New York Weddings

Over the years, I’ve seen this wonderful shift of how couples are making their weddings completely personal and intimate. Whether they are hosting 20 or 200, they are finding a way to make it all “them” so to speak. Which makes my job so fabulous. Because when you get to peek into the personality of a couple like this one (through the beautifully captured images from León Images), it simply doesn’t get better. It’s pink shoes, leopard gloves and a couple so in love – and you can see it all right here.

From the Bride… Dan and I are both from Chicago, but we didn’t meet until a couple months after we had both moved to New York. We met at an event and soon after we started dating, we discovered we had mutual friends back in Chicago — it was one of those serendipitous occurrences when you realize how small the world can be sometimes.

We fell in love with Brooklyn because it’s so charming, peaceful and unexpected. So, when it came time to pick a wedding location, it wasn’t much of a decision: We wanted to show our friends and family — almost all of whom were coming in from out of town — where we had made our home.

We had this vision of an intimate and casual afternoon wedding celebration, and the Clover Club was absolutely perfect for that! There’s an adorable parlor in the back where one of our best friends officiated a short ceremony. We wanted everyone to feel like they were a part of our day so we included a part where we asked them all to hold candles and give us their light and their blessing. Once the serious part of the day was over, it was time to move into the main dining room and relax and party. Our guests are still talking about the amazing food and brunch cocktails.

Everyone has been asking about the inspiration behind the pink shoes… That was just our way of being unpredictable and bringing a little fun to the day — something we try to do in our relationship together.

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Wedding Photography: Ricardo Gotla for León Images | Wedding Venue: Clover Club | Floral Design: Seaport Flowers | Wedding Dress + Shoes: J.Crew | Groom’s Shoes: Converse | Hair + Makeup: Jackie Schneider Beauty

Stacey of Peony Events was brought in the day of this gorgeous wedding to make sure every detail, so lovingly thought out by the bride, was absolutely perfect… and that she did. I was legitimately shocked when I read how much of the wedding was done by the bride herself, because the whole thing, captured by Shot by Jake, was picture perfect!

From the beautiful bride… Kevin and I first met in college in Oklahoma, but our love story didn’t truly begin until we both ended up in NYC so it just felt right to have the wedding here. After an exhausting search to find the perfect venue, we landed on the Prospect Park Boathouse. We chose the Boathouse for many reasons, but mainly we wanted an indoor/outdoor setting with a garden Gatsby feel. The amazing architecture of the building with it’s arched ceilings tiled with green glass and gorgeous surrounding landscape, had us hooked instantly. I didn’t want to take away from the natural beauty of the space so I kept the color palette a range of dusty pastels and did not go the traditional route of selecting specific colors (I know, shocking!). Oddly enough, red ended up sneaking in as an accent from the red heart on our save the dates, red cover of the mini New York Magazine’s I made for our programs, to the giant red “L” carnival light that sat atop our candy bar table. It all just somehow worked.

Since I’m from Texas and Kevin is from Oklahoma, we put a great deal of effort into giving our out of town guests a taste of New York City. I set the tone with a welcome gift that consisted of packed pizza boxes (what’s more NY than pizza?!) with a fact filled note, statue of liberty crown, map, visitors guide and an NYC staple a black and white cookie baked with love by my mother. I’m someone who loves making and creating things myself, although some may say it’s because I’m a control freak, but I designed and made nearly everything myself beginning with our wedding website (euferlewis.me). Other DIY’s included the programs, menu’s, table number board, my head piece, etc. I did enlist a very talented florist, Christie Orlando, to take care of the floral arrangements, but overall every detail from start to finish had my personal touch and it made the day that much more memorable and special. Through all the blood, sweat and bride tears, many bride tears, seeing the amazement and joy our guests faces was truly rewarding.

To keep our sanity the day of, we worked with Stacey Sainato of Peony Events, which was the best decision I could have made. She kept vendors in line and our event running smoothly throughout the evening allowing us to enjoy every moment.

