An Organic, Rustic-Themed Backyard Wedding at a Private Residence in Los Angeles, California

With a newly purchased home and a landscaping project on their hands, this couple decided to hold a wedding in their own backyard, so it could be transformed into anything they desired. Emily Golan and Chris Silver envisioned what they called an “urban eco-rustic” wedding, which was born from Chris’s love for a rustic bar he discovered in New Orleans, Louisiana, and Emily’s passion for promoting sustainability. The couple worked with elements that already existed in the backyard, such as green succulents, wine barrels, a fence and ambient amber lighting, and relandscaped the rest of the space with mulch that created a maximum amount of space for the ceremony and reception, as seen through images captured by Hannah Arista Photography. The aisle and surrounding pathways were created by the organic arrangements of mulch, which led to the white and blue chuppah where the couple were married. After the ketubah was signed and the Jewish ceremony was conducted, the space was transformed for the reception, made up of rustic wooden tables with simple centerpieces of succulents and candles, thanks to the assistance of Modern LA Weddings. The newlyweds reentered the backyard for the reception, this time accompanied by mariachi band members who played music half the night. Champagne and brunch were served from their favorite bagel shop, including fresh bagels, lox and cream cheese with capers and lemons. We loved how the couple incorporated the Jewish traditions into the ceremony, especially their spin on the chuppah. "Instead of erecting a standing structure for the ceremony, we enlisted close family members to each hold one of the four poles that held the Jewish prayer shawl over their heads and created the chuppah,” the couple says.