New York Weddings

I’m a total sucker for a casual, barn wedding. Maybe it’s because I had one of my own last year, but there’s just something so sweet and simple about the rustic backdrop and gorgeous fields that gets me every time. I’m loving the tablescapes filled with wildflowers, wine bottles for vases, votive candles and burlap runners. Oh, and those dishcloth looking napkins folded with menus inside fit the whole rustic decor perfectly. Micah & Megan Photographers were on hand for the day to capture all the pretty details and wow, did they do a fabulous job! The proof is in these gorgeous images. I had such a hard time choosing which ones to include because the gallery is literally filled with them. Click here for even more.

Click here to see the entire gallery of images!

From Micah & Megan Photographers…Becky and Brian wanted something very unique and special for their destination wedding in Hudson Valley, New York. Both Becky and Brian are in the advertising world of New York City so they had a keen eye for the style and design of the day. The thought that they put into each and every detail was unbelievable. They got ready for the wedding in an old rustic farmhouse. The wedding took place at the Apple Barn Farm, in Germantown, New York. Gingham and Lace surrounded the yellow and white flowers. The guests arrived to the farm in a school bus.  There was a campfire and farm animals surrounded the property. There was a specialty drink created by Becky and Brian called B+Bee’s Knees, served in antique jars with red and white striped straws.

On top of putting so much thought into the details of the wedding, these two have the most amazing hearts. The way these two love each other is indescribable. Sometimes it is explosive. Sometimes it is sweet, and intimate. It is always completely, unconditionally, love. During Brian’s best man’s speech, he told a story of how he asked Brian why and how his relationship with Becky was so amazing. It was their communication. They sit down together every night at the dinner table, no television, no distractions, and talk. Just talk, about everything and anything. That is the secret to their amazing relationship. This says so much about the commitment between these two and the ways that they put everything else aside for their love. Photographing this wedding was amazing. We feel so grateful to have been able to capture the emotion story of Becky and Brian’s day through our cameras.

Wedding Photography: Micah & Megan Photographers / Wedding Cinematography: McKenzie Miller Films / Flowers: The Rosery / Event Design: The Bride / Event Planning: Keri + Marybeth Baruta of The Apple Barn Farm / Ceremony + Reception Location: The Apple Barn Farm / Bride’s Shoes: Me Too / Wedding Dress: Nicole Miller / DJ: Digital Diva / Catering: Barbara Goldstein / Wedding Cake: Sweetcakes / Groom’s Attire: Ted Baker

It’s official. We are in full on wedding dress heaven as we come off the high of an AMAZING weekend at Bridal Market 2011. We packed up our bags and headed to the land of New York City for a whirlwind of amazing fashion, out-of-this-world Designer meetings, catch-ups with fellow industry friends, a few celebrity sightings (Colin Cowie anyone?!?) and a whole lot more gorgeous gown gazing. I don’t think we’ll ever get enough of that part.

From the runways of Romona Keveza, Reem Acra, Watters, Rivini, Christos, Kenneth Pool, Amsale, Monique Lhuillier, Ines Di Santo, Anne Barge and Claire Pettibone to uber fun studio meet-ups with Badgley Mischka, Jenny Packham, Modern Trousseau and Lela Rose, this was a trip not to be forgotten and one that has our inner style-obsessed hearts all a flutter. Let us just say, the sleeved gown is making quite the gorgeous comeback.

We’re breaking it down piece by fabulous piece Backstage so be sure to head over and catch up on the weekend happenings.  And all throughout the week we’ll be showcasing every single stunning Designer Collection we laid our adoring eyes on over on the SMP Facebook page. Stop by and catch a sneak-peek of all the amazingness being offered up in the new collections. It’s a full on fashion party and you never know, your future aisle style may just be waiting in the mix.

xoxo The SMP Ladies

1. A gorgeous lace number from the newest Claire Pettibone Collection / 2. Heart-palpitating dress mania from Lela Rose / 3. The view from our breath-taking balcony at the fabulous NY hotel French Quarters / 4. Sheer Sleeves and bedazzled frocks from Jenny Packham / 5. Hated to see this Monique Lhuillier number leave but lovvvveeed to watch her go

I suggest you take a seat before you jump into all of the gorgeous that is this Manhattan affair by the ah.ma.zing Robert & Kathleen Photographers, because this is one wedding that is just that good.  It’s true.  With a vibrant blue, green and purple color palette, one seriously stunning location and beyond beautiful blooms by Flora NY, this charming fête just made my Tuesday.  And don’t even get me started on those fabulous bridesmaid gowns.  Swoon.  Worthy.  All planned to absolute perfection by Lydia Ross Events, there’s a lot to love in this garden party meets sophisticated soiree… so join me in the gallery for even more!

Click here to see the entire gallery of images!

From Robert & Kathleen Photographers… When Boston native Rob saw Jackie for the first time, he knew had to get to know her.  His friends were shocked that he was interested, he didn’t know at the time that Jackie, a New Yorker, happened to be a Yankee fan.  Normally a no-go for a die-hard Red Sox fan like Rob, but for Jackie he would make an exception.  Their relationship started off slowly with light hearted jokes about the teams that eventually led to a first date.  Soon they were inseparable.  Jackie even moved up to Boston after college to be with Rob.

So, when it came time to plan their wedding, they decided to tie the knot in her home state – selecting Manhattan as the perfect backdrop to bring together their families.  The ceremony took place right on the grounds of Battery Gardens, overlooking the Hudson River with the Statue of Liberty in the distance.  For the reception, they moved inside to the Battery Gardens restaurant for a party that brought together all the charm of old-school New York in a modern, beautiful setting.

Wedding Photography: Robert & Kathleen Photographers / Bridal Gown: Cosmobella / Bridesmaid Dresses: Ann Taylor / Bride’s Shoes: Capparos / Flowers: Flora NY / Wedding Ceremony + Reception Location: Battery Gardens / Wedding Ceremony Musicians: Nina’s Musicbook / Wedding Cake: Brooklyn Cake / Cocktail Hour + Dinner Band: Lapis Luna / DJ: Eclipse Entertainment / Event Planner: Lydia Ross Events

Welcome back to another fabulous week here at SMP New York! We’re loving this fresh and sunny yellow inspired fete that these adorable nature lovers created for their big day. From the cute as can be succulent escort cards and favors to the beyond amazing and delicious candy bar, this wedding totally had us at hello. Jenny Ebert Photography was on hand to capture all the sweet details and there’s so much more to see in the full gallery of images!

Click here to see the entire gallery of images!

From the Bride…Matthew and I met through mutual friends.  Matthew and a group of his friends were out at one of their favorite local pubs, and, knowing that Matthew and I were both single, their friend Katie suggested that I go to meet up with them.  Thankfully, I was intrigued, and went to find out who this “Matt Berg person” was… Needless to say, we felt an instant connection!

Matthew proposed to me on Bear Mountain hike and as we reached the top, gave me a beautiful ring and promised to love me forever! Matthew and I have a bit of a reputation with our friends and family.  We are known as the couple who will always “enjoy the party the most”. We love dancing the night away and truly enjoying the company of those we love the most.  This is why we wanted our wedding to be an all out fun fest, and it was!

