Here’s what I know. This affair captured perfectly by Isabelle Selby is the epitome of drop-dead gorgeous (it sooo is) and there’s no place quite like the always-fabulous NYC for some sophisticated meets elegant Winter wedding magic. Because New York City? Well, it’s the kind of city that just screams “Winter chic” and for these two dapper grooms, there was just no better (or more romantic) locale to say “I do” than amongst it’s magical, candle-lit spaces. Catch all the art deco-inspired glamour in the full gallery.
From Tom… Both myself and my husband Pete love to travel so when I proposed to Pete in 2011 on a trip to the Caribbean there was no doubt in my mind that we would have a destination wedding. We had always wanted a winter wedding; that magical combination of snow, glistening candles during those long nights, that crispness in the air, and that magic that just seems to bring people together. With that in mind it did not take us long to decide that New York City was the perfect place. Not only was the city the perfect backdrop but more importantly our marriage would be legal.
When we first began traveling to New York to search for venues I really wasn’t sure what we were looking for. We just wanted something that would have that unmistakable New York feel. We also wanted it to be an amazing experience for both us and our guests. We ended up finding all of that and more in both of our venues. Neither one of us is overly religious, however when we first visited All Souls Church we just knew this was it. Standing on the altar during our visit I could visualize what our wedding would be; the lanterns running down the aisle, a string quartet playing in the background, the lights low, and lots of candles. It was magical. I think that was the first time it felt real for me. Choosing Eleven Madison Park as our reception was probably the easiest decision we had to make. Everything about the space just said classic New York and there is no questioning the quality of their staff and chef.
The best advice I could give to anyone is to stick to your vision, keep it simple, don’t let others define what your wedding should or should not be and don’t shy away from being different. We had our string quartet play all classical music while our guests were arriving; however for the actual ceremony we had them switch to top 40’s music. They played Rihanna, Coldplay, Lady Gaga, and Snow Patrol just to name a few. It helped cut the tension for both us and our guests and put a smile on everyone’s faces. We also tried to carry elements through from our invitation to the reception. Finally, we didn’t try and fight with the spaces. Everything about Eleven Madison Park was done in an art deco style. So we went with an art deco theme for our decor and played classic love songs from the 1930’s and 1940’s during our cocktail reception. The end result was a night we will never forget. Everyone warned us that our wedding day was going to fly by. While they were right, when I look back at our photos now I may not remember what was said, but I remember that feeling of love, joy, nervousness and that naive hope that all newlyweds have and it puts a smile on my face.
Photography: Isabelle Selby Photography | Photography Second Shooter: Sasithon Photography | Floral Design: H Bloom | Wedding Cake: Baked NYC | Invitations: Minted | Ceremony Venue: All Souls Church | Reception Venue: Eleven Madison Park | Wedding Bands: Tiffany & Co. | Men's Ties: Penguin | Men's Ties: Calvin Klein | Officiant: Judie Guild | String Quartet: M.A.S. Music | Accomodations: The Nolitan in New York | Boutonnieres: Pomp and Plumage | Buckeye Candy: Harry London | Cake Knife Set: Mikasa | Cake Stand: West Elm | Candy Gophers: Savannah's Candy Kitchen | Coats: Banana Republic | Desserts: Baked NYC | Gloves: Ralph Lauren | Groom's Shoes: Kenneth Cole Reaction | Groom's Suits: Macy's