"The Hunger Games" Inspired This Colorful Wedding at The Old Sugar Mill in Clarksburg, California

The attire seen in Panem’s Capitol in The Hunger Games inspired Jonathon Dakarai (35 and a UX designer) and Kyle Prosen’s (30 and a medical policy account manager) wedding. “While the people of the Capitol are generally evil, their over-the-top fashion represents a certain delusional optimism, and a moment of joy and beauty for the tributes,” explains the couple. “We wanted to exude some of that exuberance and bring some dark and moody energy to the wedding.” In keeping with that inspiration, Jonathon and Kyle had their officiant dress as the character Effie Trinket. Even the couple’s signature cocktails paid homage to their theme: “The Girl on Fire... Ball” (a Fireball whiskey lemonade) and a “Nightlock Margarita” with lavender.

"Marriage at its core is a uniting of families, a bond meant to last a lifetime, a celebration of friends and family, and one of the few days we get as adults to have a big party," says Jonathon. The couple wrote their own vows, which were “equal parts humorous and honest.” In them, “Jonathon vowed to laugh at all my jokes and appreciate my loyalty,” says Kyle. While many elements of our wedding were untraditional, we wanted to preserve the traditions that felt most important to us,” explains the duo of their nods to Kyle’s Jewish upbringing. 

“We had plant-based burgers because we wanted our wedding to have a lower carbon footprint. It also gave people an opportunity to try plant-based protein if they otherwise had not or would not.” For dessert, the couple served doughnuts and a moody dark chocolate and cherry cake decorated in Hunger Games colors. 

The couple asked the wedding party to dress in colors of the rainbow, giving them plenty of creative freedom. “Everyone got to express their individuality and dress as boldly as they liked.”

Because of the symbolic nature of black unicorns, Jonathon rode into the wedding ceremony atop a horse dressed like one. "Unicorns are symbols of magic and good luck. and black unicorns are said to bring healing. the unicorn was a way to heal traumas of my past and the injustices of racial inequality and LGBTQ+ rights in the world," says Jonathon. Meanwhile, Kyle’s mother escorted him down the aisle as a string quartet played “Hurricane,” by Halsey. After the ceremony, the couple posed for a few pictures with the horse to celebrate the symbolism and sense of healing the animal brought.