Matthew and I got married at the Garrison, New York.  We loved the simple elegance of the venue combined with the bright, lovely sunlight that engulfed the dinning area, perfect for us nature lovers!  Our family and friends helped us tremendously.  My aunt Mabel Zorzano designed our invitations, our centerpieces/flowers, labels and much more! Matthew’s mother actualized my dream of ” succulent plant souvenirs” and grew/planted the most beautiful unique plants.

The yellow in the flowers, bouquets, bridesmaid dresses, and candy bar (my creation!) is a reflection of my love for the sun and outdoors. Having found an amazing photographer- Jenny Ebert- who truly understood our vision, we were surrounded by our favorite things! The celebration was amazing! Matthew and I remember turning to the dance floor on several occasions and gleaming with joy at the sight of almost 100% of the guest crammed into the dance floor dancing the night away and having a great time.  This as well as the amazing food and overall feeling of the night, made this the most amazing and memorable night of out lives.

We also provided our guest with a photo booth with props such such masks and such.  Everyone was really enjoying dressing up and writing us sweet messages as they posed inside the booth.  Overall, our wedding was the perfect way to begin the rest of our lives together, and it has proved to be a memory that will always bring a smile to our faces and warmth to our hearts.

Wedding Photography: Jenny Ebert Photography / Hair Stylist: Filomena / Make-up: Lisa Westpoint / Venue + Catering: The Garrison / Entertainment: Mike Jones, DJ Milkmoney / Celebrant: Jessie Blum of Eclectic Unions / Wedding Cake: The Pastry Garden / Florist: Forever In Bloom / Favors: New England Photobooth / Wedding Dress: St. Patrick-La Sposa / Veil: Bride’s Grandma / Bride’s Shoes: Luichiny / Bridesmaid Dresses: Jim Hjelm / Men’s Formalwear: Men’s Wearhouse / Invitations: Mabel Zorzano    

Christian Oth was the first photographer that I fell in love with. I met him while filming a piece for Get Married TV and I fell in love. Majorly in love. Aside from being completely adorable, his work will actually leave you speechless. It will take your breath away in the best possible way and will remind you that weddings are indeed a fairytale. Some of his best work has been debuted here on SMP and yet, I’m pretty sure that this next feature will take the cake. It’s magic. Christian was asked to shoot the new identity image for the New York Public Library and together with designer Matthew Robbins (also love me some Matthew) and Jackie Weppner of Merci New York (beyond fab), the team set out to design some of the most beautiful wedding-inspired imagery ever. And you get to see it first. Right here on SMP.

So there you have it. The New York Public Library’s new and soon to be completely iconic identity image. With styling by Jackie Weppner of Merci New York, a gown from Gabriella New York Bridal Salon, hair and makeup team at Paul Labrecque, accessories from Jannie Baltzer and Preston and Olivia, florals by Matthew Robbins, fine jewelry pieces from Diamond in the Rough and Jupiter Jewelry. And images to drop jaws around the world by Christian Oth.

Here are a few more of the shots from the shoot…

Ahhh. This is the kind of photography that will inspire, that will excite, that will give brides, designers and artists around the world permission to dream again. To inspire their own wedding love with pure magic Christian Oth & Matthew Robbins have officially set the new bar for all things beautiful. Here is a bit more behind the scenes to keep the loveliness alive…

Thank you so very much to Christian, Matthew, Jackie, Gabriella and all of the vendors/artists/designers who collaborated on this beautiful shoot. We are honored that you chose SMP as your platform to share it with the world!

COVER IMAGE

Douglas Hannant gown from the Spring 2012 collection, bib necklace by Rivini, French veil by Sara Gabriel, amethyst and diamond cocktail ring by Jupiter Jewelry, as well as Diamond in the Rough’s “Covet” engagement ring and micro pave wedding band. Shoes from Aruna Seth.

Additional Looks

1. Claire Pettibone “Nightingale” dress, worn with a white Preston and Olivia silk organza fascinator, “Fleurs” diamond drop earrings from Jupiter Jewelry, and “Pendant” necklace, “Covet” ring, and micro pave wedding band from Diamond in the Rough. Shoes from Aruna Seth.

2. Claire Pettibone “Flora” dress, worn with Jannie Baltzer’s “Lucille” headband. All jewelry from Diamond in the Rough jewelry, including the “CB Line” earrings, “Covet” ring, and micro pave wedding band. Shoes from Hollywould.

3. Reem Acra “Best Wishes” gown, worn with a cathedral veil and horsehair sash with feather detail from Sara Gabriel, as well as a vintage bracelet and white fur shawl from Gabriella New York. The shawl was accented with a vintage diamond brooch from Jupiter Jewlery on the lapel. Additional accessories include Jupiter Jewelry’s Tanzanite princess ring set in white gold, as well as the “Orielle” stud earrings, “Covet” ring, and micro pave wedding band from Diamond in the Rough. Shoes from Aruna Seth.

4. Claire Pettibone “Iridessa” dress with silk flower fascinator headpiece (pulled from the waistband of another gown from the designer). “Pendant” necklace, “Covet” ring, and micro pave wedding band all from Diamond in the Rough. Shoes from Hollywould.

Please note: All wedding gowns featured are available at Gabriella New York.

Every day I wake up and pinch myself because I love my job so much. Day after day of pretty wedding after oh-so-pretty wedding makes for a seriously amazing gig. But there are some days I have to pinch myself twice because the pretty just doesn’t seem possible – and today is one of those days. I should have seen it coming, because anything Beth Helmstetter touches I die over, and Corbin Gurkin can do no wrong in my book.  So when you put those two lovelies together and THEN add my calligraphy crush – Laura Hooper – well, you know the pretty is going to be unmeasurable. And this gorg-fest in the Hamptons has a level of pretty that just can’t be explained. So I’ll let the images do the talking, and with a gallery full of this much pretty I don’t think I’ll stop pinching myself all day…

Do you see what I mean? Have you stopped pinching yourself yet?  Have you scrolled up an down over and over just to try to process the pretty? Well take a deep breath, because the lovely Corbin Gurkin and Beth Helmstetter have even more gorgeous to share with us in the form of this adorable couple’s seaside chic rehearsal dinner. This, my friends, is a good day.

Click here to see the entire gallery of images!

From the Bride…Austin and I met thirteen years ago — when he mistook me for someone else and kissed me!  I was sitting at our college hangout, when he came up from behind, planted his greeting on my cheek, and then realized that I wasn’t who he thought I was.  From that day forward, each time he saw me on campus, he came over to apologize for the confusion.  Eventually, one of those apologies became an invitation to dinner, and the rest is history. We attended Rollins College in Florida, but we’re both native New Yorkers and returned to Greenwich Village together after graduation. Several years ago, we moved west to California, where Austin proposed during one of our daily sunset walks on the beach of Santa Monica.  We later decided to make a big leap to San Juan del Sur, Nicaragua.  In the U.S., I worked as freelancer producer for magazines, music videos and commercials, and Austin was an actor, but when we moved to Nicaragua, we turned our focus to sustainable development, and are building environmentally conscious homes and schools.

When it came time to decide where to wed, we considered both California and Nicaragua, but because we live so far away, returning home to New York seemed like the natural choice. We retreat to the Hamptons each summer for vacation, and it holds so many happy memories, so we decided to marry in East Hampton. It was important to us to have the ceremony and reception outdoors, and fortunately we stumbled upon The LongHouse Reserve.  The moment we walked upon the Reserve’s grounds, we were moved by its extraordinary beauty.  The circular amphitheater seemed a sacred place for a ceremony, and we knew that the art sculptures, the lawns, the pond and its lily pads would be an enchanting backdrop for a celebration.

