A Tented Backyard Wedding With Sweeping Views of the Los Angeles Basin

Danielle and Michael met on Hinge in May 2019 and stayed in touch throughout the years; they reconnected when the pandemic began with a series of Zoom dates. They were surprised to learn that they were born 13 days apart and grew up in neighboring towns in Southern California. “Our homes were 12 miles away from each other and over the years we had collected countless mutual friends,” Danielle says. “We are convinced that one day we will find a photo from a birthday party or a soccer tournament with both of us in it.”

Two years after they met, Danielle planned a surprise party to celebrate Michael matching for his pediatric surgery fellowship. Little did she knot that Michael had already turned the tables; he popped the question before the party, tricking Danielle into planning their engagement party, instead. 

The couple held an outdoor ceremony and tented reception at Danielle’s childhood home on June 25, 2022, which also happened to also be the bride’s parents’ 39th wedding anniversary. They invited 160 guests to join them for an elevated backyard wedding full of personal touches like a first look at their engagement site, their favorite late night snacks, and an impromptu karaoke session. You won’t want to miss the details of this elegant backyard wedding, planned by Smith + James and photographed by Laura Murray.

The couple gave guests their first glimpse of their wedding’s elegant aesthetic through their stationery. They selected embossed invitation suites with a floral patterned vellum overlay; the suites were gently tucked into strips of woven lavender tissue paper.

Danielle went to 13 different stores to find her dream wedding dress—and when she tried on a lace mermaid Mira Zwillinger gown with a deep v-neck and embroidered floral details, she knew it was the one. “As cheesy as it sounds, it literally took my breath away,” she says.

The bride paired the gown with Badgley Mischka shoes and a Sara Gabriel veil. She incorporated a portion of her mother-in-law’s wedding dress as her "something old" and wore her mom’s diamond tennis bracelet and stud earrings from her own wedding day as her "something borrowed;" a garter served as her "something blue." “I know garters are outdated, but traditions die hard!” she says.

As for her big-day beauty look? Danielle wanted a soft, old-Hollywood hairstyle and makeup to match; she asked her stylist to pin back her soft waves, and for her makeup, she went with a subtle smokey eye and light pink Dior lipstick that has since become a staple. 

Danielle's sister, Nikki, was her her matron of honor, while her best friend, Juliana, stood by her side as maid of honor. She gifted both women gold bracelets with three diamonds to represent their their friendship trio. All her bridesmaids selected their gowns from a jade and sage green color palette she put together; they accessorized with gold necklaces with a small sea pearl (gifts from the bride) on the wedding day.

Michael wore a midnight blue slim fit tuxedo from John Varvatos paired with a matching tie and socks. He accessorized with a Longines watch his parents gave him when he graduated from medical school. “My boutonnière featured my grandma Marina’s favorite flower, a carnation, as a tribute to her  following her passing a few months before the wedding day,” he says. 

Danielle and Michael decided to do a first look to make family photos a little easier for their four grandparents in attendance. “We also thought it would be a special moment for us to be together before the craziness of the ceremony began,” Danielle says. “And it meant we could go straight from the ceremony to the cocktail hour to be with our guests!”

The couple went to a  bench overlooking the bluffs and water of the Palos Verdes peninsula for the first look. They first became a couple and later were engaged at this very spot. “Emotions were flowing for both of us,” Danielle remembers. “The quiet moment we shared together set the tone for the rest of the day.”

Danielle held a lush bridal bouquet of white and blush flowers. She made sure to incorporate white carnations in the arrangement as a nod to Michael’s late grandmother.

The couple’s ceremony took place underneath a pepper tree in Danielle’s parents’ backyard. The bride spent her childhood picking geraniums underneath the tree with her sister, so they used it as a feature of their chuppah for a special touch. More white carnations were included in the structure to commemorate Michael’s late grandmother. “Our families and guests enjoyed the panoramic views of the Los Angeles basin from the lawn,” Michael says. “Every time we visit Danielle’s parents, we will remember, revisit, and relive the greatest night of our lives.”

