Bridal Capes, Fortune Cookies & Bold Blooms—Inside This Immersive DTLA Wedding

Introduced by friends at a group hang in Denver in 2019, Joanna + Spencer spent a high-altitude Colorado afternoon in each other’s company. Joanna was there visiting from LA, and after she headed home neither of them gave it much thought. But when Spencer moved to LA a few months later, they reconnected. Right as COVID was stopping the world in 2020, something was starting for these two.

“Against the backdrop of the pandemic our love unfolded on bike rides, camping and backpacking trips, pints of ice cream, shared music, skiing/snowboarding, frisbee throw sessions, LA food tours, and job changes,” the couple says. “The rest is history!”

This affection for shared experiences + unforgettable details shaped their love story as well as the design of their stunning Downtown Los Angeles wedding day at Redbird, captured beautifully by Alexes Lauren Photography.

“Design when done well tells a story – it’s personal, intentional, and rooted in identity,” say Joanna + Spencer. “We saw our wedding as an opportunity to create an experience that felt unmistakably like us.”

“The couple wanted their guests to feel like they were part of an immersive experience, not just a wedding,” planner + event designer Jessica of Jessica Foster Event Planning Inc. shares, adding that the event “was all about bold color, high energy, and unexpected moments of fun.”

These two represented their shared loves + life together with nods to bold stationery, bicycling, and California’s natural beauty, but they also wanted their individual personalities to play a huge part in the day’s design: 

“For Joanna, that meant incorporating nods to her Chinese heritage—a welcome party at an Asian grocery mart to spark appetites and nostalgia, the playful fortune cookie seating chart, rich red accents, and elegant orchids,” says the couple. “For Spencer, it was about weaving in his passion for basketball – seen in unexpected details like the bar menu and custom matchboxes.”

Joanna + Spencer’s super intentional + meaningful approach to design led to SO many memorable touches. Like their chic, modern wedding day style (that wedding cape!!!). And – one of our faves – custom keepsake passports guests could stamp throughout the wedding weekend.

“Ultimately,” the couple says, “to capture the duality of our personalities, we wanted the weekend to be a delightful journey that transitioned from fresh and bright during the day to moody and edgy once the full moon appeared.”

“I didn’t have a clear vision of what I wanted to wear, but as an indecisive shopper who likes to try on lots of clothing options before buying, I knew I’d be in for a challenge so I started shopping early (even before finding the venue)!” bride Joanna says.

“When initially looking for style inspiration, I was drawn to corsets, layers, and mixed materials, and a crepe cape look came up in my search that I really liked, and I shopped around with it in mind. I visited several dress boutiques around LA but couldn’t find ‘the one’ and kept circling back to that cape I’d seen online, designed by Reev Bridal. Only thing is, Reev Bridal is based in Ukraine and makes exclusively made-to-measure gowns (no trying on before buying!) so I ordered a fabric sample and continued pondering my options (trying on more dresses, consulting with friends).”

“I ultimately decided to work with Daria at Reev Bridal to create a custom 3-piece look that could transform: each piece worn in different ways for the wedding day and beyond. Through email communication and sketch exchanges, the vision came to life. I knew it would be a uniquely elegant yet classic outfit; I trusted Daria to execute and she delivered!”

“Another special touch was my wedding earrings,” says Joanna. “When I couldn’t find a pair that fit the look I envisioned, I made them myself. I worked with a fabrication vendor I had used professionally for production tooling to cut the aluminum sheet metal, and in true engineering fashion, created multiple sizes and tested different paint colors until I was pleased with the final product. Now they’re not just wedding accessories, but a handmade keepsake I’ll wear with pride.”

The First Look

Sneaking off into the stairwell for a moment alone! We love it!

Bridesmaids In Bloom

Shindig Chic created some serious floral masterpieces for Joanna + Spencer’s day, and these monochrome bridesmaid bouquets are among our faves.

Single-color bridesmaid bouquets that match each bridesmaid’s dress are definitely a wedding flower trends we’re loving.

This funky formal Los Alamos wedding is another GREAT example of super cute color matched bridesmaid florals.

The Ceremony

The lush greenery of the courtyard. The dreamy outdoor star lanterns. The color blocked pedestal florals. We are IN LOVE with this outdoor ceremony setup.

“I wanted a classic outfit with a dash of flair,” Spencer says of his timeless tuxedo look. “The flair ended up coming through with the bow ties and cummerbunds. My dad found a store, Seigo Neckwear, one day while on vacation in New York City. I gave the store a call, looked through their patterns and colors, and found “the one” that would complement Joanna’s vision. Ultimately I ordered matching ties for me and my groomsmen, and then separate matching bow ties for dad and father-in-law.”