Our most profound moment came during the ceremony, when we were standing beside each other exchanging vows in the center of the amphitheater, standing on rose petals and air, encircled by the love of our family and friends.  We felt blessed in that sacred moment. Of course (of course!), walking down the aisle towards Austin felt fantastical, and he says that seeing me walk towards him was incredible.  Another delightful moment came minutes before the ceremony began, as I walked through the set-up for the cocktail hour and reception, and saw the marquee tent with its lovely chandeliers, the tables with their romantic settings, and the long bar waiting for its guests, and I knew that this completely magnificent setting was for our wedding!  Every detail we had desired (and had spent months thinking about!) came together on this one gorgeous day.  I was breathless, and so grateful to Beth Helmstetter, our wedding planner, for capturing every idea we had and realizing it.  Though some couples are anxious to greet their guests immediately after the ceremony, Austin and I really enjoyed setting off with our photographer, Corbin Gurkin, for our bride & groom shots. We got to relive the ceremony and revel in the knowledge that we had just tied the knot.  It provided us with a moment of peace in that big, beautiful, busy day.

An indelible moment was when we walked towards our reception tent as the band began to play a Jack Johnson song, and we took to the dance floor for the first time as husband and wife.  We were euphoric to begin the celebration and our lives together in such a happy way.  The cake cutter and server that we used to slice our delectable cake had been given to me as a shower gift, and my sister had them engraved with our new monogram and wedding date.  Each and every time we use that pretty silverware, we will be reminded of our wedding day  Because we are now living in Nicaragua, we wanted to infuse a bit of Latin culture into our wedding, and decided upon the band Jose Conde Y Ola Fresca, who were simply amazing.  Our family and friends spent the entire evening on the dance floor!  We both wanted to keep our wedding as green as possible, so employed local vendors who utilized regional, in-season goods.  Our caterer, Brent Newsom, served local sea bass along with the Hamptons’ famous sweet summer corn and tomatoes.  Our florist, Claire Bean, arranged seasonal flowers into our sumptuous centerpieces and bouquets.

Seriously SMP readers, y’all are a handsome bunch. I think I have a crush on each and every one of you, and I definitely have a crush on this gorgeous pair. Their wedding, coordinated by The Finishing Touch, is equally as gorgeous – and that makes for a pretty spectacular Brooklyn affair. There are more crush-worthy images where these came from, so scoot on over to the full gallery of images for even more pretty!

Click here to see the entire gallery of images!

From the Bride…A few days before we were going on our annual trip to Martha’s Vineyard with my family, Muchoki proposed.  It was close to midnight on August 29th, 2010 and I was already asleep.  Muchoki got ready for bed as if it was any regular night, but little did I know that he had other plans.  He then proceeded to get on his knee and propose!

I wasn’t one of those women who had their perfect wedding already planned in her head.  In fact, neither one of us planned on having a big wedding and weren’t even set on where we wanted to get married.  After looking into different options, locations, etc. we decided that Brooklyn would be the perfect location for us.  We’d both lived there for over 10 years and had grown to love it.  We knew we wanted to have the ceremony and reception in the same location to make things easier for guests so I found MyMoon on theknot.com and instantly fell in love with the place the first time we went.  The atmosphere was perfect and the Brooklyn themed wedding began.

A huge burden was lifted off my shoulders when Soroya of The Finishing Touch came on board five weeks before our wedding day and took over the coordination. She seamlessly picked up and completed all of the remaining tasks that needed to be done in order to make our big day perfect for us. She set up a very detailed timeline for the day and contacted each one of our vendors to ensure that everything was delivered and set up on time. With her experience and expertise in the event planning field, she was also able to provide great suggestions that I would not have considered on my own. Her great idea of adding an arch beautifully set the stage for our ceremony. Soroya also worked extremely well with the manager of our wedding venue and her schedule for the day really helped him with organizing his team at the site so that everything went smoothly.

From The Finishing Touch…The ceremony and reception took place at MyMoon, which used to be a boiler room for a former factory. Elements of the original boilers still accentuate this unique space. Run by its upbeat and easy to work with manger Kenan, the venue has an award-winning menu featuring Mediterranean dishes with a Turkish twist. The challenge for this event was that the space accommodates about 140 people, and we were hosting more than 200. We knew that staying organized and working closely with Kenan was going to be the way to make it all seamless. The ceremony was held on the outside deck of the restaurant and we worked with the florist at Graceful Gardens to create a beautiful arch that set the stage. The groom’s aunt Rev. Bobb presided over the ceremony and gave the couple and the guests moving and inspirational words of wisdom. The couple opted for unity sand instead of candles to avoid them being outed by the wind, and an opera singer did a beautiful rendition of Ave Maria.

After the ceremony the couple was whisked away in their limo to take pictures at the piers while guests enjoyed the cocktail hour. When they returned the reception began. Centerpieces were beautiful white peonies with greenery, and the monogrammed wedding cake was a delicious red velvet confection. The groom’s cake was a traditional West Indian cake. The DJ spun hit songs including key Stevie Wonder tunes throughout the evening, and at the end of the night guests still lingered wanting to enjoy more. The event was a fantastic success. This was such a fun event for a truly beautiful couple.

Wedding Coordination: The Finishing Touch Wedding & Event Planning / Venue: MyMoon / Floral Design: Graceful Gardens / Make Up: Lauren Knuckles / Wedding Cake: Soutine Bakery / Wedding Photography: John Walder Photography / Transportation: Comfort International Transportation / DJ: DJ Incrediboi / MC: Curtis McCloggan

We love Karen Wise. Love her like family. So we just couldn’t wait to see how she, after photographing hundreds upon hundreds of weddings, approached her big day to her talented beau. We knew it would be oh so stylish, we knew Heather Waraksa would send along drop dead gorgeous images, but we did not know we would get two swoon-worthy events for the price of one! So we opened this beauty up, let out a collective squeal and began counting down the minutes until we could share it with all of you. Well, the time has come. The gallery is full, the image boards are bountiful and the description from the bride as told from the other side of the lens cannot be beat. So close your office door, block out some time on your calendar and get ready to make your Thursday so much more stylish!

And just when you think you couldn’t possibly be happier with all this wedding goodness, Karen and Chandler’s New York City Civil Ceremony is going to just make your day and then some…and don’t forget, the full gallery is well…full…of both of these gorgeous events!

Click here to see the entire gallery of images!

From the Bride, Karen Wise, on her Montreal Wedding…As a wedding photographer who has photographed over 300 weddings, I found making choices for my own wedding both simple and quite challenging. In the past few years, I had taken note of what I’d like to have at my wedding after seeing so many unique events. The most difficult part about wedding planning was choosing our location. Chandler and I knew we wanted our wedding to be outside of New York City. I’ve photographed weddings at MANY New York venues and Chandler, being a director/cinematographer had worked almost everywhere in NY too. We wanted to choose something new and unique to both of us. I grew up in Montreal and so looking there seemed like a good idea. My family still lives there and Chandler and I always enjoy visiting. At first we thought we’d want our wedding to take place amidst the pine trees and mountains north of Montreal in Tremblant where we ski every winter. However, since we knew we’d have guests coming from all over and as far away as Vancouver, LA and Barbados, we changed our minds and decided to keep it simple. Old Montreal seemed like the best option, as it is located in the most quaint and historic part of the city. We knew it would lend a picturesque backdrop to our pictures.

