When Yvette Nicole Brown, an actress best known for her roles in Community, The Odd Couple, and The Mayor, was planning her December 14, 2024, wedding to actor Anthony (Tony) Davis, the vision was crystal clear: She wanted a celebration that was, first and foremost, joyful. “We are both really fun-loving and playful,” she tells BRIDES exclusively. “We wanted our wedding and reception to embody the joy we have about life.” The couple returned to a tried-and-true spot, the Maybourne Beverly Hills, for their California nuptials (captured by Kareem Virgo of REEM Photography), fully confident that the space would provide the backdrop they needed for an upbeat, romantic affair. “I've hosted events at the Maybourne and it is one of the most beautiful spaces in Southern California,” notes Yvette. “I knew that the idea of saying ‘I do’ to the most amazingly kind man on their beautiful rooftop would be a dream come true.”

That dream also involved a dreamy color palette predicated on shades of chocolate, rust, blush pink, and cream, which they executed with the help of their wedding planner and producer, William P. Miller of W.P. Miller Special Events. The tented ceremony setup focused on the scheme’s softer tones; crystal candelabras set a white runner, personalized with the duo’s joint monogram and a Bible verse, aglow, while golden leaves, trailing vines of ivy (a nod to Yvette’s college sorority), and florals by Eddie Zaratsian and Tic-Tock Couture Florals added botanical texture. The most poignant décor detail, however, were the two memorial seats reserved for the couple’s late mothers, marked with roses.

The bride incorporated another memento of their matriarchs into her Ines Di Santo wedding dress, a long-sleeved trumpet number with a circular skirt and floral appliqués, from Lovella Bridal: She requested that two small butterflies be added to honor them. On selecting her gown, Yvette notes that “something about it just called to me.” When she put it on, it fit her perfectly. “When I looked at myself in the mirror, my heart smiled,” she says. “That’s the best way I can describe it. It just felt like it was meant for me.” An opal and crystal hair comb, pearl and butterfly earrings from Zera, a vintage blue lady bug pin by Maria Elena Headpieces, and a blush bouquet (wrapped with three remembrance lockets—a complement to the charms her groom wore below his boutonnière) completed her big-day look.

Yvette and Tony—who stepped out in a custom brown velvet suit by Vinny's Custom Clothes, studded with cufflinks (a gift from the bride)—ultimately decided to skip a wedding party, though they found other ways to make those closest to them feel more included. “We are getting married later in life and the list of people who we love who could fill those important roles is too long,” affirms Yvette. “Instead, we asked all our friends and family to wear our wedding colors. That way, every picture we took was a picture with our huge bridal party.”

After a religious ceremony (“Tony and I are both people of faith, so it was important that our ceremony include scriptures that mean a lot to each of us,” explains Yvette) on the Maybourne’s rooftop, which was officiated by Love McPherson and featured a heartfelt surprise (the unexpected entrance of Yvette's father, who is in a home care facility—a moment orchestrated by Tony that brought the crowd to tears), the couple and their 200 guests transitioned to cocktail hour, where violist Alan Price (who also performed during the service) entertained the crowd. When it was time for dinner, the group moved inside the property’s ballroom, where a mix of rectangular and round tables, topped with glistening ivory table linens and both tall and compote centerpieces, filled the space.

The pair’s party was filled with musical moments. Harpist Mariea Antoinette played during the dinner hour before Leslie Odom Jr. and Deniece Williams took the mic for a mid-meal serenade—after which DJ Kacy "Mister Wilson" Wilson spun some tunes to get everyone on the dance floor. “We also had a lot of musical friends in attendance,” says Yvette. “The music never stopped.” Before the party officially started, the newlyweds cut into their pink four-tier wedding cake by Cake Studio lA; complete with sugar orchids, gold foil detailing, and the duo's monogram, the confection was composed of two flavors—lemon cake with a raspberry spread and raspberry buttercream and strawberry shortcake.

Two memories from the reception stand out, notes Yvette, who changed into a blazer, skirt by Arlinda McIntosh of Sofistafunk, and sneakers for the second half of the day (Tony swapped his brown velvet look for bright white). “My sorority, Alpha Kappa Alpha, formed a circle around me and sang our sorority sweetheart song,” she says. As for the second? Yvette decided against tossing her bouquet; she and Tony decided to gift the single men and women pens adorned with silk flowers—so they could write their own visions of future love—instead.

Now on the other side of their big day, Yvette is looking forward to living out the couple’s wedding vows. “The ‘for better and for worse, for richer and for poorer, in sickness and in health’ part of the vows really stuck with me,” says Yvette. “Life is beautiful yet it can also be tough at times. I am ready to walk hand in hand with this great man through it all.” She also reminds others planning weddings during their second acts to remember that love is possible at any phase or age. “We found each other later in life. We hope our love story and union is a testimony and encouragement to others who may still be hoping to find their person,” she says. “We hope people left our wedding reminded that it's never too late for love.”

PEOPLE and BRIDES are teaming up to share all the biggest moments from Yvette Nicole Brown and Anthony Davis' dream wedding day. Stay tuned to People.com and Brides.com for all the exclusive photos and details.