Our Musical Choices
Processional
"You Are The Best Thing" - Sophia Faith
Recessional
"Ride or Die" - The Knocks ft Foster The People
First Dance
N/A

A Moment at the Museum

“The couple’s portraits at The Broad tied in their artistic sensibilities and added a modern editorial edge to the day,” planner + event designer Jessica says of Joanna + Spencer’s post-ceremony jaunt to LA’s modern art museum.

Do not miss our collection of the most stunning bridal capes if you are as obsessed with Joanna’s bridal silhouette as we are.

You need to see this Brooklyn Museum wedding and this art museum wedding in Germany if you’re into the idea of spending your wedding day among amazing works of art.

We get so excited when we see a bride with a bob!! Kayla Arielle Artistry did a beautiful job with Joanna’s wedding hairstyles for short hair.

The Reception

As an homage to their love of bicycling, Joanna + Spencer offered Bicycle Playing Card-inspired custom matchbooks as adorable wedding favors.

OBSESSED with Redbird‘s black + teal bar front tile work from Popham Design.

Spencer’s love of basketball made an appearance as part of the wedding cocktail menu with drinks named after iconic players!

This is definitely a contender for most inventive wedding reception seating chart we’ve ever seen.

Guests grabbed a tiny custom takeout box…

…and opened them to find personalized fortune cookies with their table assignment!

“One of our favorite details was the custom wedding passports,” say Joanna + Spencer of these creative keepsakes they created for their guests with Aardvark Letterpress.

“They were inspired by both our love of stationery, bespoke cards, and handwritten notes, and a trip to Japan where we collected unique stamps at train stations, museums, and parks. It’s part scavenger hunt, part discovery of new places, part appreciation of clever design – and we wanted to bring that same sense of interaction and fun to our wedding weekend.”

“Each guest received a personalized passport they could ‘stamp’ throughout the weekend.”

“It was a playful way to engage with the event and something they could keep, especially for those who might not hang onto a traditional invite. (And why we had the passports letterpress printed on high quality paper vs. the digitally printed invitations.)”

To give guests options for how to deck out their passports, Joanna + Spencer brought in a sticker vending machine from Daily Pen Pals!

Creating you-themed merch for your guests to take home can be one of the most fun parts of the planning process. Custom wedding stickers like Joanna + Spencers are such a cute way to do it.

No prettier sight than all your friends +fam mingling at cocktail hour! Check out our guide to wedding cocktail hour do’s and don’ts to start planning your own!

Not only did Redbird transform their courtyard ceremony space for a dreamy outdoor dinner, they also catered the delicious meal + desserts!

Each table’s color scheme POPPED against clean + crisp white linens from Luxe Linen.

Love that Joanna + Spencer used minimalist florals, colorful taper candles, and corresponding fresh fruits to create their reception’s striking color blocked effect

Our Favorite Memory
JOANNA: "Once we sat down at our dinner table, I had a moment to look around and thought “Wow, we designed and willed all of this into being. And this truly represents who we are.” It was a surreal multi-sensory experience – every color, song, bite of food, and seeing our people connect and celebrate. In that moment, I had a flashback to every decision that led us here – including, as I said in my vows, the most important one: choosing to marry Spencer."

SPENCER: "When I saw Joanna walking down the aisle it was one of the few snapshot moments of my life. In the foreground I saw (almost) every person in the world who means something to me. In the background I saw Joanna floating down the aisle. She beamed in her dress, wearing those unique earrings, and looking more beautiful than she ever has. And it was framed by a setting we (mostly Joanna) imagined and helped create out of thin air.

Favorite moment 1b was walking into the “party” at 9:30p. It was the club / lounge / dancefloor / vibe I’ve always wanted to find when I go out. And, we got to have it all to ourselves for two and a half hours!"

Let the Party Begin!

“After dinner in Redbird’s iconic courtyard, guests moved upstairs into a high-energy club-inspired space for dancing,” planner Jessica remembers, “complete with low lighting, a disco ball, and a packed dance floor that kept the party going late into the night.”

DJ Solstice was in charge of the night’s boogie-worthy musical selections.

Our Advice
Your guests will have fun if you’re having fun and being true to yourself. They’re present because they love and support you - don’t overthink it!

Congratulations, Joanna + Spencer! The beyond-creative design of your immersive DTLA wedding was a total dream. GWS wishes the two of you all the best!