Thankfully we were able to bring our photographer (my colleague, the talented Heather Waraksa) from New York. She had photographed our civil ceremony in October, and we loved working with her! We hired Four Branches from Brooklyn to design our chuppah and Mr. Boddington’s Studio in NYC to design our invitations. The rest of our vendors we searched for locally, starting from scratch, researching Canadian vendors from afar. I found that it took a few months to seek out the best talent, as not every one of our vendors had a website or was well-advertised on blogs as they are here. I love beautiful design, so the style of our stationery, the fashion, colors and textures of the décor were fun for me to coordinate. We worked with very talented local Montreal vendors like Flore (floral design), Kostar (lighting design), Cocoa Locale (baker), Caroline Théoret (makeup/hair) and DJ Toddy Flores who rocked the party!

We danced our first dance to Led Zeppelin’s “Whole Lotta Love” and had all of our guests join in. Chandler and I had briefly choreographed it in our Brooklyn kitchen but only rehearsed it once in the elevator heading down from cocktail hour. Not a lot of time to perfect it, but supposedly it was a hit! Nick Drake and Cat Power were amongst our initial choices but in the end we decided that upbeat was the way to go. DJ Toddy Flores rocked the rest of the party mixing from a list we’d made of our favorite tracks (mostly 80’s and Hip Hop). Verses, Hotel Nelligan’s restaurant’s steak au poivre and Arctic char melted in your mouth. The chocolate chai and vanilla rose cupcakes from Cocoa Locale were perfection.

From the Bride, Karen Wise, about her NYC Civil Ceremony…Our civil ceremony took place in Manhattan, NY. It was photographed by Heather Waraksa, and Saipua provided the bouquet and boutonniere. I wore a light-colored Burberry coat, Louboutin nude patent leather shoes and a red dress with white gloves… I was inspired by Mad Men at the time that I created my outfit!

We knew we would be planning a bigger wedding in Montreal, Canada in the Spring, but we wanted to do this little ceremony first, partly to get my green card process under way. Although we had been dating for 3 years prior to the ceremony, our parents still hadn’t met, so we thought this would be a fun day to have both sides meet! My sister was also there, as well as Chandler’s brother and sister-in-law.

It was a beautiful sunny day in the Fall, it was windy and cool, but really pretty for the photos. We started the day at my home/studio with hair and makeup and then did a few portraits around Park Slope before jumping in a car service to drive to City Hall before the 3pm closing. Since we had a few hours before our reservation at del Posto restaurant in Manhattan, we had some tea, drinks and a snack at The Standard Hotel while we waited. Heather shot some photos after the ceremony in the newly designed City Hall. The light was beautiful as it poured in through their large windows. We also got the chance to shoot in the streets and in front of the Standard before saying goodbye to Heather.

Montreal Wedding – Wedding Photography: Heather Waraksa / Floral Design: Flore / Wedding Dress: Monique Lhuillier via Mark Ingram Bridal Atelier / Make-up + Hair: Studio Caroline Théoret / Cupcakes + Wedding Cake: Cocoa Locale / Stationery: Mr. Boddington Studio / Calligraphy: Primele / Signs: Baumbirdy / Vintage Hair Piece: Sara Gabriel via Gabriella New York Bridal Salon / Earrings: Clay Pot / Bride’s Rings: Jessica Fields via Clay Pot / Bridesmaid Dresses: Ann Taylor / Groom’s Suit: Custom Men / Groom’s Shoes: Bruno Magli / Bride’s Shoes: Kate Spade / Flower Girl’s Dress: April Cornell via La Cache / Lighting: Kostar Lighting

NYC Civil Ceremony – Wedding Photography: Heather Waraksa / Flowers: Saipua / Coat: Burberry / Shoes: Christian Louboutin / Groom’s Suit + Tie: Banana Republic / Earrings: Alexis Bittar / Red Dress: Diane von Furstenberg / Hair Piece: Renee Rivera via Bergdorf Goodman / White Gloves: Gabriella New York Bridal Salon / Negligee: La Perla / Hair: Martha Ellen Mabry / Make-up: Sally Duvall / Hand Bag: Moyna

If I could live in a garden, I most certainly would… So you can imagine the pure giddiness I felt when I laid my eyes upon this uber-gorgeous Aurora Inn affair by the amazing Clark+Walker Studio.  Simply brimming with the most luscious of peony-filled blooms by In Bloom Wedding Floral Design, vintage brooches, my favorite bridesmaid dresses (LOVE) and one simply stunning bride and groom, if this isn’t a garden lover’s dream come true, then I don’t know what is.  Plus, how breathtaking is the bride’s fabulous gown?  Swoon.  Worthy.  Yes, I suggest you prepare yourselves for a whole lot of pretty and join me in the gallery for even more!

Click here to see the entire gallery of images!

From the Bride… We spent a year planning so that we could be as hands-on involved as possible and budget accordingly. Having live music during the ceremony, cocktail hour and reception and hiring an amazing photographer were of most importance to us. To save on costs, we chose not to rent fancy linens, lights or chairs, opted for digitally printed paper goods (except for the calligraphy table numbers and place cards), used reclaimed items for decoration and postponed our honeymoon until our first anniversary. I collected crystal vases from my mother and grandmother for the floral arrangements, gathered hand-embroidered family heirlooms, like the crocheted tablecloth on the cake table, and scoured thrift shops for vintage handkerchiefs, rhinestone brooches (placed on the bridesmaids’ bouquets) and other antique pieces.

It was really important for us to incorporate decor with sentimental value or that could be reused in our new house. For instance, my mother’s lace place mats were used on the dinner tables, our ring bearer carried my parents’ ring pillow, which had been recovered in my mother’s veil by Don’s mother, and our flower girl carried a 1950’s silver bridal basket that now sits on our sideboard. I also wore Don’s late grandmother’s cameo ring that matched the 1900’s brooch I attached to my bouquet (A gift from Don—I adore cameos!) and he wore his late grandfather’s black opal ring. We gave our parents and grandparents monogrammed handkerchiefs for their tears of joy. Supporting the local community was important, as well. Our favors were muth jars of Finger Lakes honey; an Auburn, NY artist hand painted our postcard-style Save the Dates—a view of the inn; our champagne glasses and cake servers were purchased at MacKenzie-Childs; and the “guest book” were two wooden oars purchased at a nearby gift shop that Don will hang in his office.

For our palette of blush pink, rose, ivory, charcoal, champagne and soft apricot, I took cues from the poise and femininity of Jane Austen, Georgette Heyer and other regency-novel book covers (my favorite genre) and the sweet floral patterns of the Laura Ashley fabric that decorated my childhood bedroom. These elements also inspired the ethereal look for the bridesmaid dresses and the traditional, timeless look for my wedding gown and veil. (I fell in love with the delicate beading, lace appliques and corset that hugged my curves just right the minute I slipped the dress on!) Our signature flower was the peony. We featured a single stem on our blush and charcoal invitations and custom stamps. Our florist used peonies, Juliet garden roses, ranunculus, antique hydrangea, spray roses and sweet peas to create lush arrangements. Geranium leaves added texture. And we let the flowers serve as our main means of decoration to avoid upstaging the natural beauty of the inn. Smaller arrangements were placed on cocktail tables and hung in jars down the ceremony aisle, single blooms and candles floated in water fountains, a fragrant ruscus garland hung across the bar and flower petals covered the spot where Don and I stood during the ceremony. No two arrangements were alike.

