Ali and James’s Hinge profiles appeared to each other during the doldrums of the pandemic in May 2020, but this wasn’t the first time their paths had crossed. No, they had actually attended the same high school an entire decade earlier when Ali was a freshman and James was a senior! “Our romance began as all good COVID love stories do—a few virtual dates to see if a potential connection was worth the risk of exposure,” Ali recalls. They passed the test and finally had a date IRL.
Four years later, James orchestrated a thoughtful proposal in San Francisco that involved their friends and beloved dog Rocco.
When they began planning their wedding, they knew that it should be in a place that is special to their relationship, Aspen. Even though the town has no shortage of beautiful venues, they could only envision their nuptials in Ali’s parents’ backyard, which overlooks the Northstar Nature Preserve and Independence Pass.
As two New Yorkers living in San Francisco, they also wanted the wedding to resemble them. They worked Over The Moon Directory Planner Laurel & Rose and designer Sarah of Arche Creative to create a truly intentional event that was chic, modern, and black tie while also fitting into the preserve’s natural habitat. Above all, however, they wanted their guests to let loose and have fun. They loved collaborating with founder Jolene Peterson and her team’s keen visions for the day. Ali adds, “She and her team really understood our vision from the first conversation, and it was smooth sailing from there on out.”
Ali purposefully asked Jolene to create a women-led team for the wedding. Ali notes, “We tried to support local women whenever we could, and together, we put together the absolute best team!” The couple enlisted Over The Moon The List Photographer Samm Blake and videographer Kelly Mouradian to lens all of the beautiful moments of the day. Over The Moon The List Planner Augusta Cole flawlessly executed the rehearsal dinner at Hotel Jerome. And Sweet Zion Paperie set the tone for everything with an elevated invitation suite.
The bride-to-be guessed she would wear a simple slip dress to her wedding, but the more dresses she tried on, the more she felt drawn to the larger, more “traditional” looks that brought the drama. “I took my good friend Sasha’s advice: ‘Do the thing! Get the big dress! You only get to be a bride once!'” Ali says. And with that, she decided upon the first dress she put on—a Vera Wang look with endless tulle and delicate lace.
Her jewelry was special and considered: earrings that were a wedding gift from her grandmother, a necklace gifted to her from her parents that was made by their family friends at the Michael Doppelt Jewelry Company, her bracelets, which were on loan from her mom. These were gifts from her father to her mother, very meaningful and emblematic of her loved ones.
As a last-minute “something blue,” her mother gifted her blue Fleur du Mal undergarments. “It was such a thoughtful gift that I am definitely copying in the future,” Ali notes. Later that evening, she would change into her next look—a Danielle Frankel dress that could pair with her all-white Air Force 1s and her mom’s pearl-drop earrings.
She kept her hair true to herself with Ana Belen styling and clipping up her hair. She trusted in Vanessa Vieni to apply her makeup.
Even in the summer heat, James insisted that the dress code be black tie. “I just love the way everyone looks all dressed up!” the groom exclaims. Being the youngest of three brothers and the last of them to get married and the self-proclaimed most fashionable, he seized his own wedding as an opportunity to at last get himself his very own custom tuxedo. No hand-me-downs necessary. He ultimately decided upon Canali for a black tuxedo with satin peak lapels and a black satin bowtie to match. He tied his himself and proudly made everyone else wear self-tied bowties as well because he believes, “Clip-ons suck!” He finished the look off with David Webb studs, his father’s cufflinks—a present from his grandmother to his father, and a watch that Ali had gifted to him a few days earlier. He slid into black velvet slippers from Stubbs & Wootton that were customized in gold stitching with the wedding date and his and his bride’s initials.
He had several shirt swaps that night and changed into a Ralph Lauren white shawl lapel blazer, Zegna sneakers, and an Ami Paris shirt.
On July 13, 2025, the couple married in a traditional Jewish ceremony underneath a beautiful chuppah with Rabbi Angela Buchdahl from Central Synagogue in New York City. Each song in the processional was carefully chosen, as music has always been at the center of the couple’s relationship. With their wedding outdoors during the day, the couple was prepared for anything—blazing mountain sun or instant downpour.
Cocktail hour followed with a little bit of everything—multi-level tented lounges, a wood-fired pizza bar, and amazing seasonal produce spread. The centerpiece, though, was a 75-foot custom bar by House of Wilde. The reception kicked off with a high-energy dance set from West Coast Music’s Midnight Special and then went straight into the hora followed by speeches and delectable dinner by Red Maple Catering and cake from d’Elissious Cake Studio. The couple’s first dance to “Baby” by Bakermat raised the energy and got everyone on the dance floor. From there, James curated music to surprise Ali with through the evening.
The night ended with a truly legendary after-party that was “fun, no-frills, and all about the music,” Ali recalls, as guests danced on the alcohol-soaked floor of Belly Up and made a splash—literally—in the Hotel Jerome pool.
The newlyweds decompressed after the wedding with a honeymoon at the Brando in French Polynesia and a later trip to Japan.
