When it comes to throwing a fabulous wedding, The Gramercy Park Hotel really knows where it’s at. From traditional soirees to modern parties and everything in between, this historical hotel is basically the world’s best place to host a wedding. Case in point? This darling day captured by Kelly Kollar, a master class in impeccable design and romantic stylings, with enough gorgeous blooms from Rachel Cho Floral Design to send your heart into overdrive. Click here for so much more.
From the Bride… Our wedding ceremony and reception were held on the rooftop terrace of the Gramercy Park Hotel, a venue that provided the perfect marriage of our vision for a romantic and elegant garden celebration with a classic New York event.
We wanted the day to feel intimate and inclusive for our guests by integrating family and friends into the details of our day. I carried my paternal grandmother’s beaded clutch inside of which I pinned my maternal grandmother’s pin and wove a strand of pearls belonging to my husband’s godmother. I wore an art-deco diamond bracelet that belonged to my great grandmother, and a pair of pearl earrings given to me by my husband. We exchanged hand-written vows under a huppah my husband built from scratch with my grandfather — a trained carpenter whose tallis served as the canopy, during a ceremony officiated by one of our dearest friends.
A brunch-themed cocktail hour included egg and cheese crostini, french toast bites, and mimosas, bellinis and Bloody Marys. In lieu of table numbers, we assigned each table a New York City landmark, illustrated and calligraphed by Paperfinger, who also designed our invitations. We set locations based on the guests seated at each table — for example, we sat at the Museum of Natural History table, the New York landmark where we got engaged, and in a winking nod to our sense of humor, we sat the groom’s high school friends, all native New Yorkers, at the Times Square table.
The lush, green rooftop lent an outdoor feeling to the event without the worry of the weather cooperating, and the bold hues and world-class modern art inside the hotel set a vibrant backdrop for our cocktail hour. We chose lush, heavily petaled flowers for our centerpieces, accentuated by creeping greens to reflect the ivy-wrapped trellises of the rooftop. Our goal in choosing these flowers, as well as the blooms for the bridal bouquet, cake and boutonniere, was to create a romantic nod to a carefully curated garden that wasn’t fully tamed. These were paired with tea lights and white linens for a clean contrast with the trees, lanterns and twinkling string lights throughout the venue.
Our goal was to have a wedding with understated elegance that felt timeless, and we are absolutely thrilled that our vision was executed flawlessly by our wonderful vendors.
Photography: Kelly Kollar Photography | Floral Design: Rachel Cho Floral Design | Dress: Amsale | Cake: A Simple Cake | Stationery: Paperfinger | Catering: Union Square Hospitality Group | Makeup: Sally Duvall | Suit: Mohan's Custom Tailors | Hotel: Gramercy Park Hotel | Music: Julliard Music School