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Photography: Shot by Jake | Wedding Planner: Stacey Sainato, Peony Events | Florist: Christie Orlando, Orlando’s Bloom | Bridal Gown: Monique Lhuillier & Mark Ingram Atelier | Bridesmaids Dresses: BHLDN | Catering & Rentals: Moveable Feast | Make-up: Kathy Genchi Pro Makeup | Hair: Terri Krumrey | Officiant: Kevin Bain | Venue: Prospect Park Boathouse | Ceremony/Cocktail Hour Guitarist: Lucas Pullin | Entertainment: DJ Alias from Scratch Weddings | Getaway Taxi Cab: Film Cars

New York City hosts some of the most sophisticated of soirees. Soirees that have a style all of their own, and that stand the test of time. Soirees like this one at The Palm House at the Brooklyn Botanic Garden captured by Lev Kuperman. It’s classic yet fresh, timeless yet stylish. With stationery from Lion in the Sun, gorgeous florals from Rebecca Shepherd Floral Designs and one super in love couple, it’s safe to say this wedding is just proof that there really isn’t anything like a New York City wedding. See why here.

From the Bride… Jesse and I met on a blind date in January 2011. We quickly fell in love, met each other’s friends and families, traveled and shared many fun memories and adventures together. The year was the best of our lives — and then Jesse proposed on Thanksgiving in my hometown on Long Island!

We wanted to have our wedding in New York City — our home where we met and fell in love. When we visited The Palm House at the Brooklyn Botanic Garden, we just knew that it was the place for us to celebrate and share the happiest and most wonderful day of our lives with family and friends. The venue was perfect for us – classic, timeless, effortlessly romantic, uniquely serene, and simply New York.

Jesse and I planned every aspect of our wedding together, and we were thrilled that the joy we shared that day was so beautifully captured by our photographer, Lev Kuperman. [dotted]

Wedding Photography: Lev Kuperman | Second Photographer: Jennifer Sosa | Wedding Venue: The Palm House at the Brooklyn Botanic Garden | Officiant: Rabbi Marcia Rappaport | Floral Design: Rebecca Shepherd Floral Designs | Invitations + Escort Cards + Menus: Lion in the Sun | Wedding Dress: Alvina Valenta via The Wedding Atelier | Bride’s Shoes: Badgley Mischka | Bridesmaids’ Dresses: J. Crew | Bride’s Engagement + Wedding Ring + Bridemaids’ Jewelry: Spark Creations | Groom’s Shirt + Accessories + Shoes: Hugo Boss | Groom’s Tux: Theory | Groomsmen’s Attire: Banana Republic | Hair + Makeup: Rita Madison | Hotel: On the Ave | Band: Tribeca Rhythm | Photobooth: Garden State Photo

These two are adorable, with smiles for miles and a love that is seriously palpable (it jumps right off the computer screen, lovelies). And even more so, they are obviously best friends.  The kind that love to laugh, play and spend the day holding hands.  I adore them. And when you spend some time delving into their amazing e-session captured by Weddings By Two?  You will, too.  Read the bride’s sweeter than sweet description and then click here for so much more.

From the Bride-to-Be… We met on a job in Memphis, Tennessee. I was a producer for a Food Network show, and he was taking a break from being a chef, as a food stylist. Five years later, we’re still madly in love. He’s my best friend, and as you can see from these photos, Jason makes me laugh ALL of the time!

We just moved into our first home together in Bushwick Brooklyn, where we took the photos on the stairs and the roof. Jason’s father is one of the last seltzer delivery men in Brooklyn, so we thought it would only be fitting to get a little messy at the end of the shoot, hosing each other down with seltzer. The bottles are so beautiful in the sunset, almost as breathtaking as Jason’s smile (you can see how much fun he’s having spraying me, I tried to shake my bottles to get more spray, but it backfired and he loved that his bottles kept spraying the whole time!). It was his favorite part of the shoot, mine was getting to kiss him and hold hands all day!

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Photography: Guy Ambrosino of Weddings By Two

Getting married in your own backyard is particularly fabulous when your backyard just happens to be in Dumbo. With it’s ideal city skylines and style all of its own, a wedding hosted in that pretty portion of the city is just genius. Sprinkle of the couple’s own unique flair and the oh-so-gorgeous images from Sara Wight Photography, and ladies and gents – we have one gorgeous feature on our hands. See it all here. 

