When Adryana met Patrick, Patrick was a jailbird...of sorts. Granted, it was just for a Halloween party (18 years old at the time, she was a genie). Though both were bewitched, neither made a move for months -- until they met up at another party.
THE BRIDE
Adryana Cortez, 31, PR and marketing
THE GROOM
Patrick Courrielche, 34, PR and marketing
THE DATE
September 13
THE SCENE
A ceremony and reception at Yamashiro in the garden court
SPECIAL MEETING
Adryana and Patrick dated seriously for about two years but then decided to go their separate ways. Nearly a decade after they first met, the two sat down for a friendly lunch to catch up. "The moment I saw him, I completely melted and knew we would never be apart again," says Adryana. She was right.
ROMANTIC NIGHT
On the night of Adryana's 30th birthday, Patrick took her for a romantic drive. They ended up where they first saw each other -- the site of the Halloween party so many years ago. Back home later that night, Patrick had a treat for Adryana: a gold proposal band made to look like a ring he'd given her on her 21st birthday (a piece she'd lost). Although they would later pick out an antique diamond engagement ring, "I always wear the proposal ring on my right-hand ring finger," says Adryana.
HOLLYWOOD HIP
Adryana thought she knew what kind of wedding she wanted to have. "I always envisioned a ballroom with huge chandeliers and 300 guests," she says. "But when we started planning, I realized I wanted a small, intimate wedding that was elegant and hip." Her other expectation was that they would incorporate their heritages into the day (Patrick is Irish/Mexican and she is Mexican). But that, too, would change when they set eyes on Yamashiro, a Hollywood Hills restaurant with an Asian flair and a view of the entire city. They opted to host the wedding there and chose a theme that combined both the elegance of Asia and the glamour of old Hollywood. "We felt that we would be the representation of our cultures," she says.
IN HONOR
One hundred guests joined the bride and groom in the garden court of the restaurant. Friends and family watched the couple exchange vows from their dinner tables, which were set up in a square surrounding the ceremony spot. To honor her late father, Adryana arranged for a 100 butterflies to be released as the ceremony began. "One butterfly landed on my brother and stayed on him for the entire ceremony," she says. "Many of the butterflies stayed in the garden the whole night."
MINIMALIST DESIGN
For the reception, the garden was decorated with large glass candleholders that hung from trees and illuminated the whole space. They chose pinks and browns to reflect a cool, sophisticated feeling. And since the tables were small, seating only six people, they wanted to dress each with a minimalist eye: centerpieces made of roses, dahlias, ranunculuses, and snowberries were arranged in small Asian bowls and flanked by votives. The favors were also understated and chic -- the women were given hand-painted fans, while the men received a bamboo stalk inside sake cups.
-- Joanna Saltz
Photography © Pure Image
For the ingredients that make up this wedding, see the right-hand column of this page.
-- Joanna Saltz
See More: Real Weddings: Theme Weddings , Real Weddings: Pink