When Abby Brown and Benjamin Rosenzweig first met in college, they were both in serious relationships; however, despite being told by friends they should be together, they remained best friends. After graduating, the pair lost touch and felt it was better for their lives to go separate ways if they could not be together. Three years later, they reconnected thanks to a mutual friend.

“We had both ended our relationships, actually on the same exact day, and were not looking to start something new,” shares Abby. “Within the first ten minutes of a text conversation, we both believed in our hearts that we would either end up never speaking again or together for the rest of our lives.” They agreed to meet for dinner in New York City. “It took one hug after not seeing each other for three years to know we were meant for each other,” she smiles. 

When choosing a wedding venue for their big day, the pair strived to find a location with impeccable service. “The Four Seasons Los Angeles at Beverly Hills has the most incredible staff that will assist from the beginning of the planning process until the end, and we knew that surrounding ourselves with an amazing team was necessary,” confirms the bride. They also loved that the venue provided an outdoor ceremony space. “I’m from Los Angeles, and it has always been my hope to be married outside in a garden,” she adds. 

On the day of the ceremony, 225 guests were greeted with Prosecco-filled glasses with a popsicle inside and escorted to their seats on either side of an aisle lined with ivory blooms and greenery. Though the bride and groom participated in a “first look” earlier in the day, the moment they first saw each other was something special, and the bride’s veil, makeup, and hairstyle were changed with the help of bridal stylist to ensure the groom was even more stunned by his beautiful bride.

“We had built a custom bridge over a water feature in the garden of the Four Seasons, and coming over the bridge, looking up at Ben was the most memorable moment for both of us,” muses the bride. “I could see him holding back tears, and for those five seconds, I was able to see everyone we love in one place.” 

“I am so happy with how the whole weekend turned out, and just the love we felt celebrating with our friends and family, that I would not change anything!”

Before that magical moment, the bride was preceded down the aisle by her groom, 10 groomsmen, and her bridal party consisting of seven bridesmaids and one bridesman. To honor their heritage, Abby and Ben were married in a Jewish ceremony; however, they had a family friend officiate. “This allowed our ceremony to incorporate a few more musical moments and have that personal element,” affirms the bride.

To ensure they incorporated important familial ties into the day, the father of the bride’s tallit was used in the chuppah while the grandfather of the groom’s tallit was wrapped around the couple during the ceremony. As soon as the groom partook in the traditional breaking of the glass, a confetti cannon went off as loved ones cheered for the newlyweds. 

Though the reception took place indoors, tables were decorated with muted flowers and greenery and illuminated with romantic candlelight to add an alfresco-inspired element to the space. “I wanted guests to feel like they were in a garden from the minute they arrived until their departure,” smiles Abby.

The menu was also important to the couple, especially the groom. “It was important to us that the menu didn’t feel like a traditional wedding. We wanted unique ingredients and amazing food presentations for the meal to excite our guests,” shares the bride of the three-course menu. 

Since Abby has loved rainbow sprinkles for her entire life, the desserts of the celebration showcased the sweet treat. “The amazing Four Seasons pastry team created a five-tier wedding cake covered in rainbow sprinkles with white fondant bows between each layer for a more classic touch,” shares Abby of the stunning confection. Guests also took home rainbow sprinkle cookies as wedding favors. 

The bride confirms there is nothing she would do differently: “I am so happy with how the whole weekend turned out, and just the love we felt celebrating with our friends and family, that I would not change anything!”

She offers important advice to couples currently in the midst of wedding planning. “Try to remember that if something doesn’t go right, you are the only person who knows. Everyone else in the room will never know it was supposed to be different!” she shares. “Remember this day is actually a celebration. All the stress and worries will be gone and in those moments, standing in front of everyone you love, the only thing worth feeling is excitement and joy for the life you two will share ahead.”