Donna and David’s Wedding

A few months ago Mike, from MovieShotsLA, called to tell me that he had located the church where Donna married David on the very last episode of Beverly Hills, 90210.    He mentioned something about the church being located in Sunland, a small town on the outskirts of Burbank, and for the first time ever I thought Mike, God of stalking, had actually gotten a filming location wrong.  You see, I could say with absolute certainty that Donna and David did not get married in a church anywhere near Sunland.  How could I be so sure about the location of their wedding?  Because I was there!    🙂

Back in the Spring of 2000, just a few weeks after I had first moved to Los Angeles, I was given the once in a lifetime opportunity of being an extra on the very last episode of Beverly Hills, 90210,entitled “Ode to Joy”.  I had just registered with Central Casting, Los Angeles’ premiere extras casting agency, and was calling the hotline to see what jobs were available for the week when I heard words which I will never forget: “Be a part of television history – press one to be a guest at Donna and David’s wedding on the very final episode of 90210.”  Well, let me tell I just about died!  I believe I stood with the phone in my hand screaming for a good two minutes.   LOL  I swear if you had told me back in high school that one day I would be attending the wedding of Donna Martin and David Silver I probably would have had a heart attack right then and there.  LOL  You can see me in the above screen captures dancing at Donna and David’s reception.  🙂

Anyway, it turns out that Mike was not actually wrong about Donna and David’s wedding location.  I should have known – he’s never wrong!  🙂  For whatever reason, producers chose to film the set-up shots of Donna and David’s wedding church at the First Baptist Church of Sunland.  But all of the actual filming took place about twenty miles away from there in a small chapel right off the 101 Freeway in Hollywood.   So, last weekend I decided I just had to revisit the site of one of my very first acting jobs and I dragged my boyfriend out to stalk the First Presbyterian Church of Hollywood.

Donna and David’s wedding was not actually held in the First Presbyterian Church’s main building, but in a smaller venue named Wylie Chapel, which is also located on the church premises.   The wedding ceremony took one full day to shoot, as did the reception scene, which took place at the Beverly Hilton Hotel.  And, if I remember correctly, we shot the reception scene first.  Both days lasted well over 14 hours – and, let me tell you, I loved every single minute of them!!!  I have to say that being on the final episode of 90210  was an absolutely magical experience for me.  Especially since it was one of my very first encounters with Hollywood.  I swear I spent the entire two days with stars in my eyes.  🙂  The cast and crew were incredibly  nice – especially Luke Perry and Ian Ziering.  I met Ian during one of our lunch breaks and I told him that in high school I had slept on 90210  sheets.  Well, he was absolutely shocked that there was such a thing as 90210  sheets and next thing I know he’s screaming “Luke! Luke!  You’ve gotta come hear this!”  Well, I just about keeled over as Luke Perry, love of my high school life, walked right up to us and Ian told him about my sheets.  Luke started laughing and said “Well, then I guess you can say we’ve slept together.”  LOL  Luke was even cuter in person that I ever imagined he could be and when I told him he was my first Hollywood crush he shook my hand and introduced himself.  Sigh!  I’m telling you, inside I was absolutely dying!  I’m amazed I was actually able to get any words out of my mouth while talking to him.  LOL  And if you’re wondering – Jennie Garth was the least friendliest of the bunch, which really surprised me.

The First Presbyterian Church of Hollywood is actually used quite often for filming.  Besides 90210, it was also featured in the 2007 movie Welcome to Paradise. And while we were stalking the place, filming crews for the television series Chuck  pulled up.  🙂

The church was founded in 1903 and once boasted the largest Presbyterian congregation in the world!  The main building, which is still used for church services today, was erected in 1923.  The church property takes up an entire city block and has a huge courtyard and garden area which is where the extras hung out while 90210  was filming.   I can still remember Brian Austin Green playing chess in the courtyard with the extras during his breaks.  There is also a theatre on the church gounds.  🙂  First Hollywood Presbyterian also has amazing views of the Hollywood sign, but ironically enough, the church was there long before there ever was a Hollywood sign to view.  🙂

Until next time, Happy Stalking! 🙂

Stalk It: Donna and David’s wedding was held in the First Presbyterian Church of Hollywood’s Wylie Chapel, which is  located at 1763 North Gower Street in Hollywood.  Their wedding reception was filmed in the Beverly Hilton Hotel’s former Coconut Club, which is now the Beverly Hills Ballroom.