We’ve got a whole bunch of glamour coming your way from this wedding, ladies and gents. I hope you’re ready for all the fabulousness. A winter wedding, in Manhattan, captured by 4Eyes Photography. That has got to be the best sentence ever. 4Eyes always, always has amazing work to share with us, but when they team up with a bride and groom so FAB, the result is catch-your-breath phenomenal. All the snow, the city sights, the cool colors, and the warm ambiance make for such a special night. I’ve spent days pouring over these photos, and now it’s your turn. Visit 4Eyes’ blog for more.
We met on a rooftop bar in New York City. I, frustrated by Manhattan dating and looking for something different, decided to expand my social circle by participating in a Hampton’s summer share house. After much researching and numerous emails on Facebook and Craigslist, I was out and about attending share house meet and greets. Eric, while not interested in participating in a share house, was meeting a few friends who were attending the same meet and greet. Exactly one year later, at that same rooftop bar, Eric asked me to marry him.
We knew we wanted a Manhattan winter wedding but finding a space big enough to accommodate both a ceremony and reception was a challenge. Plus, we had a limited budget, especially for New York standards. We were hoping for something large, modern, airy and clean-feeling. When we saw the space, the view of the harbor and the potential for amazing sunsets at Battery Garden Restaurants, we were hooked. Plus, the fireplace and the simple, modern décor helped sealed the deal.
I wanted to embrace the winter season and create an elegant, glistening modern winter wonderland of white and silver. I love a mix of modern and organic and knew that branches would be key to the décor and used throughout the affair. Specifically, I requested white seasonal flowers such as ranunculus (my favorite) and anemones and loved the idea of using sparkling branches and birch to represent winter. Jes Gordon, our amazing friend and event designer, used a mix of mirrors on the tables and lanterns around the space to help the evening glisten and exceeded all of our expectations.
Eric and I are both very close to our families and we are lucky that our parents have become best of friends. So, to help represent the importance of family at our ceremony, I collected handkerchiefs from our late grandparents and great-grandparents. My mother ordered lace online and hand-sewed the handkerchiefs together to create an incredibly special and beautiful one-of-a-kind Chuppah. Paired with the sparkling branches and bunches of white flowers on the posts, the Chuppah glowed during the sunset ceremony. As we were being married, we could look-up and see light coming through handkerchiefs that once belonged to our loved ones. We hope that future generations will also be married under this Chuppah and, come October, we are considering framing pieces of it and hanging it in our baby’s nursery.
It was bitter cold, but crisp and bright, on our January wedding day. Since the ceremony was planned for sunset, we knew we had some daylight to play with before things got underway. It was freezing but we braved the elements, wearing a fur stole I borrowed from my Great Aunt. Kellie and Rupert of 4Eyes Photography had us walk by the water, the piers and in the many inches of snow. We love the light and crispness of those pictures. The elegance of the season and the raw beauty of winter are so apparent. The pictures are so amazing, they don’t even look real.
Eric and I love candy. Having been inspired by weddings on Style Me Pretty, I decided to create my own candy bar and customized stamped candy bags. I bought our favorite candies and a variety of glass-like jars from places like Ikea, Homegoods and various thrift stores. A good friend (who also created our invitations) typeset “Life is Sweet B&E” for us and I had that made into a custom stamp. Having ordered brown paper coffee bags online, I personally stamped each bag for the guests to bring home their candy treats.
Photographer: 4Eyes Photography / Floral Designer: jesGORDON / Event Designer & Planner: jesGORDON / Invitation Designer: Jennifer Oprysko / Cupcakes: Sugar Sweet Sunshine / Wedding Gown: La Sposa / Antique Hairpin: Etsy / Venue: Battery Garden Restaurant