Shiran Teitelbaum, creative director for Deutsch LA, and Mike Donaghey, creative director at Apple, were supposed to meet their mutual friend Alice for drinks in SoHo, but a snowstorm thwarted those plans. Instead, Shiran and Mike spent the evening and the rest of Shiran’s trip to New York City together. They then launched into a 13-month long-distance relationship before Shiran ultimately moved to Brooklyn and joined her beau.
On April 26, 2019, Mike planned an elaborate proposal that could rival most art gallery openings. While surrounded by their friends and family and dozens of framed photos from their courtship, Mike got down on one knee and asked Shiran to marry him.
Unceasingly artistic, both Mike and Shiran are creative directors who love a good theme. They decided their Toronto wedding could be distilled to the tagline “Thank Goodness Mike and Shiran Met Gala.” The dress code would entail sensational, over-the-top looks; not unlike something from the set of Sofia Coppola’s Marie Antoinette. The sartorial pressure was on for attendees—COVID-19 ensured they had nearly three years to plan their outfits.
The Rebecca Dunnet invitations were originally sent for a June 8, 2020 ceremony; but the wedding date changed twice. One global pandemic, one elopement in Las Vegas, and one pregnancy happened in the interim. In 2022, the couple welcomed their daughter, Winnie Rue, to the world. Alana Klein from Swoon Events kept Mike and Shiran calm amidst the uncertainty of planning such a grand wedding in turbulent times. They also enlisted the husband and wife duo behind Bows & Lavender to photograph the soirée and Marina Lin of Rose Vine Studios to document the special moments on video. Kenilworth designed the sweeping floral arrangements.
Shiran knew her bridal look would need to be extravagant, and the pre-loved Pnina Tornai gown she found in New York was exactly that. The dress even required its own seat on the plane ride home. Natalie Paz was the maid of honor of the West Coast—”Yes, I had two maids of honor,” Shiran clarifies—and personally styled the bride’s accessories. She sourced an elaborate crown from Carbickova Crowns, sheer pearl gloves, and Loeffler Randall heels.
Mike sketched Shiran’s reception dress, incorporating her love for bows, pink, and Marie Antoinette into the design. The couple turned to Rachel Kerby Couture to take the illustration off the page—and embellish it even further. She created pleated bow cuffs and a short bow veil. Rachel also sewed matching bows onto the bride’s Steve Madden heels.
Quarantine gave Mike ample opportunity to draw out his ideas for his groom look. He reached out to Matthew Davignon, and they ultimately collaborated on a custom avant-grade suit complete with a shawl collar lapel, frog clasp, and a cummerbund. The signature statement, though, would have to be the detachable train that surpassed even the bride’s. Matthew also designed bespoke suede loafers that matched the suit.
The wedding party received broad guidelines for their outfits: bridesmaids should wear pink; groomsmen, green. The ladies delivered with bows, tulle, and Barbiecore hues galore. The gentlemen showed up in an array of green with an assortment of defining accents like masks, canes, temporary head tattoos, and even one Old English opera costume that was snagged at an auction.
On August 27, 2022, Mike and Shiran’s processional resembled a fashion show’s catwalk. “We encouraged guests to really dress outside of their comfort zone,” she notes. Bridesmaids and groomsmen individually took to the aisle, posed in their outfits at the end, and sashayed their way back to the altar. “And naturally, we hired ballerinas from KulKat to carry our five-month-old pandemic baby up the aisle, since she can’t strut yet,” Shiran adds. The ceremony was just good old-fashioned fun for the guests and the couple. Highlights include the InStyle Activities strolling table lady with Champagne in tow and the hilarious and heartfelt officiant Alex Feldman.
The reception was one to remember, but before the show began, guests sat for an excellent meal that featured short ribs and eggplant lasagna for the Los Angeleno vegetarians. Later that night, everyone feasted on poutine, the cheesy Canadian delicacy.
“Since I’ve never been a particularly great dancer, we enlisted professional dancers to double as us by dressing in our exact outfits, plus face masks, and perform our first dance,” Shiran shares. Her father was under the impression that it was the newlyweds—until the two couples bowed at the end of Le Tigre’s cover of “I’m So Excited.” Adrien King, Andy Slater, and Tyler Johnston provided the music. The party lasted all night long, with many of Mike and Shiran’s DJ friends taking turns on the turntables.
