, but was also right in the heart of LA. It doesn’t hurt as well that Redbird is first and foremost an amazing restaurant!

How many guests did you have?

72 – we wanted to keep our wedding more intimate.

What was your budget?

Let’s just say we went a little over…

Tell us about your outfits.

For the Ceremony, Danielle wore the Jane Gown by Katherine Tash from Loho Bride paired with the Hayden pearl edge veil by A.B Elie. Her shoes were So Nude Sandal 85 in white from Aquazzura. She wore pearl earrings by Chan Luu, the Kate Silver Riviere bracelet from Dorsey, a custom wedding band by Kathryn Bentley, and her engagement ring from Trumpet and Horn.

I tried a lot of dresses on and what I loved about the Jane gown was that it had the look and feel of a slip dress, while still feeling classic and elegant. I loved how delicate and ethereal the dress looked and felt. Most importantly, I just really wanted a dress that I felt like me in, and when I tried it on for the first time I knew.

Since my dress was more modern, I really liked the idea of pairing it with a more traditional cathedral veil. When I saw the Hayden pearl edge veil by A.B Elie, I loved how delicately it draped over the dress. The edge of the veil is adorned with a subtle yet stunning pearl detailing, which added a touch of shimmer to the overall look. I’m not a flashy person, so it was the perfect amount of a little something extra for my wedding look. 

For the reception, Danielle wore the Annabelle silk dress from Reformation. I really wanted a dress for the reception that had a similar look and feel to my wedding dress but that I could dance and let loose in…and maybe spill a little wine on! I was having a hard time finding that (without breaking the bank) and when I stumbled across the Annabelle silk dress – with that gorgeous scooped neckline – I bought it immediately. I had it tailored to be shorter so I could dance and party into the night!

James wore a custom two-piece suit from High Society in Los Angeles, paired with a Brioni tie and classic Adieu Paris shoes. He wore a custom wedding band from Kathryn Bentley.

It was my first ever bespoke suit experience and I couldn’t recommend High Society enough! They helped me translate my blurry vision of a suit into reality, and it was more than I could have hoped for. The suit itself was a more boxy take on a classic two-piece black suit and made with Fox Brothers & Co fabric. I wanted to add something special, so I had custom embroidery added to my suit to honor late family members that couldn’t be present at our wedding. I had a four leaf clover for my father, the number 40 for my brother, and the number 13 for Danielle’s father embroidered on my suit. I cannot thank David and the talented team behind High Society enough!

What was the most important aspect for you, in terms of planning your wedding?

In the end we wanted our guests to feel well taken care of – so much of a wedding is giving back to the people in your life who have helped you reach this milestone. Ultimately we wanted it to feel like a summer evening in LA you never want to end – delicious food, cake, lots of laughter, and of course lots of dancing.

Were there any elements that were important for you to incorporate?

Photography was super important to us! We wanted to make sure the day was captured in a way that felt natural, candid, and that we could look back on and immediately transport ourselves back to that day. Malorie Kerouac did all of that and more with her photos, and we’re so thankful to have had her as part of our special day.

Any tips for couples getting married?

Bigger doesn’t always mean better! We were really thankful that we got to spend at least a little bit of meaningful time with every guest that came to our wedding. It felt like the perfect size.

Are there any vendors that you would like to tell us a little more about?

Our cake from Chariot LA totally blew us (and our guests) away! It looked so beautiful and matched the scenery of the venue so well that we almost didn’t want to bite into it. It tasted delicious though once we did.

And we couldn’t have done this all without the powerhouse behind Moon Realm, Sabrina Zeile, our wedding planner! She made planning a wedding easy and exciting!

Photographer: Malorie Kerouac @maloriekerouac | Planning: Moon Realm @moon__realm | Flora: Still Carnations @stillcarnations | Ceremony & Reception Location: Redbird @redbirdla | Hire: Table Method @tablemethod | MUA: Chanel Cross @chanelcross | Hair: Natty Jackson from Nine Zero One @ninezeroone @iamnattyjackson | Catering + Beverages: Redbird @redbirdla | Cake: Chariot @chariot__la | Stationery: Goods Gang @goodsgang | Entertainment: Dart Collective @dartcollective | Transportation: Riz Transportation @riztransportation | Dresses: Katherin Tash @katherinetash from Loho Bride @loho_bride & Reformation @reformation | Suit: High Society @hellohighsociety | Veil: A.B Elie @a.b.ellie | Nails: Glazed Donut by Paintbar LA @paintbarla | Engagement Ring: Trumpet and Horn @trumpetandhorn | Wedding Rings: Kathryn Bentley @kathryn_bentley_jewelry  | Shoes: Aquazzura @aquazzura  & Adieu Paris@adieushoes | Earrings: Chan Luu | Bracelet: Dorsey | Tie: Brioni @brioni_official | Wedding Party Attire: Jenny Yoo @bellabridesmaids