Solongo Gansukh and Daniel Firtel met in line at a Coffee Bean in Brentwood. He asked for her number, and they had their first date a few days later. Fast forward 11 years, and Daniel decided to propose while on a trip through Asia and had to hide the ring from Solongo in Singapore, South Korea, Bali, and finally Mongolia, where she’s from. “Funnily enough, I did find a ring case in his suitcase one night, but it didn’t occur to me at all that it was for an engagement ring, so luckily I had no idea,” she remembers.
While staying in a yurt camp in the Mongolian countryside, he proposed after sunset on the lake where Solongo’s mother grew up. And the ring was handmade by Daniel’s brother-in-law, which made it that much more special.
For their May 2019 wedding, the engaged couple pictured an outdoor event in a private setting. The 17th-century Château de Grimaldi in Provence was perfect to host all their family and events. And aesthetic-wise, they wanted something simple yet sophisticated. “There was a lot of foliage with touches of white and pastel-colored flowers,” the bride explains. To help bring their vision to life, Your Big Day Of stepped in as the month-of coordinator.
After browsing on Pinterest for her wedding dress, Solongo knew the general style of the gown she wanted. At Grace Loves Lace, the bride chose an off-the-shoulder design. “For a little bit of flair and drama, I wore a very long veil for the ceremony,” the bride explains. “I’m glad I did because the veil looked gorgeous in photos.”
Bridesmaids complemented Solongo well in light lavender dresses of their choosing and held bouquets by Atelier de Vik. And Daniel wore his grandfather’s tuxedo and paired it with his grandfather’s watch, which he accidentally found in a storage box a few years prior.
On May 25, 2019, the couple’s dear friend Geoff officiated the short ceremony with Jewish and Mongolian touches. Solongo’s grandmother offered a taste of milk from a silver Mongolian cup to immediate family members, as white represents purity and abundance and sharing it symbolizes the unity of two families. And Daniel stomped on the glass to conclude the service in the traditional Jewish manner.
Once officially Mr. and Mrs., the reception began in the gardens. The dinner tent was adorned with starry strung lights, and the meal came from local Michelin-starred restaurant Mickael Feval. “Daniel and I love good food, so we wanted to make sure we served amazing cuisine,” Solongo says.
The party then continued for the rest of the evening on the dance floor. The newlyweds had their first dance to “What a Wonderful World,” and the after-party kicked off in the old chapel on the property. The 17th-century stone building was transformed into a club with lights, couches, a delicious dessert station, and club deejay DJ Dave Lubin. Naturally, the festivities lasted until 4:00 a.m.
For the next few days after the wedding, Solongo and Daniel spent time with their families in nearby Cannes. And then they headed off on their honeymoon to Barcelona, Ibiza, and Mallorca with friends and Morocco on their own. The bride looks back and says, “We were happy to have traveled with family and friends instead of having the entire honeymoon just by ourselves.”
