Isn’t it just so darling when a couple infuses inside jokes from the first time they met into their big day? Touches such as a funfetti cake may seem whimsical and festive to the average spectator, but only these love birds know the true meaning behind this speckled treat. You also have to check out the gorgeous color palette captured by Sue Kessler of Christian Oth Studio. We love a bride who isn’t afraid of color. Jewel tones are featured everywhere from the bride’s bouquet to the juicy signature drink and we’ve only just begun to scratch the surface of the pretty that Charmed Places crafted. For more, take a stroll through the gallery and read the bride’s tale of love and funfetti below!
And to continue on this parade of pretty, we’ve got the wedding video straight from Films by Francesco that will keep you beside yourself in bliss.
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From the Bride… Brian and I met at the University of Michigan during graduate school. Technically, we met at the Detroit Airport on our way to Alaska for a pre-school backpacking trip that I was leading. Brian said he chose to go on the trip because of my leader profile, which talked about me loving Al Green and Funfetti. So, naturally, our first dance was to Al Green and our wedding cake was Funfetti. Choosing the location, however, was not quite as simple, Brian is from Long Island, NY, I am from Minnesota, we met in Michigan, live in Texas, and got engaged in Colorado. Our criteria for location was somewhere that both of our large families and all of our friends could get to easily and could spend the weekend all together. We chose New York for those reasons, but most importantly, we wanted to share the day with Brian’s 92 year old Grandma who lives on Long Island. We knew we wanted to get married outside and Lydia helped us find Wave Hill, which had the bonus of being close enough to NYC that people could spend the weekend in the city, but it felt like you were a world away.
Lydia FitzGerald and Frank Alexander did an amazing job of turning our wedding vision into a dream come true. We wanted a party that was comfortable, rustic, and beautiful and that is exactly what we got. We both love food and wine and we wanted to honor Brian’s Italian heritage, so we chose a Tuscan theme. Small details, like the wine barrel cocktail tables and the corks that held the escort cards were perfect but not overwhelming. The long farm tables and family style Italian feast were relaxed under the glamorous clear tent and romantic lighting. And then there was desert. What can I say? I love cake. Lydia found beautiful vintage cake stands that held flavored cakes from Baked NYC and Great Performances Catering worked their magic on an actual Funfetti cake with Rainbow Chip icing.
There were so many special moments from the weekend – the best of course was getting to marry my best friend. Aside from saying, “I do”, one of my favorites was on Saturday morning, when over a hundred of our guests showed up wearing “Rockin’ NYC with Annie & Brian” t-shirts for a fun run through Central Park. Another was surprising Brian with the cake topper I had made of us with our dog Otis – I can’t keep a secret to save my life, but I had to keep this one since the topper included me in my dress. And finally, the priceless, goofy grin on my dad’s face. He was ear to ear all night and the pictures captured it perfectly. For us, the weekend was as much about celebrating our family and friends as it was about celebrating our marriage. We just wanted everyone to have a great time and enjoy great food and wine, and they did! Seeing everyone walk in to the gorgeous tent and later rock out to the awesome band, made all of the planning worth it, times ten!
From Lydia FitzGerald of Charmed Places… With a great vendor team onboard we all worked together diligently and thoughtfully to be able to raise the bar for Annie & Brian by providing the type of event & floral design, menu, tenting, lighting, music and personal service that further enhanced both the experience for guests and the beautiful location itself. Annie and Brian did their parts by looking absolutely amazing and taking time to truly enjoy themselves and all of their hard work leading up to the special day. At one point in the evening while guests were rocking out to the band I was surrounded by Annie, Brian and Annie’s parents who all shouted at me over the music “best wedding ever!” and because everyone including the hosts were so happy, I had to agree. A very joyous and lovely event from start to finish!
Wedding Photography: Sue Kessler of Christian Oth Studio / Wedding Venue: Wave Hill in Bronx, New York / Wedding Planning + Coordination: Lydia FitzGerald of Charmed Places / Wedding Design + Florals: Frank Alexander NYC / Wedding Cinematography: Films by Francesco / Catering: Jill Cole of Great Performances / Cakes: Baked NYC / Vegan Cupcakes: Babycakes NYC / Dinner Wines: Kathryn Hall Winery (Red) + Acker Merrall & Condit (White) / Invitations + Envelopes: Letter Perfect / Entertainment: Soulsystem Orchestra / Tent: Stamford Tent & Event Services / Lighting: Frost Productions / Vintage Cake Plates: Bountiful / Wedding Dress: Monique Lhuillier / Bride’s Shoes: Jimmy Choo / Bride’s Earrings: Tiffany & Co. / Bridesmaids Dresses: Monique Lhuillier / Hair + Makeup: Keith Axberg of Kenneth Salon / Groom’s Tux: Hugo Boss / Groom’s Shoes: Johnston & Murphy