Eager to get out of their parents’ houses for the night during the pandemic, Mikayla Grossman and her friends attended a party where she was introduced to Alexander Gold. He thought she was beautiful, while she found his quirks charming. As their love story progressed, a few things were made clear by Alexander of his impending marriage proposal: it would be intimate and the timing would be a complete surprise to his beloved. That it was! Under the pretense of celebrating Alexander’s birthday at his grandparents’ house, where friends and both of their families were invited, Mikayla says she stood in disbelief when he presented a ring box. “My heart stopped right then and there,” she exclaims.

The following year, Mikayla planned their ultimate wedding celebration where they arranged to host almost 350 loved ones in a gorgeous open-air private space with the feel of a Tuscan vineyard. Both the mothers of the bride and groom attended planning meetings with Mikayla and her professional wedding planners from International Event Company. “It was really nice to have their opinions, especially when I felt like my style was getting too ‘Instagram’ and needed some traditional influence,” admits the bride.

Mikayla’s vision of a balanced design with beautiful summer outdoor looks and formal elements of a black-tie affair were carried out in the ceremony using florals in shades of white with hints of green. “We had an elevated aisle with flowers lining the sides and eventually merging into this huge, amazing chuppah,” describes the bride. “I really wanted it to feel like the aisle and chuppah were growing out of the ground.”

Wearing a stunning gown featuring a sweetheart neckline and frothy skirt, the bride made her grand entrance on the arm of her mother to the instrumental version of “Stairway to Heaven” by Led Zeppelin as a nod to one of her late father’s favorite bands. Mikayla also honored him by adding photo charms of the two of them to her bridal bouquet. “He passed away about five years prior to my wedding, and his absence was of course heartbreaking since he couldn’t be there to walk me down the aisle,” confides the bride, who had his favorite quote from The Little Prince engraved inside the kippot.

During a sentimental l’dor v’dor (from generation to generation) moment, the mothers of the bride and groom used their own wedding kiddush cups to pour wine into a new kiddush cup for the betrothed. “They literally filled our cup,” smiles the bride of the loving gesture.

“It was really nice to have their opinions, especially when I felt like my style was getting too ‘Instagram’ and needed some traditional influence.”

For the reception, the décor included plenty of gilded details as a nod to their new shared last name: Gold. Twinkling lights against the open sky made the alfresco space feel magical. Long rectangular tables boasted lovely tablescapes that highlighted lush floral arrangements comprised of blooms in tones of vanilla and pink, which alternated between a continuous stream of flowers down the entire length of the table or smaller centerpieces spread out across.

During some fun-filled dancing at the beginning of the reception, Mikayla realized her dress had ripped, so one of her planner’s assistants actually crouched down during the speeches, sewing the tear so that it was repaired in time for the first dance. “Jonathan and his team [at International Event Company] were incredible and made the whole day run smoothly,” confirms the bride. “I wasn’t even panicked about my ripped dress and was able to appreciate the speeches in the moment.”

From getting ready with her bridesmaids and dancing around to childhood music through to the very end of the night at the “Club Gold” after-party, there wasn’t a moment where the bride wasn’t elated. She was even thrilled to see that their cake designer had created edible flowers that mimicked the pattern on her bridal gown. “It was a work of art!” she declares.

Being surrounded by so much love and support on the big day was a perfect way to start their marriage before heading off to their honeymoon in Bora Bora. “Definitely discuss non-negotiables with your fiancé, so you both know what’s important and what’s flexible right from the start,” advises Mikayla. “This made it easier to make decisions throughout the planning process and helped us make the day feel like our own. It was perfect.”

This real wedding was originally published in the Summer 2025 issue of Inside Weddings magazine. 

To order a copy of the Summer 2025 issue, visit our library of Inside Weddings digital back issues available for purchase.

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