A Lush and Moody Garden Party Wedding at SmogShoppe in Culver City, California
It was a cool autumn night in 2019 when Mike and Patrick met. They were both living in Boston and looking for a kindred spirit to become their new roommate or friend, but the romantic connection was undeniable from the jump. “We first met for dinner and drinks at Harp and Bard––a neighborhood dive and a haven for Dorchester’s LGBTQIA+ community and locals alike,” they said. They quickly bonded over everything from a mutual fondness for music and movies to Mike’s desire to head to California someday and Patrick’s love of cooking. Over a few months, the idea of friendship and being roommates went out the window and the two began dating.
By March 2020, the couple took their relationship to the next level. “In a time of uncertainty, we leaped closer to each other and have ever since!” So when it finally came time for the happy couple to start wedding planning, it seemed like a no-brainer. Mike and Patrick love to host a party and approached their wedding day with that in mind. “While this was our ‘big’ day, it was also a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to gather together our closest friends and family from every corner of our lives to share in our love and enter this next chapter surrounded by their loving energy.”
They also wanted the day's focus on how they’d welcome someone into their home, prioritizing “quality bites and sips, vibey beats and a thoughtfully curated rhythm for the evening.” One guest even summed up the wedding perfectly as a “pick your own adventure” that let everyone move at their own pace and participate in unique activities, like “dancing your heart out surrounded by neon and vines…[or] you could grab yourself a hand-rolled joint at our curated cannabis bar under the tea lights surrounded by cacti and succulents.”
The greenery extended in other ways throughout their big day, with the inspiration being a “lush and moody garden party, so the attire simply had to be bursting with lush tones of green.” Both grooms opted for custom suits from Indochino, a local staple from their hometown in Boston. “We wanted each of our suits to be unique but play off of the other’s overall vibe; we had so much fun coordinating everything with our stylist, from the collar flourishes to the tone of the buttons,” they add.
Mike and Patrick, much like in their own journey, wanted to foster an environment that made guests feel welcome, loved and comfortable. “If anything, it was our thank you to all of the pillars in our lives who’ve gotten us to that moment,” they said.
As for some of their favorite moments? That includes their love for Maggie Rogers, whose song, “Love You For a Long Time,” provided the soundtrack for their processional, and another tune, “Dog Years,” was played for their first dance. The dinner especially was a standout for the newlyweds, as they recounted entering the “magical” space with the help of their wedding planner, Jenni Grubba, and the farm-to-table menu provided by Whoa Nelly Catering. “The magic began when you entered the dining area, laden with amber glass and rich velvet, drenched in flickering candlelight. Jenni took our vision of an intimate dinner party and enveloped the space.”
The family-style dinner encouraged guests to interact as if they were all old friends, a true blending of two families into one during this special night. Mike and Patrick also had Taylor Swift-inspired wedding favors so everyone could go home with their own friendship bracelets, the perfect memoir for a fun-filled evening.
And for any couple planning their wedding, these two suggest working with a planner you'll “vibe” with, someone who'll be collaborative and communicative and help bring your vision to life. “Jenni took the weight of the [small details] off our shoulders so we could dream big and then ground ourselves in the reality of execution and budget. From our first call to the day we said goodbye, Jenni was our rock,” the couple said. Since they were planning their California wedding from across the country in Boston, it was crucial to have a vendor in their corner.
Looking back on their wedding journey, the happy couple wants to leave you with this: “At the end of the day, have fun, get excited and stick to what feels right for you and your partner in this journey. It’s your day, do what makes you happy and brings you joy. Trust that you’ve brought on the right team to execute your vision; you hired them. As long as you're communicating your hopes, dreams and desires and staying grounded in reality, your day will be magical.” And if their beautiful garden wedding is any indication, the perfect day is all about bringing family together to celebrate love, eat delicious food and even make a friendship bracelet or two.