When the ceremony began, the wedding party walked down the aisle to a live string quartet playing instrumental versions of the couple’s favorite songs. Michael processed in with his mother, Tanya, to “Your Song” by Elton John, while Danielle, accompanied by her dad, Richard, followed suit to “Here Comes the Sun” by The Beatles. The couple asked a family rabbi and the federal judge Danielle clerked for after law school to officiate the ceremony. They incorporated some Jewish traditions with a twist, such as asking family members and friends to select quotes, poems, or song lyrics instead of saying the seven blessings. “These were surprises for them to read to us during the ceremony for the first time,” Danielle says. “From e.e. Cummings to Winnie the Pooh to Billy Joel to Dr. Seuss, they absolutely rocked it!” They celebrated back down the aisle as newlyweds to another Beatles hit, “All You Need Is Love.”

The couple’s cocktail hour took place around the pool, where tables with umbrellas, along with high tops, were set up throughout the lawn. They offered three signature drinks: Michael chose the “Doctor’s Orders, a mezcal mule cocktail; Danielle selected the “Side Bar,” a cucumber mint vodka drink; and the last drink was the “Pacific Avenue Parrot,” a tropical rum cocktail with green liquor named after green parrots the couple regularly saw when they lived in San Francisco.

The couple rented lounge furniture to create cozy seating areas throughout the lawn to encourage attendees to mingle comfortably. Arrangements of white and blush flowers and greenery were displayed in gold urns of various sizes on coffee and end tables throughout the space. When it was time for dinner, guests found their table assignments on translucent escort cards tagged to miniature lattices.

The couple’s reception took place underneath a sailcloth tent on a deck with stunning views of Los Angeles. Its entrance was framed with an installation of flowers and greenery; the tent poles were wrapped in vines. White chandeliers hung above the white dance floor, and long tables were dressed in floor-length oat-hued linens and paired with matching cushioned chairs.

The reception tables featured low centerpiece arrangements placed throughout. The tablescape also incorporated tea candles and taper candles in glass votives that matched the tablecloths. The couple chose ornate textured dishware and flatware, napkins to match the table cloths, and crystal glassware. Custom menus sat atop each place setting, finished with a blush ribbon and sprig of fresh greenery.

Danielle and Michael made their grand entrance during the reception to “You’re the One That I Want” from Grease. They quickly segued into their first dance to “Unchained Melody” by the Righteous Brothers. “We used to dance to the song in our kitchen when we were living in San Francisco,” the bride says. Danielle spun with her dad to Stevie Wonder’s “Isn’t She Lovely” and showed off choreography they perfected over several months of dance lessons. Michael danced with his mom to Billy Joel’s “Vienna.” Michael’s dad, Dave, also surprised the couple with an original song he performed with his ukulele to the tune of The Beatles’ “Michelle.” “The objective was to teach the crowd how to properly pronounce Danielle’s new last name,” Michael says.

As guests enjoyed dinner and drinks, they listened to some speeches from the couple’s parents. Danielle’s father kicked it off with the opening monologue by Steve Martin in Father of the Bride. Michael’s mom, Tanya, gave a speech about the importance of mother-in-laws now that they both have them and made sure to sneak in a subtle direction for grandchildren.

Throughout the evening, celebrants enjoyed drinks from an elegant outdoor bar, which was set up on the lawn. Come dessert time, the duo debuted their three-tier cake; Michael had enlisted a family friend who is also a baker, Juan Fabien of Viktor Beans, to create the dessert, complete with vanilla cake with vanilla buttercream, strawberry shortcake, and chocolate cake with raspberry mousse. They also served two sheet cakes to their guests.

A highlight of the night for Danielle and Michael happened deep into the dance party, when white-gloved waiters served In ‘N ‘Out burgers on platters to their guests as they jumped up and down to “Sweet Caroline."

Danielle and Michael hired a band, HiRize, to perform at their reception. “Highlights included Michael’s 90-year-old grandpa rocking out to Pitbull and our impromptu karaoke concert for our guests, which included us singing 'Sweet Caroline,' 'Everybody' by The Backstreet Boys, and 'Don’t Stop Believin,' which we closed down the night with,” Danielle says.

To couples planning their big days, Danielle has this advice: “If you get bogged down in details, or planning gets tough, remember why guests are coming to the wedding—to celebrate and support you as a couple while you embark on this new journey of life.”