Courtney and Danny are beautiful people inside and out and their wedding was a true reflection of their positive energy and fun loving spirit, thanks in part to one of the coolest SoCal event planners, Bash Please. We really love how they incorporated so many special moments in their relationship into their wedding day.
“We met at a pool party, so we knew we wanted a venue with a pool. He proposed a year and a half after we met, at home, and caught me totally by surprise. I was in my pajamas, make-up free, and eating tuna fish! Once he told me to “put down the tuna” (yes, that really happened), I came to and realized what was happening. I laughed and cried and screamed, only before saying yes, planting a big one on him, and calling my mom. A week later, we were off to Italy with Danny’s family on a trip that had already been planned for some time, but it was the perfect excuse to celebrate out engagement. When we were there we indulged in Aperol spritzes and affogatos nonstop, so we made sure to incorporate these Italian touches into our big day.”
Anna Jones, an incredibly talented traveling photographer based in Iowa, flew out to Los Angeles for the celebration. Her pictures are packed full of rich color and laughter. Let’s start with The Paramour Estate, a historic Mediterranean mansion on a four acres with panoramic views of Downtown LA.
“Danny and I visited a few different places in L.A., my hometown, but when we stepped inside the Paramour we knew it was the place. It makes you feel like you’ve been transported to another time and place. The space is romantic, but not at all cheesy sentimental—and, allegedly, haunted, which freaked us out a bit at first, but we decided to lean into it and ended up loving the fact that our venue was a “haunted” mansion.”
Inside the estate, brightly colored rooms made the perfect diverse backdrops for getting ready photos. Courtney shared a special moment alone with her mother before she stepped into her timeless Sarah Seven wedding dress. The gown had crisp lines, a dramatic V back and was paired with an elegant lace lined Elle and Jae veil. Coutney was stunning.
Courtney’s father chose a pink room with gold furniture and a tufted black leather chair to get dressed and read the sweet card his daughter wrote him. He looks so happy and distinguished in a classic black tuxedo and bow tie.
Down bright green halls filled with artwork, wall flowers and taxidermy, Danny smiled ear to ear as he looked out the window in his Ralph Lauren Purple Label tux. In a few short hours he’d be marrying the love of his life.
Courtney walked down a dramatic stairway decorated with bright patterned rugs into a turquoise room where Danny waited. She tapped him lovingly on the shoulder and flashed that million dollar smile when he turned to set eyes on her. This first look was intimate, moody and gave us all the feels.
Courtney and Danny took advantage of the afternoon weather to take photos on the property’s lawn and Courtney’s magnificent bouquet makes it’s debut.
“When we chose the Paramour, I wondered how we would reconcile the heavy décor of the estate with the minimalist style we were going for. In order to both complement and contrast the ornate and gothic vibe, we chose tablescapes, flowers, and paper goods that were clean and simple but also moody and sculptural. Of the Flowers did an amazing job with the centerpieces, magnolia leave-clad chuppah, and my bouquet, adding honey tones which ended up tying the color scheme together.
My bridesmaids have great taste and I wanted them to highlight their individual styles so I told them to go for it when it came to their dresses (or jumpsuits!). I loved that they held a single white protea stem; it added the perfect amount of drama to their neutral frocks.”
The bride and groom, trendy umbrellas in hand, found the coolest cacti garden for photos. They shared rainy day kisses before grabbing a quick pre-ceremony cocktail!
The ceremony took place in a dark purple ballroom with vintage chandeliers and intricate wood beams. Courtney wore a soft lace top over her dress that paired beautifully with her veil and the space.
“From the beginning, it was very important to us to write our own vows, and it remains the most poignant memory I have from the evening. I was so nervous I wasn’t going to get through mine, but I took a deep breath and as I was reading them, I felt like Danny and I were the only ones in the room. After Danny said his vows to me, our hearts were so full and all we wanted to do was embrace–it wasn’t time yet– but we snuck a little kiss on the cheek anyway. The Judaica we used in our ceremony was all very meaningful as well. The tallit, or prayer shawl, that served as the canopy of our chuppah was the one that Danny wore at his Bar Mitzvah, and the rabbi who performed our wedding ceremony was the same rabbi who facilitated his Bar Mitzvah nearly two decades ago. The Kiddush cup for the wine was the same one Danny’s grandparents used in their wedding ceremony, and the challah cover belongs to Danny’s parents.”
The way Courtney describes her memory of these special moments brings us to tears and is a perfect reminder of what planning a wedding is all about. You and him, promising forever to one another in your own special way.
Dinner took place in a twinkle light filled tent after sunset. Crystal glassware, soft grey linen napkins, and matte black flatware were an elegant and modern combination. Large floral arrangements to match the bride’s bouquet we’re joined by candle votives to add color and light to the space!
After red wine, delicious eats by Whoa Nelly, and heartfelt speeches, family and friends made their way back to the ballroom to dance the night away!
“Another favorite moment was dancing to the last song at the end of the night. Danny is a huge Prince fan and knew he wanted our last song to be “Purple Rain” (who knew how fitting that would be?!). Everyone joined arms in a circle and swayed to the sultry vocal stylings.
This leads me to my piece of advice: things will not go according to plan. While it may sound trite, it’s true. Plus, it rained on my wedding day. In Los Angeles. Where it never rains. So I’ve earned the right to remind brides of the inevitable unpredictability that will happen on the big day. Try not to let perfection be your own worst enemy. All the planning in the world couldn’t help Mother Nature, and a clear week turned into a Saturday downpour on our wedding day. Although we had to forgo using some of the outdoor spaces at the venue—the pool area for cocktail hour, in particular—the rain added intimacy, romance, and a certain spontaneity that made the evening uniquely ours.”
We loved so much about this wedding and now have The Paramour Estate on our venue bucket list. Courtney and Danny, here’s to a lifetime of laughter, sunny (and a few purple rainy) LA days, and being each other’s favorite person. Welcome to Married Life!
