Say hello to the quintessentially perfect New York City celebration at The Plaza Hotel! With the ever-so-talented Brian Dorsey Studios behind the scenes capturing every lovely detail (like those glamour girl blooms a la Anthony Brownie Flowers And Events), it’s the type of gallery that just keeps on giving. And lucky for us because we’ve unlocked every lovely moment in THE VAULT!
From Brian Dorsey Studios…Nola & Derry met in college while both attending the University of Notre Dame. “We were in this nerdy Honors Program Freshaman year… but we didn’t start dating until we were Sophomores.” Straight out of a Rom-Com, they sat next to each other in class and Derry suggested the old “Study Session”…. The rest was history!
Fast forward to the proposal, which was seriously dreamy. The two were vacationing with family in Tuscany, two days into their trip, when they visited the exact church where Nola’s parents had gotten married many years before. In the vineyard behind the church was where Derry popped the question, playing his soon to be Mrs. a song on the violin. As soon as she said yes, it began misting and the church bells rang. Unbelievable! How he snuck a violin to Italy, Nola still doesn’t understand… but she’s glad he did!
Diving headfirst into wedding planning, our bride always knew she wanted red to be a focus color on her big day, and her Groom loves green (Irish heritage + Notre Dame) but having a spring wedding resulted in the challenge of making it seasonably appropriate to use those two colors side by side. Anthony Brownie Flowers & Events was the man for the job. He softened the entire palette by adding hues of blush, peach, coral and ivory.
Now that she had her color scheme picked out, it was time to find the dress… which was not an easy task for our feature bride! She loved so many different styles and shapes that it became hard to choose. After several trips with an entourage, she decided there were “too many cooks in the kitchen” and shrunk her entourage down to only her mom and sister. Next thing you know, she found her dream gown – simple and elegant – by Justin Alexander at a small boutique in Atlanta.
Nola has two key moments that stuck with her from the day of her wedding. The first look was an important decision for this bride, which gave her and the groom time alone to talk and take it all in. “It was very intimate.” The second was spending the night before her wedding with her sister in a suite at the Plaza. It was like the ultimate slumber party before she’d change her last name. (Very “Eloise” of her, we might add.)
It’s important to stress that not all moments on such a crazy day will be smooth sailing! After taking pictures with the team at Brian Dorsey Studios, the plan was to take a black car to the church to get hitched… but no one had their phones to call for one, so the bride and groom rolled up to their ceremony in a Yellow Taxi while the coordinator turned around to get Nola’s veil – which she forgot!
Our bride was cool, calm and collected. She made it down the aisle (veil and all) – married the love of her life – and now it was time to party. “Why did I choose The Plaza? When you think of a New York Wedding…. that’s exactly what you think of. It made me feel special.” The Plaza was the perfect choice for this classic, fun couple. It was an ideal vacation destination for their many out of town guests. Nola and Derry saw a Plaza Wedding as their chance to share quintessential New York City with their friends & family.
From The Bride…If I had any advice to give to other brides/couples… it would be to have a First Look. It’s a super intimate moment for just the two of you and it allows you the opportunity to take in the beauty of the day. Also… Don’t be afraid to share the Wedding Planning experience with loved ones. My bridesmaids did my manicure and pedicure the morning of my wedding. Embrace people wanting to make you feel special. Allow your loved ones to be a part of it. Let the whole process be the wedding – instead of just that one day – because it really does go by in a flash. You’ll inevitably leave your veil behind, or forget to book a car. Those things happen. Look at every small moment – down to selecting your flowers – as the wedding on a whole. You won’t be AS sad after it’s over!
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Photography: Brian Dorsey Studios | Cinematography: Brian Dorsey Studios | Event Planning: The Plaza Hotel NYC | Floral Design: Anthony Brownie Flowers + Events | Wedding Dress: Justin Alexander | Cake: Sylvia Weinstock | Ceremony Venue: St. Francis Xavier | Reception Venue: The Plaza Hotel | Bride's Shoes: Badgley Mischka | Jewelry: Jemma Lulu | Bridesmaids' Dresses: J.Crew | Catering: The Plaza Hotel | Hair And Makeup: The House Of Makeup | Band: Hank Lane Music | Groom's Attire: Vera Wang