A few other personal touches we added: tying light pink, cream and champagne ribbons to the backs of our chairs, toasting with pink champagne, a display of family wedding portraits, a bar snack of sweet potato chips and fresh lemonade and selecting a ceremony message and passages that best represented us and the special day. Our traditional white wedding cake also had meaning. A monogrammed “K” represented our new married last name, four different-flavored tiers symbolized our years together and the intricate piping and candy pearls mimicked my dress details. It was a magical day that went off without a hitch, except for my wee bit of nerves before seeing Don! We will forever hold dear the moments when my grandparents signed our marriage certificate (they will celebrate 60 years together this December), my father’s touching speech where he dubbed Don my guardian angel and of course, standing hand in hand while we declared our love for each other in front of our family and friends and then danced the night away!

Wedding Photography: Clark+Walker Studio / Floral Design: Rachel Pasquarelli, In Bloom Wedding Floral Design / Coordinator + Planner: Heather Davidson, The Aurora Inn / Ceremony + Reception Location: The Aurora Inn / Invitations: Paperwhites / Bride’s Shoes: Nordstrom / Wedding Dress: Pnina Tornai via Kleinfeld Bridal / Veil: Erin Cole via Kleinfeld Bridal / Favors: Stephanie Williams, Bee Attitudes Honey / Table Number Picture Frames: Michaels with DIY paper doilies from Mother of the Bride / Favor Tags: Creative Visions / Table Numbers + Place Cards: colliding stars / Hair + Make-up: Kris Kellogg, Makeup On Demand / Wedding Cake + Catering: The Aurora Inn / Ceremony + Cocktail Hour Music: Clinton String Quartet / Reception Band: Little Joe & the Big Shots / Wedding Programs: Documents and Designs / Save the Dates: Dawn Jordan / Garter: Florrie Mitton / Bridal Party Robes: Blush Lingerie / Bridesmaid Dresses: Amsale via Bella Bridesmaid / Bridesmaid Jewelry: The Left Bank Bridal Finery / Bride’s Reception Earrings: Thomas Knoell / Ring Pillow: Mother of the Bride / Flower Girl Basket: Etsy / Bride + Groom Champagne Flutes, Cake Knife + Card Box: MacKenzie-Childs / Guest Book: Lake House / Ribbon + Candles: Jamali Garden / Vintage Handkerchiefs, Placemats + Lace: Mother of the Bride + Thrift Shops / Flower Vases: Mother and Grandmother of the Bride / Groom + Groomsmen Suits: JoS. A. Bank / Groom’s Tie: Valentino via Gilt Groupe / Groomsmen Ties + Tie Clips: Calvin Klein via Macy’s / Officiant: Rev. Rich Rose, First Baptist Ithaca / Cards + Photo Props: BLHDN / Cake Tablecloth: Bride’s late Great Grandmother / Flower Girl Dress: Joan Calabrese

Who doesn’t love a good picnic? Especially one smack-dab in the middle of Onondoga Park in Syracuse. Sounds like the perfect way to spend an afternoon to us. Of course, the only thing that could possibly make that scenario even better is to add Leo Timoshuk Photography into the mix. One gorgeous image after another is what he is bringing to the table and my oh my are we in hog heaven. Join us in some fab gallery gawking here!

Click here to the entire gallery of images!

From Leo Timoshuk Photography…I knew from the first time I met Victoria & Michael that there was something special about them. Victoria loves to read, she brought books. Michael loves to give Victoria flowers, so he brought some flowers. They love to take walks together so that’s exactly what we did. A walk in the park in the summer evening with flowers, books, and a picnic themed shoot. It was perfect. We laughed more than anything. It was a perfect summer evening filled with romance. Everything was real! The evening ended with a love letter written to Michael that Victoria read (he didn’t know anything about it). It was a great evening & it was more than special to have captured these memories for Victoria & Michael.

Photography + Planning: Leo Timoshuk Photography / Hair + Make-up: Victoria / Dress: Marc Jacobs / Suit: Hugo Boss / Flowers: Local Market / Picnic Baskets, Blankets + Other Props: Marshalls / Balloons, Bubble Gum + Candy: Party City

A wedding filled with bright yellow details is sure to put a smile on anyone’s face. It’s hard not to be completely enamored over that sunshiny hue but that isn’t the only detail worth swooning over. My heart is all a flutter over this movie-themed affair. It’s not over the top but JUSTTT RIGHT with so many thoughtful details woven throughout crafted by Rock Paper Scissors Events and planned to perfection by Loli Events. Patricia Kantzos Photography snapped a whole lot of gorgeous so grab some popcorn (when in Rome, right?) and get cozy with this Bronx beauty in the full gallery.

Click here for the FULL wedding!

From the bride… Howell and I are old fashioned romantics at heart. We really wanted to have a romatic vintage style movie-themed wedding. We were inspiried by old fashioned movies from the 40s and 50s we wanted this to reflect in our wedding style. We worked with the wonderful Ara from Rock Paper Scissor Designs and collaborated with her closely on coming up with an over all concept that would be fun for all of our guest, such as incorporating vintage movie posters and old film reels for our decor. We used  vintage style movie tickets for our escort cards as well as used our programs as movie playbills with our wedding party and family members as featured stars. We also had a custom movie marquee made and the guest were served popcorn for wedding favors. We loved our adorable centerpieces which were rounded carnation domes on cake stands tied with a cute ribbons for each table.  In keeping with the vintage movie fun we  had Courtney from Swiss Cottage Designs create a  custom vintage movie poster from a photograph that our photographer Patricia took of us from our engagement shoot and we used this as the “featured” movie poster to reveal to all of our guest.

The most exciting part of planning our wedding was seeing everything come together beautifully after months of planning. It was really important to look forward to the big day as much as possible, since during part of the planning process Howell was deployed in Iraq and all we could think about was how amazing everything would be once he returned and we could celebrate our big day together! Everything ended up as we pictured it would and we were so happy to excited to share in our special day with each other and our guest. We are really grateful for our wonderful vendors who helped us along the way. Especially the vendors who went above and beyond: our Day of Wedding Coordinator- Lauren from Loli Events who kept us calm, Tammi from our Venue at Pelham Bay & Split Rock Golf Course, our Photographer Patricia Kantzos for our amazing wedding and engagement photos that we will enjoy for a lifetime, our  creative Event Designer Ara from RPS, Courtney from Swiss Cottage Designs for your wonderful work on our stationary and poster, our florist Lynn from Florisan and our  DJ Phil from 74 Events who kept the soul train lines  going during our wedding day and of course our wonderful  parents, family and friends. Thank you all for your help in making this wonderful day so special for us!

Photographer: Patricia Kantzos Photography / Venue: Pelham Bay & Split Rock Golf Course / Event Designer: Ara from Rock Paper Scissors Events / Artwork: Courtney from Swiss Cottage Designs / Event Planner: Lauren from Loli Events / Flowers: Lynn Jawitz of Florisan LLC / DJ: Philip Quinaz of 74 Events / Cake: Sal from Conti’s Pastry Shoppe / Invitations: Minted / Wedding Gown: Michelle Roth / Wedding Gown Purchased At: Kleinfeld Bridal / Shoes: Stuart Weitzman / Bridesmaids Dresses: Ella Park Bridal

There is just something so lovely about a winery wedding, and this pretty little fête by Samantha Shay Photography is o-ver-flowing with with all the loveliness I adore so much about them. Sweet little details with a hint of rustic and a pinch of vintage filled the affair with a whole lotta pretty – not to mention it looks like this adorable duo tied the knot on the most beautiful, light-filled evening making for a gallery full of lovely image after lovely image!

