This gorgeous wedding was as chic as any NYC wedding should be, so when one of the lovely brides regaled the tale of the unexpected guests – the people of NYC – stopping to take in the beauty, I wasn’t surprised at all. It’s the kind of wedding that is so full of personality and even more heart that you can’t help but watch and fall in love with the couple who is so amazingly in love with each other at the center. 4Eyes Photography was able to capture every sweet gaze, and we’ve filled a gallery with them all. Click here to see more!
Click here to see the full image gallery!
We met when I moved to Cleveland in 2009 and joined D.D.’s rowing club. Happy hours with friends quickly turned into happy hours with just each other. We spent hours over dinners learning that we shared an appreciation of many of the same things, particularly an appreciation of food, wine and travel. Quickly, weekends away turned into vacations in Italy, turned into “maybe we should live together…”
In late summer of 2011, we made plans to come to New York for the weekend. Instead of the usual taxi to family and friends, I had arranged for a town car to pick us up and sweep us off to our favorite hotel, the Trump Soho. With the help of the fantastic staff at Trump, a special secret delivery from Tiffany had been arranged and I managed to surprise D.D. with a beautiful late night proposal. We’ll never forget the moment, so in love, hovering high above the city surrounded by lights, crying and laughing, at the same time.
We started planning almost immediately! From the outset, we wanted every detail of our wedding to tell our story and reflect who we are individually and as a couple. As planning progressed, we were conscious of “experience moments” that would make our day uniquely memorable for both us and our guests. When do you have the chance to parade through Manhattan with a giant balloon in your hand while being serenaded by a strolling mandolin player? Why else would you drive around New York City in the back of a 1969 checker cab or have a decadent five course meal on the rooftop terrace of the Gramercy Park Hotel? We simply wanted to throw an elegant, unique and memorable dinner party that reflected our passion for food and wine for 50 of our closest family and friends.
It was vitally important to both of us that our guests were involved and recognized for all the love and support that we’ve received from them throughout our lives. We chose to honor their dedication symbolically by having a ring blessing incorporated in our ceremony. Just before we placed the rings on each other’s finger, each of our guests were asked to hold the rings, and warm them with a silent wish for our future life together. To us, this makes our rings even more precious and sacred. For each ring is a representation of our vows and commitment to one another, sealed with the wishes of happiness and love of all the people closest to us.
A week doesn’t go by when we don’t joke or laugh about something that happened during the planning process or how much we genuinely enjoyed each other and our guests on our wedding day. All the time spent on the twenty-one proofs for our invitations (a favorite detail), the months spent rummaging through antique malls collecting all the vintage turquoise blue glass to be found in northern Ohio to brewing and bottling our favorite Lithuanian honey liquor, “Krupnikas”, (placed at each guest setting as a favor aperitif).
However, it would be completely inappropriate if I didn’t take a moment to whole-heartedly thank all the “extra” guests who made us feel like celebrities that special day. At the Jefferson Market Garden people flanked the fence and closed gates to watch as we exchanged our vows. As we rode the streets of Manhattan in the vintage cab, people stopped to take pictures and waved, when we walked over the Brooklyn Bridge, people on nearby rooftops cheered and clapped. Other same-sex couples asked to take pictures with us. It was so uplifting; like New York City was giving us a great big hug. The day the state of New York legalized same-sex marriage, we were so moved and overjoyed to be able to actually get married in a city that has special meaning to us. But nothing could have prepared us for the amazing heartfelt and supportive reception we got from all the New Yorkers (and tourists) we met.
Even the elusive Bill Cunningham – the famous New York Times Style Section photographer – stopped to photograph our wedding!
Photographer: Kellie & Rupert of 4Eyes Photography / Floral Designer: Shields Flowers & Events / Event Designer & Planner: Marsha Satuloff, Shields Flowers & Events / Invitation Designer: Aerialist Press / Custom Calligraphy: Debi Sementelli, Lettering Art Studio / Program Design: Zita Varnelis / Cake & Desserts: Payard / Transportation: Film Cars / Strolling Mandolinist: Violinatta / Ceremony String Quartet: Anthology Strings / Reception Music: Bon Musique / Ceremony Venue: Jefferson Market Garden / Reception Venue: Gramercy Park Hotel / D.D.’s gown: Vera Wang / Jackie’s gown: Watters / Wedding Party Dress Designers: Amsale, BHLDN, J.Crew / Brides’ Shoes: Badgley Mischka + Stuart Weitzman / Chandelier earrings: TEJANI / Antique lace necklace: BHLDN / Wedding bands: Benchmark