From Sara Wight Photography… Maggie and Mike live in DUMBO and were engaged under the Manhattan Bridge overpass, so it was an easy decision for them to get married in their neighborhood. They said their vows in a sunset ceremony officiated by Reverend Jesse Hendrich in Brooklyn Bridge Park with the Manhattan Bridge, Brooklyn Bridge and the New York City skyline as their backdrop. Bagpipers from the NYPD Emerald Society Pipes and Drums led the guests in a parade from the ceremony grounds to the reception venue. Lavish chandeliers and layers of moss decorated the gothic structure of Galapagos Art Space. Guests munched on quirky appetizers during the cocktail hour, such as “Maggie and Mike” m&m’s and popcorn, while The Doug Acosta Band of Elan Artists sang swanky tunes. The photo booth provided by Sara Wight Photography was a huge hit and guests even brought cut-out faces of the bride and groom to wear throughout the night. DJ Tevis Jory of Sugartown Industries took over where the band left off and kept the party going well into the wee hours. [dotted]

Wedding Photography: Sara Wight Photography | Ceremony Location: Brooklyn Bridge Park | Officiant: Reverend Jesse Hendrich | Reception Venue: Galapagos Art Space | Floral Design: Emily Thompson Flowers | Makeup: SB Beauty | Catering: Naturally Delicious | Wedding Dress: Jenny Yoo | Shoes: Vera Wang | Necklace: Iradj Moini | Groom’s Attire: Hugo Boss | Bagpipers: NYPD Emerald Society Pipes and Drums | Band: Doug Acosta Band of Elan Artists | DJ: Tevis Jory of Sugartown Industries | Photobooth: Sara Wight Photography

Can you even imagine getting married at the Brooklyn Botanic Garden? The minute I send my head down that road of imagining that scenario, I end up in a tizzy of excitement. It would be like a sensory overload in the best possible way, where your ceremony space basically decorates itself. A dream come true, dare I say. And that dream came true and then some for this gorgeous Bride on her biggest of days. And it.was.stunning. Lucky for us, Sara Wight Photography captured every gorgeous moment, and you can see them all right here.

From Sara… A New York native, Caroline had always dreamed of getting married at the Palm House at the Brooklyn Botanic Gardens. When Luke proposed, they booked the venue immediately. The weather couldn’t have been more perfect and the foliage more beautiful for their outdoor garden ceremony performed by Rev. Timothy Morehouse, an Episcopal priest. Vibrant flowers decorated the solarium and patio outside. They also incorporated unique “New York” elements into the elegant decor, such as a Brooklyn Bridge stamp for their guest book. Rob Kelley of 74 Events kept the guests dancing well into the night.

From the Bride… We’re pretty dedicated Brooklynites, so the Brooklyn Botanic Garden and its Palm House conservatory made a perfect setting for our late afternoon wedding in the early fall. The gardens were gems, still blooming with flowers. Our ceremony was celebrated under a spectacular old weeping willow, whose branches swirled and rustled in the evening breeze as we said our vows.

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Wedding Photography: Sara Wight Photography | Ceremony Venue: Brooklyn Botanic Garden | Reception Venue: Palm House | Floral Design: Seaport Flowers | Catering + Wedding Cake: Charles Sally Charles, Exclusive Caterer at The Brooklyn Botanic Garden | Entertainment: Rob Kelley from 74 Events | Wedding Dress: Cymbeline | Bride’s Shoes: Kate Spade | Invitations + Paper Suite: Bella Figura |Groom’s Attire: Brioni

We’re having a KT Merry party today and it’s starting with this New York engagement. But it’s more than just your typical e-session. It’s a love affair captured on the streets of Brooklyn and Manhattan with everything from coffee shop lounging to fancy garden strolling and through the lens of KT it’s all pure magic. Have a look at the full gallery right here and sit tight because we have a wedding coming up next that is sure to dazzle you to bits.

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Photography: KT Merry | Hair + Makeup: Antoine Brechu | Lime Dress: Topshop | Necklace: J.Crew | Lace: Monique Lhuillier via Rent the Runway  | Pink: Nicole Miller via Rent the Runway | Shoes: Aldo | Grooms wardrobe: Jeans: Saturdays | Shirt + Pants: J.Crew | Boots: Bloomingdales | Glasses: See | Blazer: H&M | Shirt: John Varvatos | Bow Tie: Zara | Boots: Topshop | Locations: Sweet Revenge + Brooklyn Botanical Gardens

We simply must thank Morgan Matters Photography and Jennifer Sosa Photography for bringing us the pretty today. A big, fat SMP thank you, complete with a virtual squeeze. Because this Brooklyn beauty is a stunner and then some, complete with a Bride so pretty you’ll catch yourself starring. And the details she crafted for her sweet nuptials to her handsome beau? Equally gorgeous. See it all here.

