On Friday—after most guests spent the afternoon by the hotel pool, which had a “M+C” logo at the bottom—Madeline and Christopher held their rehearsal dinner on the grounds of the iconic property. It began with a cocktail hour by the Swan Lake and culminated with a four-course meal on the main lawn. Madeline wore a 1995 Versace dress, sourced from Lovers Lane in London. “I was immediately obsessed with the dress—the color matched my green diamond engagement ring, the dress was designed the year I was born, and it just felt right for the ‘garden party’ feel of our rehearsal dinner,” she says. A highlight of the evening? A humorous toast—or perhaps roast—of the groom courtesy of Emmy-winning writer Nick Cuse.
On Saturday, the couple wed at the Bel-Air Country Club in front of 350 guests, including Candice Bergen, and Jane Fonda, who starred in the Fifth Season-produced Book Club. The bride walked down the aisle in a Reem Acra lace gown to “Make You Feel My Love” by Adele. The groom waited for her in a Brunello Cucinelli tuxedo.
The couple incorporated elements from both of their faiths—Catholic and Greek Orthodox, respectively—into their ceremony before they read their own vows. “For both of us, the second we stepped up on the beautiful plaster aisle, surrounded by all the people we love most in the world, it was like a lightning bolt shocked our hearts,” says Madeline.
After their officiant, Brian DePersia, pronounced them married, they sauntered not down the aisle but straight into the Bel-Air Country Club’s clubhouse for cocktail hour as the sun set among the hills of West L.A.
Afterward, guests entered a secret 1920s tunnel, originally built for golfers to cut through a mountain from the clubhouse to the 18th green. There, they found a glass structure with so much color it felt like a jewel box. “Our design inspiration was a mix of Babylon, Old Hollywood, and the Copacabana. We wanted it to feel glamorous, fun, and a little wild while still being beautiful,” says Madeline. “We had a mix of rectangular, circular, and serpentine tables covered in custom linens.” Off to the side was a custom lounge with a martini bar and cigars.
After a family-style dinner of fried chicken—and the couple’s first dance to Lady Gaga’s “You and I”—the band began to play and the night really got started. “After our song, the dance floor was mobbed as the room broke into a dance party before dinner even began. The energy was incredible,” says Christopher. Their friend producer Josh Rosenbaum also performed a set of original songs onstage.
At 11 p.m., guests headed back to Hotel Bel-Air, where Cove and her team had turned the ballroom into a nightclub called Roman’s—complete with a sparkly bar, neon palm trees, and passed trays of Jell-O shots. Madeline changed into a custom Undone by Kate corset and skirt set with beaded fingerless gloves.
Months later, Christopher and Madeline say the weekend was “perfectly them” in every way. “We loved having all of our friends and family all in one place to celebrate with us,” says Christopher. “It really felt like a destination wedding right here in L.A.”
