Your jaws are literally going to hit the floor when I tell you that this breathtaking Pearl River affair was planned in just six short months. Yes, it’s true. Six short months was all it took to pull of this magnificent soiree, complete with some seriously stunning florals and decor by the amazing Hatch Creative Studio, gorgeous invitations and paper goods by Suite Paperie, Inc. (The Bride!) and beyond brilliant images captured by Craig Paulson Photography. With a dream team like that, who needs longer? Trust me, you’ll be swooning over every last minute of this magical affair for days. Join me in the gallery for even more!
Click here to see the entire gallery of images!
From the Bride… We had a very short engagement. We had been dating for almost 7 years- there was no need to wait! 6 months was all it took to plan a spectacular black tie affair! The planning process was so much fun for me. I have my own design company, Suite Paperie, a design house that creates custom invitations and paper goods for weddings and events. And I have many connections in the industry, so I hired my friends and colleagues to help me out!
The first person I approached was a no brainer for me: Barb from Hatch Creative Studio had to do my flowers and décor. I worked with Barb during my summers in college, and it was so important to me to have someone I trusted to bring my creative visions to life. After hours of poring over inspiration, sketches and visits to the flower market, Barb and her team surpassed all my expectations and wildest dreams on the day of the wedding. She took my love for vintage and my vision for a Victorian atmosphere, and spun them together to create a garden-like atmosphere that was jaw dropping. Our chuppah was undoubtedly my favorite piece that Hatch created. Created from a sketch I made, a spectacular (and giant) chuppah was created using 3 different draped fabrics and a crystal chandelier. The combination of off-white and peach laces, chiffon and cotton draped to perfection and uplit by amber lights was breathtaking!
Ian and I felt very strongly about having artsy photography. We wanted those romantic and dramatic shots using natural light. I turned to none other than the SMP little black book, and came across the wonderfully talented Craig Paulson. From the moment we met Jean and Tanya, we knew they were the right photographers for us. They are so enthusiastic and talented – we immediately signed on. Jean and Tanya totally exceeded our expectations with the shots they got (over 1500!). They captured every single moment and emotion, and we didn’t even realize they were there! We couldn’t speak more highly of these amazing ladies. Hire them!
I started an inspiration folder on my desktop where I organized and stored images I loved. I found myself pulling images with warm tones, antique décor and regal finishes. After sorting through hundreds of pulled inspiration photos, I named my wedding theme “Victorian garden.” I wanted my flowers to be loose and have a fresh garden feel with a mix of peach, pale pinks and purples with leafy green accents. Since I was designing all the paper goods, I focused on the escort table a lot. I wanted the table to be a show-stopper, a statement piece! Our escort cards were all hand written and adorned with a cream lace on the bottom of each card. The table was set up to perfection using vintage mirrored trays and mercury glass vases filled with fresh blooms. The save the dates, invitation suite, programs, and escort cards were super important to me- as they were a reflection of my business! I wanted every guest to feel the love that I put into designing these paper goods.
For our invitations I teamed up with letterpress printer extraordinaire, Kevin Cox of Jazyrain Letterpress. He printed our gold and purple design onto Crane’s 220# lettra paper (super thick and yummy), with matching RSVP and envelope printed in gold. We designed a pattern using elements from the invitation to use as the envelope liners. Vintage stamps and computer printed calligraphy adorned each envelope to complete the suite. Our programs were 8 page booklets, written and assembled with lots of love! We explained all of the traditions of an orthodox Jewish wedding, shared our story and paid much respect to our families, friends and loved ones. Each program was adorned with a gold foil doily and wrapped with either a champagne or wine-colored satin ribbon.
The place we chose, The Pearl River Hilton in Pearl River, NY was perfect. We wanted a hotel where our friends and family could stay- make a whole weekend out of the affair! The space itself is gorgeous and has a Victorian feel to it. Gorgeous molding, lighting fixtures marble and carpets. Gerry, the coordinator at the hotel was beyond a pleasure to work with and helped make our 270 person wedding flow seamlessly. Les from Northern Valley Affairs worked with us endlessly on our menu until it was absolutely perfect. Guests are still raving about the wonderful food! Kosher caterers don’t get much better than this.
Wedding Photography: Jean Spencer + Tanya Salazar of Craig Paulson Photography / Catering: Northern Valley Affairs / Flowers + Décor: Barb of Hatch Creative Studio / Wedding Invitations + Paper Goods: Suite Paperie, Inc. (The Bride) / Wedding Venue: Pearl River Hilton, Gerry Burns / Bride + Bridesmaid Hair: Chris Brescia + Donna Hernandez / Makeup: Sadah Saltzman / Letterpress Printing: Kevin Cox of Jazyrain Letterpress / Bride’s Shoes: Jimmy Choo