From the Bride… It was risky to have a late July wedding, but the wedding gods were looking after us as we had absolutely perfect weather for our big day. To make the day even more perfect, we were surrounded by 80 of our closest friends and family. We paid for the wedding ourselves, so I coordinated all of the decor and had my lovely family decorate the restaurant an hour and 1/2 before the ceremony. It was truly a collaboration of our friends and family that made that day so special. 

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Wedding Photography: Morgan Matters Photography + Jennifer Sosa Photography | Wedding Venue: iCi Restaurant in Brooklyn, New York | Floral Design + Decor: Rose Red and Lavender | Wedding Cake:  Baked NYC | Wedding Invitations: Ello There | Wedding Dress: Narciso Rodriguez via Century 21 | Bride’s Headpiece: The Attic3 | Bride’s Shoes: Badgley Mischka | Hair + Makeup: Eden Di Bianco

When this couple couldn’t quite decide where they should celebrate their I dos – the country or the city – they ultimately decided, why not both? So that is just what they did. And when most couples struggle to plan one fête, this duo doubled up their planning and arranged for the most gorgeous of affairs in both the countryside of Millbrook and the stylish streets of Brooklyn. The result is a gallery of images captured by Lilian Haidar Photography overflowing with love, style and so much prettiness. See it all here.

From the Bride… Chris and my relationship has always been a happy mix of the quietly intimate and the boisterously social.  We first met at the after-party of a music revue he performed in during Law School, and as he tells it, he was so nervous when he saw me that some other guy would swoop in to talk to me first, that he blurted out the first thing he could think of just to start a conversation:”Hey, I ordered cheese fries, like 30 minutes ago but they still haven’t come.”  Not exactly the smoothest pick up, but somehow it worked and we got to talking.  Five years later, after a perfect day together, back in our cozy apartment in Brooklyn, and waiting on another order of cheese fries that had not quite arrived, he got down on one knee and asked me to marry him.  For me, these bookends to our dating life, a friend-filled celebration and a private intimate moment, represent two faces of our relationship, and ultimately ended up expressing themselves in our two ceremonies.

When we started planning, we both agreed immediately that we wanted a fall wedding – and that’s about as far as we got.  Chris had always dreamed about getting married at his parents’ house in Millbrook, New York.  While I loved the idea, having lived in Williamsburg, Brooklyn for the majority of our relationship, I thought having a local wedding that represented us would also work.  We made a trip up to Millbrook to discuss the logistics, but quickly realized having a big wedding at the house was just not practical.  Our guiding principle was “would we have fun at this wedding?”, and as we were discussing the pros and cons of a city versus a country wedding my father suggested an elegant solution:  “Why don’t you have it in both places?”

Thus, we began to plan two weddings, a simple, intimate ceremony and dinner in Millbrook for our immediate family only followed by a second, bigger ceremony and party with all our friends and extended family two days later at MyMoon in Williamsburg, Brooklyn.  It was the best of both worlds and let us express both our quiet intimate side and our raucous, social side without compromising either.

I wanted both weddings to have personal touches, be in tune with the season and most importantly be fun for our guests (and for us)!  The ceremony in Millbrook took care of itself because the land is so gorgeous.  The tiny gazebo in front of the house where we held the ceremony needed very little decoration besides flowers.  We wove several generations of family history into the details.  I chose to wear my mother’s veil and a brooch from my Great Great Grandmother.  Chris and his best man (his brother) each wore pocket squares that were actually napkins from the original Ritz Hotel in Paris, where my Great Grandfather was a chef around the turn of the century.  After the ceremony, we had a small, intimiate dinner.  Chris’ mom transformed what is normally the “mud room” between two parts of the house into a cozy, candle-lit dining room with a single long table for all the guest to sit at.  It was a wonderful, close evening, that gave everyone a chance to laugh and share stories together in a way we never could have during the bustle of a larger wedding.

