If there is one detail that pulls us all together over here at SMP, it’s candlelight. It’s the classically perfect detail that oozes romance all while providing the perfect ambience, and it never, ever fails to have us all wishing we could be seated amongst the flickering. It shines particularly well in this elegant yet personal affair curated by Bespoke Only captured by Pat Furey Photography, but even with that dreamy glow it’s this new Mr. & Mrs. that outshines all the prettiness, and it’s all waiting for you here.
From the Bride… Mark and I wanted something special for our big day. Something classic, beautiful, aesthetically minded, yet raucous and entirely quirky…a little unexpected. Our to do list was simple: An intimate and moving ceremony, tables dotted with hundreds of candles, a string quartet giving a stirring rendition of ‘Smells like Teen Spirit,’ and one adventurous Grandmother posing in a gorilla suit. We got all of these things on a our wedding day and then some. As you can imagine, keeping all of our demands in mind and orchestrating them was no easy task. From start to finish, Melissa handled it all with ease. Not only did she seamlessly create our wedding day vision but she consistently made thoughtful suggestions and improvements that elevated the design beyond where we could have taken it on our own. Many thanks to her and our very talented dream team everything (food, music, flowers) turned out well above our expectations. It really was the most special and magical day a girl could dream of.
From Bespoke Only… When hundreds of candles lit up a historical antique-warehouse-turned-mansion, the surroundings transformed this black-tie wedding into a dreamy fete from another era. Megan and Mark met and fell in love in Florence, Italy while they were both studying art history. When planning their wedding years later, their shared appreciation for the beauty of European art and history naturally became the focus of the event. As the couple are two very fun-loving people, we wanted to keep their personalities in mind when designing–to create a day that is not only classic and sophisticated but also fun with an edge. We approached the overall design with a modern take on the classic elements. The concept was to develop a juxtaposition of the old and new; simplicity and detail – with the contrasts giving the design an interesting twist and rich texture. For instance, clean and modern typography was used on the stationary suite, while gilded edges were a subtle nod to glamour. With velvet navy and linen white setting a tone of harmony, gilded accents were also woven into the design to imbue a sense of drama, including scattered vintage brass candlesticks, painted animal cocktail stirrers and gold calligraphy signs throughout the space. Inspired by Mast Bros., we wrapped chocolate bars in patterned papers of Fleur de Lys, the symbol of Florence city, which served dual purpose as the favor and the placecard. The same motif was carried over as a wax seal to complete the finishing touches of a well-crafted invite.
The venue was chosen for its unique charm and nostalgic sense of history behind the walls. Being furnished as if it were a private home and filled with intriguing antique finds, Metropolitan Building provided the perfect backdrop for a grand affair for Megan and Mark. Candlelight in varying heights complimented the alluring patina of the space with a romantic and moody ambiance. Jewels of New York designed an amazing menu with fresh farm-to-table ingredients to celebrate the harvest of autumn. The tablescape was also formed around the harvest concept – Saipua created the most exquisite flower centerpieces incorporating seasonal fruits such as persimmons. In addition to the gold flatware and rimmed china, pear tree foliage was painted in gold and spread on the tables in lieu of a runner to connect all the gilded table elements together. As the wedding was held on the weekend before Halloween, a whole room was dedicated to the most awesome prop collection (that even included a vintage ET mask from the 80’s!) collected by the bride for the photobooth. With a rack of costumes, funky masks, and trunks full of quirky little props, the room could be easily mistaken for a cool pop-up shop in New York city’s west village. The end result? Some of the most fun photobooth photos ever!
Wedding Photography: Pat Furey Photography / Venue: Metropolitan Building in Queens, New York / Wedding Planning + Design + Stationery: Bespoke Only / Floral Design: Saipua / Officiant: Jeddah Vailakis / Wedding Catering: Jewels of New York / Cake: Hope, Faith & Gluttony Bakery / Music: Tribute String Quartet of Lucy Music / DJ: Jason Fioto of Generation Events / Wedding Photobooth: We Love Photobooths / Bridal Suite: Soho House / Wedding Dress: Designed by the Bride / Hair: Andreas of Chris Chase Salon (andreas@andreasanastasis.com) / Makeup: Nam Vo