Their Engagement Story Is as Sweet as Their Wedding

Christine Diaz
January 29, 2018
Categories: Real Weddings, Romantic

They met while seated next to each other by chance at Fontainebleau Miami Beach. Three years later they returned and got engaged overlooking the same spot they had met. It’s hearing stories like these that makes me love my job, so I’m absolutely thrilled that today we get to sneak a peek at this duo’s colorful wedding day at Hempstead House, photographed beautifully by CLY BY MATTHEW.

[iframe http://player.vimeo.com/video/228874367 600 338]

From the Bride… Fate brought Kevin and me together. We met by chance at the pool at the Fontainebleau in Miami when a pool attendant asked if I wanted to sit next to a cute boy. Fast forward three years, and we’re back at the Fontainebleau celebrating our third anniversary. Kevin asks me to marry him on a balcony overlooking the spot where we had met three years prior. It was perfect – so intimate and meaningful! The next morning, we went to see if we could find the pool attendant that introduced us. Low and behold, he was still working at the Fontainebleau and remembered sitting us next to each other!

We knew we were destined to be together and were eager to plan a celebration with our closest family and friends that would capture our spirit and love for one another. Our vision was to have a classic, elegant wedding that would harken back to a bygone era by blending our love of Americana with Gatsby influences. We wanted the venue to speak for itself, so we chose The Hempstead House, a historic gold coast mansion, previously occupied by the Guggenheims. It was the perfect backdrop to create the atmosphere we wanted that was completely tailored to our taste. We began sourcing vintage furniture, décor, and other details, keeping in mind the period during which the mansion was built. Some of my very favorite details featured in the wedding were an Art Deco vanity set, a family heirloom passed down to me from my grandmother, and my bridal jewelry, which was made in the same decade. I found the jewelry at a flea market in Chelsea before I even bought my dress! Also, dried roses from the first bouquet that Kevin had ever given me added a sentimental touch to the bridal suite.

Guests were met with seasonal refreshments of lavender lemonade and brown sugar iced tea upon their arrival and were invited to sit facing a gorgeous chuppah designed by In Full Bloom. We exchanged vows overlooking the Long Island Sound with sailboats passing in the distance. Immediately after the ceremony, we celebrated our nuptials with cocktail hour al fresco, where guests enjoyed playing croquet on the lawn and eating fresh oysters while melodies from Alexandra Cellist & Ensembles filled the summer air.

Afterward, guests were escorted through the front doors of the Hempstead House into a dramatic foyer and were greeted by an oversized floral arrangement, which sat on a table amid miniature racehorses (a nod to the Belmont Stakes, which took place on the same day as our wedding just a few miles from the venue). Our guests were seated for dinner at a mix of long and round tables dressed with an iridescent silk shantung, which glistened in the candlelight. Each style of table was adorned with a different floral arrangement in shades of peach, lavender, blush, cherry red, and pink. The long tables had verdant garland with peonies, roses, and ranunculus seemingly growing out of the table and the rounds had a cascading arrangement with a similar vibe to the garland perched on low crystal vessels. To make the sweetheart table feel distinct, we had a splendid edging framed by vintage copper candlesticks found in a Parisian flea market.

Guests danced the night away with the help of DJ Ben from Remixologists, periodically retiring to the library, to stop by the CLY by Matthew photo booth, or to visit the billiard room where leather lounge furniture and a mahogany bar stood ready to serve libations. The skilled team at Philip Stone crafted our specialty cocktails, which included The Belmont Jewel (a bourbon cocktail) and La Vie en Rose (Kir Royale with rose syrup and a single floating petal). To end the evening, we popped a magnum of Perrier-Jouët, poured over a tower of coupe champagne glasses and served our guests a Sugar Lane Cake Shop creation that was equal parts beautiful and delicious. The flowers, created completely out of sugar, were so lifelike that we felt guilty eating them. The day was documented by the amazingly talented CLY by Matthew, who captured every moment of our wedding in great detail. He has such an amazing eye and is so dedicated to his art!