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Wedding Photography: Lilian Haidar Photography | Second Photographer: Photo DH | Ceremony Venue: Family Home in Millbrook, New York | City Reception Venue: MyMoon in Brooklyn, New York | Floral Design- Millbrook: Felicity Banford Flowers | Floral Design- Brooklyn: Bride’s Family | Wedding Cake: The Blue Stove | Music: Central Park Orchestra | Wedding Invitations: Stephen Skalocky (stephen.skalocky@gmail.com) | Invitation Printing: Distinctive Stationery | Wedding Dress: Paloma Blanca | Bridesmaids’ Attire: BCBG | Groom’s Attire: Hugo Boss | Cuff links: Michael C. Fina

You know how we feel about Divine Light Photography here at SMP (we love them) and you know how we feel about Brooklyn (it’s the best), so when the two combine for a stop-you-in-your-tracks engagement session?  We get a little excited.  Excited, because we just know it’s going to be chock-full of devastatingly gorgeous images, stunning backdrops and moment after moment of pure, unadulterated bliss.  See all the pretty in the full gallery.

From Divine Light Photography… Jodie & Gary’s engagement session took place around Brooklyn in and around the Ft. Greene Park, DUMBO, and the Brooklyn Bridge. We ended the session at the restaurant the two went on their first date in Downtown Brooklyn. They both have such great style and the session was on a gorgeous day so getting great photos wasn’t hard.

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Photography: Divine Light Photography | Location: Brooklyn, NY

Brooklyn weddings are amazing in a way that is sort of indescribable.  Like your first day of a week-long vacation or the best piece of chocolate cake.  There are no words.  Which is exactly why I have been stumbling around this intro for what seems like hours, trying to communicate to each and every one of you just how much I ADORE this Wythe Hotel wedding.  And you know what?  I think I’ll let the breathtaking images from Brklyn View Photography do all of the talking for me, because you’re about to lay your eyes on a romantic meets modern masterpiece.  Click here for all of the pretty.

From Brklyn View Photography… Amanda & Pablo were married on a gorgeous Fall day last October in Brooklyn, NY. The happy couple wanted every bit of their casual but elegant wedding to be Brooklyn based including the location, decor and wedding vendors. The modern Wythe Hotel in Williamsburg was a perfect setting to celebrate their marriage. Amanda absolutely glowed in her gorgeous Saja Wedding gown and veil from Yestadt Millinery which was a wedding gift from her friend the designer. Family members and guests tearfully witnessed Amanda & Pablo read their vows aloud at the Causey Contemporary Gallery before saying “I Do!”. During their reception, the couple danced to standard classics sung by Tara O’Grady and enjoyed a delectable menu prepared by the Wythe’s Head Chef. The newlyweds left the very next day to enjoy their honeymoon in Spain. Congratulations to the happy couple!

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Photography: Brklyn View Photography | Ceremony Venue: Causey Contemporary | Reception Venue + Catering: Wythe Hotel | Floral Design: Sprout Home | Stationery: Sarah Rutherford | Wedding Dress: Saja Wedding | Veil: Yestadt Millinery | Bride’s Shoes: Nina | Wedding Rings: Hannah Clark | Groom’s Tux: Martin Greenfield Clothiers | Groom’s Shoes: Bally | Save The Dates: Joshua David Stein | Entertainment: Tara O’Grady Music | Hair: Fox & Boy | Makeup: Laramie Makeup

This wedding? It’s everything. And the images from Heather Kincaid. Simply beyond. That combination of everything and beyond doesn’t happen often, but when it does right before our very eyes, we stop, take note and make sure to give you an entire weekend to really soak it all in. Because it will take that long to really get the magic happening in this gallery thanks to the workings of Firefly Events and Rebecca Shepherd Floral Design, and when you do, you’ll never want to leave. Best part? You don’t have to. See it all here.

From the Bride… When I was planning our wedding day, the element that was most important to me was light.  I’m a cinematographer and one of my jobs is shooting weddings for Fifty Foot Films. I’ve shot weddings in many locations over the last 7 years, and a common problem with New York events specifically is no light or bad lighting.

Our wedding day was so special.  It looked like rain in the early afternoon but it was decided that we would go ahead and set up on the roof and thank goodness we did.  The weather was incredible- no rain.  I wore a cathedral length veil that my bridesmaid, Rhiannon, designed for me.  It was SO windy which sent my veil flying- exactly what I’d wanted.  DRAMA!  The sunset was spectacular.  I had planned the ceremony invite time at 5pm because the sunset was at 6:30, giving us enough time to do our couple formals, which right after the ceremony don’t feel like formals at all.  We were so happy!

