New York City Wedding by Melissa Hayes Photography

If you are a dreamer, come in. Yes, I am quoting Shel Silverstein (who doesn’t love him), but for good reason I promise! The couple of this inspirational New York City occasion quoted Mr. Silverstein on their invitation, and I must say, it suites the wedding and dreamlike images by Melissa Hayes Photography to a tee. Perfectly elegant, yet rustic at the same time – it is such a unique and inspirational New York City event. So if you are a dreamer, come in! – to the gallery, that is.

click here for the full wedding gallery!

We knew we wanted a fall wedding. Fall is a magical time in New York City – the nights are cool, the afternoon sunlight is perfect, and there’s an intimate coziness that fills the entire city. And even though we had just gotten engaged in June – leaving us about four and a half months to plan – we both shared a vision of the kind of wedding we wanted, and had an incredible time putting it together. We wanted our wedding to represent who we are as a couple – elegant, but laid back. We found the perfect venue at 632 on Hudson, a beautifully eclectic triplex townhouse in the West Village, complete with marble fireplace, art deco lounge, farmhouse table, rustic antiques, roof garden, and a thai bedroom we affectionately coined ‘the opium den’. It was the perfect setting to throw an intimate but lively party for 87 of our closest friends and family. Together, we wrote a ceremony filled with personal elements, leaving out anything that didn’t carry particular meaning for us. A good friend (the person who introduced us nearly six years ago, actually) served as officiant. Several close friends gave readings, and another played classical guitar as Maya walked down the aisle – and a rousing rendition of ‘Linus and Lucy’ as we walked out. Maya wore a simply stunning Nicole Miller dress, along with antique jewelry borrowed from her mother. Tristan and the groomsmen wore ties in the Kincaid Clan Tartan and simple but formal grey suits.

632 Hudson is immaculately and eccentrically decorated, so we were able to enjoy the space without much added decorations. The flowers from Saipua were inspired and absolutely amazing. Sarah created uniquely elegant arrangements that took advantage of the deep and rustic colors of the venue while simultaneously adding a lightness and airiness to the whole space. Sean and Dan from djnyc crafted a great party out of all the music we love, segueing from cocktail hour to dinner music to dance party without missing a beat. Melissa Hayes captured the beauty and personality of the whole evening, with an exceptional eye for creating amazing and intimate images of the craziest moments and the most romantic details.Food was another reason we wanted to get married in the fall. We love the rich colors and rustic flavors of this season, and the menu that Leslie from Marcey Brownstein Catering helped create was perfect – from the shirred quail eggs and shortrib polenta to the butternut squash risotto and perfectly rare hangar steak.  Momofuku Milk Bar created the three-tier cake – chocolate chip with passion fruit curd for the top and the bottom, and birthday cake in the middle for no other reason than that everyone loves birthday cake!

At the end of the night, everyone took home a bag of mini madeleines that Maya baked, a cookie associated with sweet memories and a treat that Maya’s mom made for her when she was little. Tristan designed the favor tags, along with the labels for our guest books. Maya’s sister and Maid of Honor hand lettered the program on a chalkboard, along with some of our favorite poems on windows and mirrors throughout the venue. We had started the weekend on Friday with a rehearsal dinner for our families and the wedding party, and a welcome party at the oldest bar in Brooklyn for everyone the next day, which was a chance for people to catch up with old friends and make some new ones. So when our wedding started on Sunday afternoon, everyone knew each other and was ready to have the time of their lives – which is exactly what happened.

Photography: Melissa Hayes Photography / Venue: 632 on Hudson / Catering: Marcey Brownstein Catering + Events / Flowers: Saipua / Cake: Momofuku Milk Bar / Music: DJNYC / Hair & Makeup: Naho Sawada at Dvir Salon / Invitation Design: Lucky Luxe Couture Correspondence / Bride’s Dress: Nicole Miller / Bride’s Shoes: Butter / Bridesmaid Dresses: J.Crew / Groom’s suit: J.Crew