Click here for the FULL wedding!

From the bride…Growing up on Long Island I was blessed with being surrounded by beautiful coastlines, farms and wineries.  This is where my true inspiration came from when planning my dream wedding. As a little girl, I always dreamed of my “big day”, what I would wear, what flowers I would use, what the tables would look like, etc.  The one thing I didn’t wonder about was where I would have my wedding.  That I knew.  It would be out on the North Fork of Long Island.  The North Fork is a hidden gem, a special place to me and a place where I come to escape the hustle and bustle of New York City.   As soon as I introduced my fiancé to the North Fork he fell in love too with the charm and quaintness of the area.  We agreed that one day this area would be perfect for our wedding.

Throughout the three years that Matt and I dated, each time we came to visit my parents in Greenport, Long Island we go wine tasting.  With over 50 wineries on the Eastern End of Long Island we had many to try.  Every tasting we went on there was always one winery that stood out in our minds, Bedell Cellars in Cutchogue, NY.  You could call it love at first site for myself and love at first taste for Matt.  We loved Bedell for not only its amazing wines but for the ambiance and calmness that came over us every time we would go there.

My vision for our wedding (This is where the fun began for me!) was for it to be homey, vintage, rustic, yet slightly romantic.  All these elements fit perfectly in with the surrounding land. I took the beauty of the winery and the natural colors already there to create my color palette.  Antique white, sage green, rose petal pink and cream. It was very important for me to keep everything local and to be as organic as possible.  Our food was bought at local fish stores, farm stands, local gourmet stores and even the oysters at our raw bar came from my Dad’s own oyster farm!  Our wine jelly favors were made from Bedell grapes and even some of our flowers were sourced from backyards.  Each reception table was named after local towns on the North Fork, to create an intimate feel.  I wrote a fact about each town and framed them in frames made from old barn wood.  Texture played a big and important role in my wedding décor too.  From the antique skeleton keys that I had collected over the years to the rattan table linens, to the type of flowers that were used, to the torn paper chosen for our invitations, escort cards, favor tags, each detail played an important role in the overall décor.

Photography: Samantha Shay Photography / Location: Bedell Cellars Winery / Caterer: A Small Affair / Rentals: Party Rental Ltd. / Florist: Karen Lenahan / Wedding Planner: the bride / Hair: Patti at Alter Ego Hair Salon (516-921-1100) / Makeup: Beth Rachel / Brides dress: Christos / Brides shoes: Christian Louboutin / Brides Earrings + Bracelet: Jennifer Miller / Bridesmaid Dresses: Amsale / Groom + Groomsmen Suits: Lauren by Ralph Lauren / Groom + Groomsmen Ties: JoS. A. Bank / Ceremony Music: Miriam Shilling / Cocktail and Reception Music: Hank Lane of The Downtown Band / Reception Lighting: Matt Murphy Event Lighting / Officiant: Reverend Alison Caiola / Escort Card Holder: TreehouseWoodDesigns / Guest book: EmersonBindery / Reception table frames: braggingbags / Wedding Chair Signs: AnistaDesigns / Ring Bearer Pillow: NanaMontana / Large D&M Initials: thebackporchshoppe / Robe Worn by Bride While Getting Ready: Pretty Plum Sugar

Wowza. This wedding designed by Hatch Creative Studio and captured by Angelica Glass Photography is perfection. Classic with a stylish twist type of perfection. New York City through and through type of perfection. All around per-fec-tion. Need reasons? Well, forgot a bus or trolley, the guests of this stylish soiree were transported from the ceremony to the reception via a two hour tour on the NYC Big Apple Tour bus. It only seems appropriate right? Or how about their “griege” (grey or beige) dress code for guests? I.love.that.so.much. So when I said this wedding is perfection, it was no overstatement – it might actually be an understatement. And that’s just the tip of the stylish iceberg, click here for even more!

Click here for the FULL wedding!

From the bride…Our wedding was an unusual yet classic homage to NYC with guests being transported from the church (Old St. Pat’s in Nolita) to the reception site (Smackmellon Studios in Dumbo) via a 2 hour NYC Big Apple tour bus, programs and illustrated pins  incorporating sayings on life and love from New Yorkers both fictional and real, a Royal Tenenbaum themed photo booth to complement photos from our wedding party’s Royal Tenenbaum themed photo shoot hosted months prior to the wedding and NYC foodie favorite Joey Capanero of Little Owl catering it. So over all, a thoroughly NYC wedding with a lot of personal touches.

I really wanted our guests to feel pampered and also to get a sense of our relationship. We are OBSESSIVE about fashion, food, design, music and film so all those elements were key influences on our wedding.  Our invite included a fabric label dress code instructing guests to wear “greige” attire as well as a letter pressed map highlighting special restaurants and shops we frequented during our courtship. We had a traditional Catholic Ceremony to honor or parents but I had a Brooklyn children’s choir called Highbridge Voices sing elementary Catholic school songs that John and I both remembered as kids.

Royal Tenenbaums was the movie my husband and I bonded over on our first date so I had our wedding party take photos dressed as characters from the film and hosted a photo shoot shot by one of the bridesmaids who is also a photographer.  I framed the photos and these were then used as part of the reception décor.  I wanted our guests to join in the fun so we had a photobooth that mimicked The Royal Tenenbaums set along with key props.  Guests really enjoyed this! The escort card lockets (one of my favorite elements) echo one of the first gifts John every gave me while the jewelry boxes featured on tables are all vintage modeled after my mom’s art deco jewelry boxes I remember as a child, the vintage postcards on which guests were instructed to leave a note are of Cuba (where my parents are from), Philly (where my husband is from and NYC (where we make our home).

Photography: Angelica Glass Photography / Event + Floral Design: Hatch Creative Studio / Wedding Planner: Soraya Jollon / Ceremony Venue: St. Patrick’s Old Cathedral / Reception Venue: Smack Mellon Gallery / Catering: Joey Capanero of the little owl / Children’s Choir: Highbridge Voices

If Venues held a most popular contest I think Frankie’s 457 Spuntino would totally be winning right now. We have devoured one gorgeous fête after another at this Brooklyn eatery and with good reason. It proves a fabulous spot for Receptioning. And this particular wedding has a slew of wonderful vendors under its belt. We’re talking Poppies and Posies on the floral and design helm, Rifle Paper Co. whipping up fab invitations and of course, the photographer behind each gorgeous image, Robert Sukrachand. It’s definitely a winner and it’s sitting pretty in the gallery for you to swoon over. See it here!

Click here to see the FULL wedding!

From the bride… Blair and I love the rustic, laid-back vibe of the garden at Frankies 457(and their delicious food!) and knew it would be the perfect location for our small, intimate wedding.  The ceremony and cocktail hour took place in their charming garden draped in ivy and grapevines and the reception was held in their converted blacksmith stable. We had a blast working with everyone at Frankies- from planning the menu to wine tasting for the event.  We thought it would be great for everyone to take home a little memento of the evening, and chose to give out the Frankies Cookbook as our favors (which included the recipes of everything on the menu that evening).