Heather Kincaid was our amazing, phenomenal, ridiculously talented photographer.  I met Heather when we were both shooting a wedding in LA, and her style and personality were exactly what I wanted.  In fact, she was the first vendor we chose. And, of course, the day wouldn’t have been complete without Paul and Kristine of Fifty Foot Films- they flew in to make the wedding movie, shooting on Ultra16mm film.

For our reception, our mantra was “fancy but not fussy.”  We concentrated on our guests having FUN.  Josh is Canadian, and our wedding was over Canadian Thanksgiving, so we wanted to have a feast.  Boz at Music First Productions listened to exactly what I asked for and executed it impeccably.  The lighting was just gorgeous.  

It’s funny, florals were never something I cared a lot about.  Our wedding planners recommended Rebecca Shepherd and I immediately liked her personality and how she figured out early on that I spoke in pictures and then just showed me images instead of trying to get me to learn the names of flowers. Rebecca just got it, somehow, without my ever having really given her any useful instructions, just pictures.  The florals were my biggest surprise- how much I loved them and how important they were to the overall design.

Since music is Josh’s business, that was his department.  Of course, we wanted live musicians.  We had a fabulous ceremony band led by Dan Neustadt that played a score that we’d planned together.  We had a different jazz band, led by a friend, Rob Duguay, play cocktail hour.  And for the dinner part of the reception, we had a band from England, The Real Tuesday Weld, fly over to perform.  And after dinner, we had dancing with a DJ.  

I’m a plan-every-single-detail-in-advance kind of girl and Josh is the do-everything-at-the-last-possible-second kind of guy.  So as we were standing in the floor-less venue two days before we were supposed to have all our family and friends there to celebrate our marriage I told Josh that if we could get through the wedding then we could get through anything.  And we got through the wedding!  More than got through- it was such a beautiful day… and we can’t wait to watch the movie!  

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Wedding Photography: Heather Kincaid | Wedding Cinematography: Paul & Kristine Korver from Fifty Foot Films | Getting Ready Location: The Wythe Hotel in New York, New York | Wedding Venue: The Wick in New York, New York | Cocktail Venue: The Well in Brooklyn, New York | Event Planning + Design: Firefly Events | Floral Design: Rebecca Shepherd Floral Design | Officiant: Hope Mirlis | Catering: Radish | Wedding Cake: Momofuku Milk Bar | Reception Band: The Real Tuesday Weld | Lighting + Sound: Music First Productions | Vintage Rentals: Pattina Vintage Rentals + Prop and Spoon | Wedding Invitations: Calligraphy By Hillary | Printing: The Paper Boutique | Wedding Dress: Claire Pettibone | Bridesmaid Attire: Outer Inner | Bridesmaids’ Headpieces: DeFrisco Regalia | Groom’s Attire: Brooklyn Tailors | Makeup: Leslie Alejandro

When a puppy in a bowtie and a gorgeous view of the New York City skyline are trumped by a wedding, it’s good. So, so good. And with Ulysses Photography behind the lens, it’s like we were there experiencing every bit of the romance and beauty. So a BIG thank you to Ulysses Photography for letting us tag along with a gallery of gorgeous images. Click here for more!

Ed and I were engaged in September, and knew we wanted to have a September wedding. Indian Summer Days with a hint of the crisp weather to come… just so refreshing! That gave us a year to plan our big day. While overwhelming at first, the minute we walked into the Liberty Warehouse we knew that’s where it was going to be. Close to the city but without the stuffy feel, the open layout, exposed brick and stunning views had us from our very first visit!

Our wedding planner, Debra Thompson, was instrumental in helping us secure vendors and putting us in touch with people she’s worked with and trusts. Ed and I both work demanding jobs and didn’t have the time or patience to comb through the internet and read through the thousands of options available to us in the tri-state area. From the amazing Perrone Brothers “Naked Soul” band that had us dancing all night, to Jenni and Ulysess of Ulysess Photography who captured it all, we could not have been happier with our Wedding Day and the entire planning process.

With nearly 300 guests in attendance, we were still able to achieve an intimate ceremony overlooking the Statue of Liberty. Cocktail Hour was held outside, enabling everyone to enjoy the ridiculously good food and stunning views with a surprise water show from the FDNY fire boat! Candles galore and gorgeous arrangements made by Ruth of Quatre Coeur helped us pull off the rustic yet refined look we were hoping to achieve. It was such an emotional day and I can honestly say I wouldn’t change a thing. It was exactly what we had envisioned!

