This Couple Turned The Container Yard in Los Angeles, California, Into a Cosmic Bayou for Their Wedding

Though DTLA played a role in the design of Vanessa Ying (31 and works in advertising sales) and Mike Tinio’s (35 and an UX architect) wedding day, the pair mostly set their sights on the stars. “Mike and I have a fascination with space, so we chose a celestial theme,” Vanessa says. The couple filled The Container Yard with illustrations of the planets and deep-sky-blue décor alongside nods to New Orleans, another fave place. “I’d call our style cosmic bayou,” Vanessa says. To illustrate the galactic palette, broad strokes of dark blue watercolor paint and gold flecks marked the day’s décor. After the ceremony,the newlyweds surprised guests with a NOLA-style second line—complete with a brass band playing “Sexual Healing” by Marvin Gaye. The couple took The Container Yard, a restored mochi factory, to new heights with blue tablecloths, glowy prayer candles and a hanging installation over the head table made of lunaria, dried palms, grasses and agonis. “We wanted it to look dreamy and ethereal next to the warehouse, which is covered in murals by street artists,” Vanessa says.  Balloons and gold streamers showered Vanessa, Mike and their guests as they hit the floor to groove to hip-hop before diving into a painted buttercream version of Van Gogh’s Starry Night encased layers of chocolate cake. Late night, partygoers snacked on In-N-Out Burger as well as beignets, a New Orleans standard. “The vibrant energy of NOLA really inspired us,” Vanessa says. “Guests went absolutely wild when we brought out the beignets.”