Poppies and Posies did an amazing job with the visual elements- vintage props, hand-calligraphy chalkboard signs and vibrant, Liberty of London inspired fabrics.  We wanted our flowers to look wild like they were just picked out of a garden, and the men’s boutonnieres included miniature thistle florets and ornamental oregano. Our absolute favorite was the refreshment station they put together- it helped to welcome all of our guests, and with a ball jar of bourbon spiked lemonade in hand it really made our ceremony feel all the more relaxed.  We are total suckers for stripey straws and couldn’t resist personalizing them with our initials.  We also loved their take on the guestbook- fabric swatches that everyone got to write on and hang in the dining room to serve as part of the décor.

We decided to take our photos before the ceremony, and our incredible photographer Robert Sukrachand suggested the best locations around Brooklyn Heights.  The neighborhood is full of charming brick townhouses and cobblestone streets. We also headed over to the Brooklyn Bridge Park, which was full of lush greenery and gorgeous views of the river.  He truly captured all of the details and the mood of the evening perfectly! We had so much fun working with all of our vendors- the end result was a very personal, special evening full of wonderful memories.  Our wedding felt like the ultimate dinner party- sharing great food and music on a beautiful summer evening with all of our closest family and friends.

Photography: Robert Sukrachand Photography / Flowers + Design + Details: Poppies and Posies / Venue: Frankie’s 457 Spuntino / Cupcakes: Baked NYC / Invitations: Rifle Paper Co. / Bride’s Attire: Sarah Seven / Bride’s Attire Purchased at: Lovely Bridal Shop / Groom’s Attire: Billy Reid / Makeup: Sally Duvall / Hair: Vu Nguyen

Ready for some serious sweetness? How about a sweet as can be tea party bridal shower from The Hudson Cakery? I have the sweetest of sweet tooths, so just the sight of all this deliciousness has me drooling. To top it all off, it’s perfectly pretty too. You can devour the entire party completely calorie-free in the full gallery of images!

Click here for the FULL bridal shower!

From The Hudson Cakery…Here’s an afternoon tea party shoot styled with mini cupcakes, tarts, a trio of cakes and more. The custom menu sits on stacked blue and white hat boxes. The cupcakes are topped with fondant damask and pink tea pots. Blackberry scones and baked mini donuts round out the table.

Cakes and Desserts: The Hudson Cakery / Photography: Eloquently So

Love stories get me every time. Each and every time. I sit with my hands on my chin all googly eyes at the sight of two people confessing how much they adore each other in wedding videos. So it shouldn’t be a big surprise to you that engagement videos like this one from Love & You Video have the same affect. These two cuties couldn’t be more adorable, and this video is sure to be a priceless keepsake they’ll watch for years to come. I highly suggest you start your day off with a little love, and take a look for yourself!

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Click here for the FULL shoot!

From the cinematographer…Kristy & Scott are such a sweet couple.  They knew of each other back in high school but did not meet and start dating until they both moved to New York City.  When I first meet up with Kristy & Scott to discuss doing video for their October 22, 2011 wedding, I could see how much they love each other.  I wanted to keep the video simple and let their love story unfold.  I feel that the excitement in their voices is captured so well and complements their expressions.  I can not wait till October to film their wedding.

It’s hard for me to pinpoint what made me the most excited when I first saw this wedding by Dave Robbins Photography. My love for horses would be the obvious pick – a wedding involving those stately steeds was a wedding I dreamed of as a little girl growing up. However, I think what really sent me into a tizzy of excitement was how the couple used SMP and the SMP readers as a resource. With the Little Black Book as their guide they booked some fabulous vendors, and even borrowed the horse stamp they used throughout the wedding from this adorable couple. Now that just makes me smile from ear to ear. Their gorgeous wedding video from Hello Super Studios makes me smile even harder if that’s possible – so don’t forget to stick around to see what all the fuss is about! Click here for even more!

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Click here for the FULL wedding!

From the videographer…Megan & Ciaran celebrated their wedding in Megan’s hometown of Goshen, NY at the historic Harness Museum and Race Track (in the Hudson Valley). It was a truly unique setting where wedding party had a ball taking photos on the old racetrack. Megan handled all of the DIY elements and executed all of her details to perfection… from her vintage milk glass collection to the adorable potted succulent place settings to their fun sparkler send off.  And the love between the lovebirds of them was just the sweetest! Dave Robbins photographed the day and Hello Super Studios created the super 8 wedding film.

From the Bride…Ciaran and I live in Boston but chose to wed in NY where I grew up, and his family flew-in from Ireland and Australia.  Choosing a location was the easiest decision for us; the Harness Museum is ten minutes from my family’s home and a local landmark.   The museum is set around an idyllic track with a beautiful grandstand and stables in the background. There are still races to this day and a few jockeys were practicing during our wedding, which made for some fun photos and film.  While neither Ciaran nor I are equestrians, it felt natural to use the museum as an inspiration for planning the wedding.  That is where SMP became my essential wedding planning blog.   We found three of our vendors in the SMP vendor guide: Dave Robbins, the DJ Solution, and Hello Super Studios.  Even a lovely bride and groom, Alicia and Ian, from A Denver wedding with DIY charm allowed us to use Ian’s horse stamp on all of our paper goods used throughout the wedding.  The camaraderie found throughout the SMP community is inspiring and fabulous.

Apart from other details in the wedding that included my sister making our invitations as a wedding gift, my cousin drawing our “wedding tree” guest book, trips with friends to the infamous Brimfield Antique Fair searching for every piece of milk glass in western MA, and a now solidified obsession with Etsy. Choosing to film our wedding was a serendipitous decision and one of the best ones we made.  After watching films featured on SMP (especially San Ysidro Ranch Wedding) I fell in love with the idea.  I contacted Megan Hill from Hello Super Studios five months before our wedding and our date was open, but I was concerned with the expense and spent weeks contemplating hiring a cinematographer.  While it wasn’t something we originally budgeted for I finally decided it would be an amazing treasure to have after our wedding.  I once again contacted Megan about 3 ½ months before the wedding and to my surprise our date was the only opening she had remaining that summer.  Besides sharing a first name I took this as a sign that it was meant to be…we booked Hello Super Studios immediately!

Venue: Harness Museum / Photography: Dave Robbins Photography / Cinematography: Hello Super Studios / Dress: Reverie by Melissa Sweet for Priscilla of Boston / Groom’s Suit: Alfani / Flowers: Floral Cottage / Succulents:  The Succulent Garden / Caterer: Pamela’s Traveling Feast / Cupcakes The Pastry Garden / Music: The DJ Solution

When I first laid eyes on this wedding by 4Eyes Photography, my heart fell in love with her dress. That always happens to me when I’m poring over weddings, one thing always jumps out at me and just won’t let go. For this wedding it was the one shoulder, embossed gown with the most perfect buttons – also known as her wedding dress. So…like I am sure all of you do, I went straight to her description to see where she found that wonder, and can you believe that this bride on a budget had it custom made?! Oh it’s true. And now I am even more in love. The entire affair designed by Hatch Creative Studio is just as lovely, and you can see it all in the full gallery of images!

Click here for the FULL wedding!

