We have ANOTHER lovely New York wedding for you but this one is more of a classic take on the wedding day. Sent to us by the dynamic duo, The Nichols, (LOVE them) this reads like a classic New York movie…opening with the Plaza Hotel, moving on to a few scene stealing moments at Central Park and finally ALL OUT gorgeousness at a historic waterfront house in Westchester County. And don’t even get us started on the dress that the starlet Bride is wearing. Knock you out of your chair stunning and paired so perfectly with dreamy florals by Denise Fasanello Floral Design. This is a lesson in perfection if you ask us. See all of the pretty in one place, here.
Find more perfect New York details in the gallery!
Words of wisdom from Jessica, the Bride:
When Scott and I started planning our wedding, we didn’t know what we wanted it to look like or what our color palette or theme would be, but we did know how we wanted the day to feel to ourselves and our guests: relaxed, fun and full of love. And that’s exactly how it turned out, thanks to our incredible family and friends and the few amazing vendors we chose. We had an intimate summer wedding at a historic waterfront house in Westchester County, New York. We wanted a location that was far removed from the hustle and bustle of NYC, but close enough to have wedding pictures taken in the city where we met and now call home. Despite the many logistical challenges this presented, it was really the best of both worlds for us. The vision for our day started to take shape as soon as we found our venue, and we set out to create a timeless, romantic backyard garden soiree. For our centerpieces, we chose mercury glass vases filled with soft garden roses, dusty miller, and flowers that felt fresh-picked. We surrounded the floral arrangements with crystal candlestick holders, on top of which we super-glued matching crystal votives instead of candlesticks so we could abide by the venue’s “no open fire” rule! As a nod to our city, we served Manhattans as a signature drink, along with French 75’s to reflect the French chateau our venue was modeled after. We were very budget-conscious, so we did as much as we could on our own or with help from friends. My colleague helped design and print all of our stationery, my cousin handmade bridesmaids accessories, a dear family friend put all the decorations in place the day of the wedding, and another friend drove us away in his antique car following our sparkler sendoff.
Without a doubt, our favorite detail was our favors. Scott proposed to me on a chocolate cake (clearly the man knows the key to my heart!), so we thought long and hard about how to incorporate our engagement story into our wedding. Finally one morning, the idea came to me to send our guests off with “Will You Marry Me Cake” favors — mason jars filled with the cake ingredients, and our “Recipe for Eternal Bliss.”
Aside from the well-documented advice (be present and savor every moment, EAT!) and the controversial advice (do a first look), my best advice for future brides is: 1) trust your instincts, and 2) surround yourself with vendors who you’d enjoy being with on and before the most whirlwind, joyful day of your life. Choosing our photographers was one of the first decisions we made, and it was clearly one of the best. The Nichols are an AMAZING husband & wife team, and we were blown away by how beautifully they captured the memories of our day. We lucked out with our DJ as well — he had all of our guests up and dancing all night long. But it was a moment of despair that led me to my wedding fairy godmother. Immediately after I purchased my wedding dress, I had second thoughts. Doubts turned to dread and when the dress came in, I knew it wasn’t “the one.” Despite everyone’s best efforts to reassure me, I set out to find a solution and found it in Sam Walls Beasley, the incredibly talented and sweet dress designer behind Samuelle Couture. We spent countless hours together as she transformed my dress into sheer gorgeousness, right up until two days before the wedding! Most importantly, remember that on the other side of the wedding is your marriage, which is even more beautiful than the prettiest of weddings. Happy planning!
** For all of you that are DYING over the wedding dress as much as we are, you are in luck. Jessica is selling that gauzy piece of gorgeousness for another beautiful bride to enjoy. You can find all of the details here.
Photography: The Nichols / Personal Flowers: Denise Fasanello Floral Design / Ceremony & Reception Flowers: Perry Shuler / DJ and Lighting: Harborside Productions / Makeup: Nam Vo / Venue: The Wainwright / Catering and Cake: Cornerstone Caterers / Videographer: Magic Flute / Dress: Samuelle Couture / Groom’s suit: Michael Andrews Bespoke / Bridesmaid’s dresses: Jenny Yoo / Groomsmen Suits: Indochino / Bride’s Hairpiece: Bride’s Hair Revisited / Calligraphy: eDanae / Officiant: Sarah Ritchie