A Modern Gilded Wedding at Alexandria Ballrooms in Los Angeles, California

Touches of gold accented the black-and-white palette of Carlos Ortiz (above right, 42 and a senior designer) and Michael Maya’s (36 and works in executive sales) formal wedding. Drawing from their joint Latin backgrounds, their past travels and Carlos’s proposal on a rowboat, the couple let food, fashion, friends and family inform the day's design. “We had the flexibility to pave our own aesthetic,” Michael says. “It didn’t need to be the expected.” For their attire, Carlos and Michael paired their white jackets with matching black bow ties, but added a twist: twenty-four-karat gold edging. The groomsmen got in on the action with vintage gold brooches instead of classic boutonnieres, while the groomsmaids wore stylish black evening wear for their walk down the runway-inspired aisle. “It all looked very 1950s James Bond,” Michael says. At the ceremony, the grooms escorted each other down the aisle to the chuppah, where they later joined in the Jewish tradition of breaking the glass. At cocktail hour, partygoers snacked on Cuban and Puerto Rican faves while sipping watermelon-jalapeño mojitos. Later, everyone headed to a culinary wonderland, complete with 3-D projections on the walls and a Latin dance party. To keep the feel of the party space masculine and modern, the pair skipped floral centerpieces in favor of nearly 400 feet of knotted rope runners and candles along the table as a nod to “tying the knot.” For dinner, the couple served dishes inspired by their favorite countries, including Spain, Turkey and Japan. “Each course was paired to projected imagery and music inspired by that country,” Michael says. When it comes to advice, Michael has one bit of wisdom for engaged couples: "Hold hands with your spouse throughout the whole evening," he says. "You’ll not only experience the wedding you put together as one, but also, you'll get great photos."