From the Bride…We wanted our personalities to be reflected in every bit of the wedding and were really focused on the details. We made alot of the visuals for the ceremony and the reception ourselves.  Mike is also an art director/designer and created our invitations, programs, thank you cards for the table and a custom seating tree.  I  wanted everything to have a very modern vintage style from the dress and veil to the flowers and decor. We worked with Barb Salzman of Hatch Creative Studio Event and Floral Design and she transformed the Ace Hotel space by complementing the dark laquered walls with mercury glass, candles, vases filled with gorgeous white flowers and elegant black feathers.  The tables were long farmhouse style and made of rustic wood.  She found table runners with a silver backdrop that had similar green swirls that were used on our invitation.  The space has a wall of old speakers piled on top of each other that created a unique backdrop. She utilized the various layers to place flowers and candles which illuminated the room.

I found my dress at a custom dress shop that was coincidentally located directly across the street from the church where we got married.  It was the first dress I saw and fell in love with it immediately.  Christina, the dress designer, makes each dress by hand and was really open to some ideas I had on how I wanted the shoulder piece to look. She really understood my vision and created a dress that fit like a glove, looked impecable and wasn’t a fortune!  I chose a french birdcage veil for the ceremony that was on a separate comb from a feathered headpiece so I could remove the veil after the ceremony but keep the feathers.  I had three of my best friends as maids of honor and they all wore a black dress of their choosing. To make them stand out, each selected a black feather facinator to wear in their hair. My bouquet was also created by Hatch and featured all white English Garden roses and Rannaculous with black and white dotted feathers sprinkled throughout.  It was wrapped in black lace with a vintage brooch.  The maids of honor also had white flower bouquets featuring long black feathers with a different vintage brooch on the stems.   Mike’s boutinniere included a white flower and black and white dotted feather to match my bouquet.  The three groomsmen also wore a white flower with black feather to match the maids of honor bouquets.

Since we were on a budget and weddings in NYC can be extremely expensive, we designed alot of the details and special moments ourselves and found talented vendors on etsy to bring the unique touches to life. Mike created a seating tree where guests could find their table number but also see how everyone was connected to the bride and groom (i.e. friend of Mike, aunt of Lauren etc.). We provided a list of ‘our favorites’ in NYC for guest gift bags giving them our go-to spots such as brunch, shopping and even take out joints to enjoy while in town. Since art and painting are such an important part of our life instead of doing a traditional guest book we made a guest wedding canvas where they could leave messages via paint pens. We had a double decker tour bus take the entire wedding from the church to the Ace Hotel for the recpetion with a driving tour through our favorite neighborhoods. A friend of ours is a pastry chef and cake designer.  We asked her to create our wedding cake and she designed a master piece inspired by our invitation that tasted even better than it looked.  We also got a custom cake topper created by a vendor on etsy and she brought little details to life to make the figures resemble us down to a feather headpiece and Mike’s five o’clock shadow! I had a special hanger created by a vendor on etsy that had my new last name spelled out in wire which I used to hang my dress on the day of the wedding. It made for a great photo op! For a bit of tradition, we included framed pictures of our parents and grandparents weddings on a table in the reception room to honor them and remember those who had passed on. For my something blue, I wore teal blue shoes, for my something old I wore my grandmother’s ring and for something borrowed I used a hankerchief.

Oh I am so excited to welcome A Printable Press! One because they are awesome, and two because they are offering a FAB giveaway to one very lucky SMP New York reader – a free Save the Date design! Yes you read that right – free. All you have to do is leave a comment below stating what love means to you, and A Printable Press will pick a winner at the end of the week! Fab way to start a Saturday, right?

From A Printable Press…A Printable Press creates print-ready files for all your wedding stationery. This means you can have them printed however you want—with a pro print shop, an online company, a copy shop, or even at home. And many can be done with letterpress for that lovely classic look.  We wanted to find a way for couples to have elegant professional design no matter what their budget. Our motto at A Printable Press is “because everyone needs beauty as well as bread”.

A big SMP New York welcome! We are so happy to have you!

Does it get anymore romantic than a wedding in Central Park? The perfect little oasis in the middle of the hustle and bustle of the city, it seems like the perfect place for romance (maybe I’ve seen one too many romantic comedies…). For this handsome couple, the magic of their wedding played out like a scenes from a movie thanks to the gorgeous images from Adagion Lifestyle Photography and the careful planning of loli events. The entire affair admist the city streets is oozing with romance, and there is more where this came from in the full gallery of images!

Click here to see the entire gallery of images!

From the Bride…New York is my favorite city in the world and a place of many unforgettable memories for me…so to have it as the backdrop for my wedding was the ultimate dream come true. Having the ceremony and reception at the Boathouse in Central Park truly added a magical quality to the event, as I’ve always regarded the park as a sanctuary amid the chaos. It’s a place where I’ve spent countless hours running, relaxing and reflecting. A New York wedding just made sense for us. After all, I think it was the allure of this great city that persuaded the Englishman I now call my husband to move across the pond.

When Edward and I started planning our wedding, we knew we didn’t want to be distracted by the endless options for every detail. We agreed to only move forward with things that felt like “us”.  I like to think that the vibe of our wedding was romantic and whimsical, yet classically elegant at the same time. Less is always more in our opinion, and the natural beauty of the park combined with the exquisite wedding-day weather we were blessed with really carried the spirit of the day. When it comes to style, Ed and I are both classic and minimalist. Our flowers were all shades of cream and white, save for the touches of greenery mixed in.  Some of my very favorite flowers—peonies, hydrangea and parrot tulips—were sprinkled throughout the table arrangements. For an elegant contrast, we added tall vases of cherry blossom branches to select tables, which added a warm, rustic quality to the room.

Perhaps the most special décor element was our table numbers. Our beloved French bulldog, Hank, was unable to accompany us from San Francisco to New York for the wedding, but we couldn’t imagine our special day without him in it. To make sure Hank had his mark on our wedding day, I embarked on a month-long project photographing Hank all around town, positioned next to vintage numbers that I found in a local consignment shop.  I printed the photos in black and white, put them in silver frames and the table numbers were complete! They ended up being a great conversation piece, and guests were visiting other tables to compare Hank’s best poses.

The ceremony itself was authentic and intimate—Ed and I wrote the entire thing ourselves. As a nod to his British heritage, he and his groomsmen wore traditional British morning suits, trumped only by the fabulous array of fascinators many guests wore! The most touching moment was when my sister and maid of honor sang and played the guitar to John Hiatt’s “Have A Little Faith”, a song that poignantly communicates what’s so beautiful about having a partner in life. There wasn’t a dry eye in the house! Once we progressed to the reception and our nerves subsided, we were ready to party. It wasn’t hard to do, thanks to the phenomenal 12-piece band that kept nearly every guest on the dance floor until the wee hours. Their wireless instruments enabled the musicians to dance and play among our guests—everyone had a blast. After the band closed down the reception, our guests headed back to the Hudson Hotel for the wedding after party (which went strong until about 5 am). Edward and I veered off on our own and hailed a cab together – the perfect New York ending to a perfect day and night!

Wedding Photography: Adagion Lifestyle Photography / Wedding Planning: loli events / Venue: The Central Park Boathouse / Getting Ready Location: The Hudson Hotel / Wedding Dress: Saks Fifth Avenue / Hair: Dop Dop Salon / Wedding Cake: Sugar Flower Cake Shop / Flowers: Lenox Hill Florist / Wedding Videography: Love & You Video / Band: Totally Live LLC