Before their first date, Julia Levin, a marriage and family therapist, Google-d Max Barbakow, a director and writer, and unknowingly stumbled upon an hour-long documentary about his birth and adoption. She met him in-person, already knowing every detail of his life. “Max was only slightly weirded out,” Julia laughs.
After two-and-a-half years together, Max proposed with a ring he had picked up from Silverhorn right before Los Angeles’s stay at home order in 2020. During quarantine, the couple were eating every meal at home…without a microwave. Max knew she wanted one, so on her 29th birthday, he led her into the kitchen blindfolded to present her with her new appliance and decoy present. She was ecstatic, and even more so, when she turned around and found Max on one knee.
The groom grew up in Santa Barbara, and the two feel at home there, so it was an easy decision to host their nuptials at Klentner Ranch in Carpinteria. “We wanted our wedding to feel warm and romantic,” the bride shares. “The light fixtures, marbled dance floor, and tables layered with candles, flowers, and books from my dad’s vast collection made it feel intimate with touches of home.” Jolene Peterson and Mariah Burke of Laurel & Rose brought the couple’s vision to life.
To wear to their intimate rehearsal dinner at Birnam Wood Golf Club, Julia ordered the Olya dress in archival blue from the Brock Collection for Over The Moon capsule collection with help from her stylist and now-fellow OTM Bride, The Bold & Bridal. “It’s one of my favorite dresses of all time!” she exclaims.
“For my wedding dress, I wanted to feel like the best version of myself,” the bride says. She found her dream Elizabeth Filmore dress at a trunkshow at the Standard Hotel in Santa Monica. On the day-of, Julia got ready with makeup artist Nicole Samara Iyer, who gave her a glowing bridal beauty look. And after the reception, Julia changed into a feathered minidress from Tal Kedem.
On April 2, 2022, the couple’s family friend Judge, The Honorable Leslie Swain married them under a floral chuppah by Mark’s Garden in a sweet and sentimental outdoor ceremony. After Julia and Max exchanged their own vows and their parents delivered their Hebrew vows, the newlyweds walked back up the aisle to “The Best of My Love” by The Emotions.
Guests enjoyed a lovely cocktail hour, and then a brass trio led guests down the stairs to the tent from Bright Event Rentals to begin the reception and joined the rest of The Half Moons of Dart Collective. A delicious seated meal from Duo Catering and Events was served under sparkling chandeliers from Found Rentals.
The happy couple shared a first dance to “Let Me Roll It” by Paul McCartney, and afterward, “so much dancing and an absolutely epic horah” took place, Julia reminisces. “We cut our beyond delicious marble and chocolate chip cake from Hansen’s Cakes Bakery—a L.A. institution—right after I changed into my once-in-a-lifetime after party dress.”
To keep the party going, fleets of buses shuttled guests down the road to Little Dom’s Seafood for more dancing, arancini, oysters, and martinis. The bride and group ended the night dancing (and happy crying) in a huddle to “All My Friends” by LCD Sound System.
