Maximalism Meets Art Deco Glamor in a Secret Garden Wedding in Hollywood

A lush world of vivid chartreuse, whimsical florals, and fashion-forward brides brought to life at an iconic Beverly Hills estate

There are weddings that celebrate love – and then there are weddings that create entire worlds. Ariel and Lindsay’s day at Tony Duquette’s legendary Dawnridge Estate was an atmosphere, a fantasy, a living work of art. Amid the wild gardens and storied glamor of old Hollywood, the two brides brought their shared creative vision to life – one that shimmered in shades of chartreuse and pink and danced with color and nature at every turn. The design was a love letter to transformation and whimsical artistry: real butterflies mingled with rare orchids, crystal martinis sparkled beneath layered foliage, oysters rested beneath a sculpted ice mermaid, and vivid accents pulsed through the night. It was intimate yet immersive – a celebration that felt less like a wedding and more like stepping into a dream curated by two beautiful souls.

Our Love Story

^{The Day We Met}

Our first date was at Little Dom’s in Los Feliz. We were both so nervous — I wasn’t even sure if it was a date, and I’m not sure Ariel knew either. But after a couple of martinis, we both relaxed and opened up. It ended up being the best first date of both of our lives. I left with the feeling that she might be the one.

^{The Proposal}

Lindsay and I hadn’t even been together a year when, six months in, she wanted to start looking at rings to see what kind of diamond shapes I liked — so I had a feeling something was in the works. We went to our favorite spot, The Parker Palm Springs, to celebrate my birthday just before our one-year anniversary. On the morning of my birthday, before I’d even had my first sip of coffee, Lindsay proposed. It was private, effortless, and the sweetest surprise — truly the best birthday of my life.

Maximalism Meets Art Deco Glamor in a Secret Garden Wedding in Hollywood

^{The Engagement Ring}

I designed a custom ring at XIV Karats in Beverly Hills, knowing exactly what Ariel wanted. We’d visited months earlier to look at diamonds, and when she pointed out her favorite, I pretended it wasn’t happening, then quietly whispered to the jeweler to “hold that diamond.” It’s a 4.2-carat natural cushion-cut diamond in a simple gold setting. Because Ariel’s style is so bold, she wanted something timeless and understated that she could make her own by stacking and styling it her way.

Our Wedding

^{The Vision}

I always knew I wanted to get married at The Dawnridge Estate in Beverly Hills. I envisioned something intimate, romantic, and whimsical — like a secret garden from another era. The design drew from the Art Deco period and the bold, playful spirit of my brand, Rezek Studio, with chartreuse and pink hues woven throughout. Butterflies became a central motif — magical and deeply symbolic of our relationship. We wanted the entire experience to feel transportive, as if guests had stepped into another world — a celebration that deeply reflected Lindsay and me.

^{Our Team of Vendors}

I knew that bringing this magical world to life would require a team who truly understood our vision. We entrusted wedding planner and designer Melissa Sullivan of Studio Sully, who exceeded every expectation in creating the whimsical, transportive world we dreamed of. The florals were the heart of it all, and I knew only Ren MacDonald-Balasia of Renko Floral could bring that vision to life. Her dreamlike arrangements, complete with real butterflies, rare orchids, and her signature exotic touch, became the soul of the wedding. It was truly the floral fantasy of my dreams.

^{The Location}

Dawnridge has always felt like a world unto itself — a hidden gem of old Hollywood glamor and eccentricity. Inside, it’s a maximalist explosion of leopard carpet, Asian-inspired art, and antiques from a bygone era. Outside, koi ponds and layered gardens create a lush escape. We embraced its whimsy completely — magicians, musicians, and women dressed as butterflies turned the estate into a living, breathing dreamscape.

^{The Ceremony}

Upon arrival, guests were greeted by servers in custom chartreuse suits offering champagne garnished with edible flowers, as a string quartet played covers of our favorite songs — from the Bee Gees to Etta James. After exploring the eclectic interior of Dawnridge, guests were ushered down to the koi pond garden for our intimate 80-person ceremony.

I walked down the aisle to Somewhere Over the Rainbow — a nod to my love of color and a touch of nostalgia from a song that’s always felt timeless. We wanted the ceremony florals to be entirely white and traditional — a deliberate contrast to the colorful whimsy of the rest of the night. It felt like a nod to timeless romance before the evening transformed into something altogether more surreal.

Maximalism Meets Art Deco Glamor in a Secret Garden Wedding in Hollywood

^{The Cocktail Hour}

For cocktail hour, I wanted to bring my obsession with raw seafood to life and create the raw bar of my dreams. We designed a mermaid ice sculpture and enlisted our friends at Found Oyster to fill it with the freshest oysters, ponzu clams, and shrimp cocktail. It was truly endless. Servers passed caviar blinis while silver trays of martinis in crystal glasses floated through the crowd.