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Photography: Ulysses Photography | Flowers: Quatre Coeur | Event Planning: Debra Thompson | Location: Liberty Warehouse | Invitations: Couture Ink | Shoes: Vera Wang | Dress: Custom Modern Trousseau | Hair Piece: Percy Handmade | Bridesmaids dresses: Bill Levkoff | Makeup + Hair: A.F. Bennett Salon | Custom cake topper: Better Off Wed | Bird cage card holder: Southbury Treasures | Music: Naked Soul | Gazebo + lounge furniture: Chezzam

It’s a well-known fact that Brooklyn weddings are awesome.  Very awesome.  And since we happen to love awesome weddings here at SMP, basking in today’s Prospect Park Boathouse soiree is like THE perfect way to spend the day.  Especially since this affair happens to be boasting some of the most colorful (+ gorgeous) florals you’ll ever see from Seaport Flowers, a divine Anne Barge gown via Lovely Bride and moment after moment of pure joy captured expertly by Sasithon Photography.  See it all in the full gallery.

From the Bride… From the start, we wanted our wedding to be a fun, personal celebration with lots of good food and dancing. We chose to get married in Brooklyn’s Prospect Park, not far from where we live, and found that the Boathouse was the ideal venue. Its Beaux arts-style structure lent itself to an elegant aesthetic, and its location on a lake surrounded by trees was visually stunning.

Once we booked it, the details all flowed out. I chose blue and coral as our main colors, with hints of greens and pinks. Early on in the process, I decided to work with Seri & Michelle of Little Miss Party, who were fantastic in helping us iron out the logistics of the event. My mother, who lives in California, was also crucial in helping to plan. Our invitations were designed by my husband’s brother, an artist, who took his inspiration from the Boathouse itself.

We were lucky to have worked with a talented photographer for our engagement shots, so the photography wasn’t a question. When we got engaged, a friend recommended Sasithon Pooviriyakul, who we met and immediately liked. The engagement photos she took of us turned out wonderfully, and with her exquisite eye for detail and documentary style, we knew we wanted to work with her for the wedding. She was a part of the process early on, and helped us plan out the day and made sure to document every moment. She captured the entire day beautifully.

I chose sunny, bright flowers to complement the Indian Summer feel of a mid-September evening, and selected sunflowers, my favorite flower, to add touches throughout the event. My husband and I spent hours working on the ceremony, which we wrote ourselves, and incorporated elements from literary, Catholic and Jewish traditions, reflecting our varied backgrounds. We were married outside on the lake, and selected a chuppah, covered with sunflowers, and held by various friends and family. My uncle became officiated in order to marry us. We asked friends to read selections from a few of our favorite writers. And, during the vows, we decided to thank each of our parents individually. After the ceremony, we stole a few minutes upstairs on the balcony, which was very sweet.

For the reception indoors, we served lots of small hors d’oeuvres and champagne, followed by a sit-down meal of heirloom tomato salad and chicken and fish with greens. Since many of our guests were from out of town, we wanted to treat them to a few Brooklyn-centric surprises. Right after dinner, we had a cart from Uncle Louis G show up to serve Italian ices, which was followed by cake and a DJ playing soul music. We danced outside until 11 p.m, and ended the night with a toast at Brooklyn Inn.

Wedding Photography: Sasithon Photography | Second Photographer: Carmen Santorelli | Wedding Venue: Prospect Park Boathouse in Brooklyn, New York | Hotel: Nu Hotel | Event Planning + Design: Little Miss Party Planner | Floral Design: Seaport Flowers | Catering: Movable Feast Catering | Music: DJ Fine Wine | Wedding Invitations: Tim Cavnar | Printing + Letterpress: Lion in the Sun | Wedding Dress: Anne Barge via Lovely Bride | Seamstress: Esin | Shoes: Kathryn Amberleigh | Bridesmaids’ Attire: J.Crew | Groom’s Attire: Theory | Hair: Donne Salon | Makeup: Sarah Egan +  Sybil Secor

When putting together these stunning images from Sue Kessler of Christian Oth Studio, I felt as though I was watching the wedding of an old Hollywood starlet unfold. Grace Kelly to be exact. A perfectly timeless beauty marrying her dapper groom at the Brooklyn Museum in the most elegant of affairs. It reads like a movie, and looks equally glamourous thanks to the talented workings of Bellafare and Fleurs Floral & Event Design. It’s a dream wedding come to life, and you can indulge in every gorgeous piece of it right here.

