Cat and Max met on Hinge in 2020, right in the middle of the pandemic. Max proposed on 38th Street in Newport Beach, California, the place they lived and spent most of their time together. For the wedding itself, the two wanted something fun, easy, and meaningful, with a day that flowed naturally and left their guests genuinely enjoying themselves.
Location: Long Beach, CA, US
Style: Classic & Timeless with Modern Details
Season: Fall
Time of planning: 1 year
Number of guests: 134
Setting: Ebell of Long Beach
Nicole Kirshner captured the couple’s energy perfectly throughout the day, delivering images that felt just as strong on film as they did digitally. “As a photographer, I’ve captured a lot of weddings, but this one really stood out,” she says. “There was something about the energy in the room, you could feel how much love and intention surrounded them.”
Fashion
Cat kept her look timeless and simple, going minimal with white shoes and jewelry gifted to her at her bridal shower. For cocktail hour, she switched things up with a neck scarf and a low ponytail, a small styling moment she loved.
Max kept his look handsome, clean, and chic. His mustache, though, was Cat’s favorite accessory of the whole day, she admits.
First Look
Cat’s favorite moment of the day was the first look, and there was nothing staged about it. “I just ran into the room and grabbed my fiancé and gave him the biggest hug,” she says. “Again, very us.”
Ceremony
Cat knew from the start that she wanted to customize the ceremony room, which led to a velvet-green backdrop. The flowers transformed the space completely, arranged throughout the venue like pieces of art in their own right.
“Honestly, we felt so happy and relieved,” the bride says. “It went by so fast, but it was everything we hoped for and more. We just kept saying how much fun we had.” The couple wanted something personal without tipping into over the top, and keeping it simple felt like the most accurate version of themselves.
The energy of the room ended up being their favorite part, lively and full of love, with a look that came together clean and modern. “A lot of people said it felt very us,” Cat says, “which meant a lot to us.”
Venue & The Vibe
The moment Cat found the Ebell, she knew it was the venue. The building already had incredible style on its own, so her plan was simply to enhance what was already there, the vintage architecture, the tile, the plants, the artwork. She was especially drawn to the speakeasy feel of the cocktail room, playing off the colors already built into the space instead of layering something new on top.
"Of course, the details were beautiful the florals, the dress, everything was thoughtfully done but what made it unforgettable was how real it all felt. Nothing felt forced or overly curated. It was emotional, raw, and just really, really special to witness."
Reception
The couple’s goal for the reception was simple: turn the space into a speakeasy cocktail club. The DJ mixed vinyl records all night, bartenders kept the drinks flowing, and friends and family took turns giving speeches through dinner, followed by a father-daughter and mother-son dance. From there, the dance floor never really stopped.
For Cat, the most memorable moment of the day wasn’t a single thing that happened. It was simply having every person she loves most under one roof, celebrating with them. “It was an incredibly special feeling,” she says, “and a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.”
"They were completely present the entire day, just soaking it all in, and their people truly showed up for them. During the ceremony, guests were chanting and cheering it honestly felt like something out of a movie, but in the most genuine, unfiltered way."
Advice from the couple:
• Having an indoor wedding allowed us to avoid any stress about the weather on the wedding day! We got so lucky finding the EBELL because it had skylights that made the indoor ceremony feel outdoors with the amount of natural light.