The main bar — adorned with the most spectacular florals I’ve ever seen — poured our favorite drinks: martinis, negronis, and wine made by Ariel’s dad. It was decadent and playful. While the guests enjoyed the cocktail hour raw bar, human butterflies dressed in custom-designed Art Deco costumes handed out table assignments to guests in the form of numbered coins.

Maximalism Meets Art Deco Glamor in a Secret Garden Wedding in Hollywood

^{The Reception}

We designed a menu inspired by our earliest dates in Los Angeles — sole meunière, steak au poivre, silver trays of French fries and bread, and custom butterfly-shaped butter. The reception felt deeply personal, filled with our closest friends and family giving heartfelt speeches between courses.

For entertainment, a Supremes cover band performed multiple sets throughout dinner, dressed in custom feathered chartreuse Rezek Studio gowns Ariel made for them last minute. The music brought every generation to their feet, and the party started long before dinner was over.

^{The Special Touches}

This is where we really had fun. We had a magician roaming the party performing illusions, a wild absinthe bar Lindsay dreamed up, and a cigar station tucked among the gardens. Custom napkins and matchbooks with our wedding hashtag, #BonApatow, added a personal touch. We even had women dressed as butterflies wearing custom Deco outfits we designed, handing out seat assignments to guests.

Maximalism Meets Art Deco Glamor in a Secret Garden Wedding in Hollywood

For a year leading up to the wedding, we collected silver Art Deco pieces — vintage absinthe dispensers, silver salt and pepper shakers, bowls, and cutlery — to use throughout the night. Custom chartreuse, star-embellished jackets were worn by servers and bartenders, each adorned with a signature Rezek Studio chartreuse flowerette. To close out the night, Hollywood Star Tour vans lined up outside Dawnridge to shuttle our closest friends to Chateau Marmont for the late-night after-party.

^{Our Favorite Moment}

It’s hard to choose a favorite moment, but seeing all the people we love most in the world — dressed in black tie and truly having the time of their lives — was unforgettable. There was so much love and energy in the air; it felt electric. It was pure joy watching everyone let loose on the dance floor, drinking aperitifs, eating cream puff swans — all while celebrating Ariel and me. Our biggest goal was for everyone to have the best night of their lives, and seeing that joy reflected back at us was the greatest gift of all.

Our Style

^{The Bridal Looks}

Everything I wore on my wedding day was custom, every piece told a story. My ceremony look was a Deco-inspired two-piece silk gown with a structured corset, featuring an embroidery design I imagined after being inspired by a vintage photograph. The initial mock-up of the embroidery was created with silk butterfly motifs; I then selected the colors, composition, and wing shapes. The result — a deeply personal butterfly dreamscape in muted Deco tones of silk thread, delicately embroidered on the bodice.

Maximalism Meets Art Deco Glamor in a Secret Garden Wedding in Hollywood

At the last minute, I decided to swap my classic long white veil for one adorned with delicate silk butterflies, which felt truer to the spirit of the day. Later in the night, I changed into a short skirt I designed for dancing, pairing it with vintage 1998 Dolce & Gabbana butterfly heels to tie into the day’s whimsical theme. My final look was a vintage 1930s sequin gown reimagined into a modern, sleeveless silhouette. It felt like wearing a work of art — three looks in total for one unforgettable night.

Lindsay’s look was a custom Western-inspired black suit with silk detailing and a custom cowboy hat adorned with silver butterfly jewelry. My favorite element was something deeply personal — the inner lining of her suit was printed with the words “I love you,” taken from a handwritten napkin I’d once given her. She’d saved it and had the note replicated inside the jacket — a quiet reminder of us woven into her look.

^{Wedding Party Looks}

We didn’t have an official wedding party, but our unofficial bridesmaids revealed themselves pretty quickly — ten of our guests showed up in chartreuse gowns completely by coincidence. It felt perfectly on theme and effortlessly aligned with the color story of the day.

Maximalism Meets Art Deco Glamor in a Secret Garden Wedding in Hollywood

Our Advice

^{For the Planning Process}

One thing Lindsay and I were really good at was compromising in our decision-making. If one of us had a really strong opinion about something, we listened to each other and honored it — a hard no or a hard yes. Keeping this in mind during a process where you have to make a thousand decisions is incredibly helpful. It also didn’t hurt that Lindsay let me have whatever I wanted.

^{For On The Day}

The wedding goes by in a blink — it’s like time speeds up just for that day. I wish I could go back and slow everything down, just to soak in every look, every laugh, every tiny, perfect moment. My best advice is to intentionally pause throughout the day. Steal quiet moments for yourself, breathe them in, and let them imprint.

^{For Post-Wedding}

We decided not to go on a big, stressful honeymoon right after the wedding. We couldn’t even imagine packing for a major trip after such a huge production. Instead, we opted for a mini-moon in Palm Springs — where it all began — to rest, recharge, reminisce, and truly soak in our amazing day. It was the perfect way to come down from the whirlwind and just be present with each other. We highly recommend opting for this over an immediate big honeymoon.