And be sure to catch every last beautiful moment in their film by Love & You…

From Bellafare…Clare’s vision for her wedding day was classic and timeless with a touch of glamour. Before hiring us, she had already chosen the Brooklyn Museum, which served as a stunning backdrop for the wedding she envisioned. The Beaux-Arts Court at the museum is grand, with an early twentieth century vibe, which we we used as an inspiration for the overall decor. The archways, glass floor, and large brass chandelier only added to the drama of this beautiful wedding.

Clare and Jon exchanged vows at St. Peter’s Roman Catholic Church in lower Manhattan. As Clare elegantly approached the altar, she looked reminiscent of Grace Kelly on her wedding day in 1956. After the ceremony, guests departed the church in double decker buses and toured the city before arriving at The Brooklyn Museum for cocktails, while Clare and Jon came straight to the venue in a vintage black Rolls Royce.

During the cocktail hour, as a french trio played in the background, guests mingled and sipped champagne cocktails in the modern museum lobby. Immediately following the cocktail hour, guests were transported back in time as they picked up their escort card from the elegantly adorned table with a silk, champagne linen and an arrangement full of magnolia leaves, before entering through the Beaux-Arts Court’s archway, draped in velvet fabric . Half of the reception tables were set with ivory, blush, and champagne florals placed in vintage urns and glass revere bowls, while the other half added a bit of height with tall, white dendrobium orchid arrangements, which cascaded over each table. Gold and ivory menus were at each place setting and guests toasted to the happy couple with vintage inspired champagne flutes. At the head table, a hand calligraphed blush and gold place card marked each seat, while the mirrored runner and collection of candles added a bit of sparkle. As guests dined, Frank Sinatra and Etta James crooned quietly in the background, and once the entree was finished, Hudson Project brought up the tempo and had guests on their feet throughout the rest of the night.

Wedding Venue: Brooklyn Museum in Brooklyn, New York | Wedding Photography: Sue Kessler for Christian Oth Studio | Wedding Planning + Design: Bellafare | Floral Design: Fleurs Floral & Event Design | Catering: Restaurant Associates | Music: The Hudson Project via Elan Artists | Photo Booth: Magnolia Photo Booth Co. | Transportation: Silver Star Limousine + Grayline + J&R Tours | Wedding Stationery: East Six | Wedding Dress: Anne Barge | Hair: Laureen Krawse for Styles on B | Makeup: Nicole Sievers | Cinematography: Love & You

If there is one thing we just simply cannot get enough of at SMP, it’s a good dose of inspiration. And Monday seems like a perfect day to serve it up a with heaping side of style. We can thank Cozbi Jean Photography for today’s inspiration overload – she dreamed up (and then snapped up) all the gorgeous in this gallery. So whether you are craving stunning bridal styles, gorgeous calligraphy, stunning florals or envy-worthy jewelry – you can see it all right here.

 

 

From Cozbi Jean Photography… I wanted to create an inspiration bridal shoot that emphasized various ideas on how to achieve a relaxed and romantic setting for an intimate wedding gathering even if done in non quint-essential bridal ways. I wanted to especially focus on how to keep the feel of a wedding personal and not stuffy. I took inspiration from some of my own clients that have thrown the most natural, honest and simple wedding fetes that incorporate both the normalcy of their love and lives, yet throwing in a few unique details to make their occasion a soiree nostalgic of nuptials. From local farm-to-table menus, ‘decorations’ simply being a collection of things from their home {textiles, glasses, vases, chairs}, to even non-traditional or not-expected bridal attire, I tried to create a palate of ideas for other unique brides looking to do something similar.

Photography + Styling: Cozbi + Liz from Cozbi Jean Photography / Venue: Tashi & Bobo Studio in Brooklyn, New York / Floral Design: Tashi & Bobo / Calligraphy: Charis Fisher from Apercu / Wedding Dress: Handmade French Lace + Justin Zachary Bartle / Bride’s Accessories: BHLDN / Jewelry: Delezhen / Shoes: Miu Miu “Smoking Slipper” via Nordstrom / Model: Christina

True love isn’t just for couples, it’s for wedding bloggers too. Because when I laid eyes on this beautiful Brooklyn wedding from Clean Plate Pictures, I was 100% mesmerized and there was no turning back. The way this adorable missus and her hip-as-can-be mister look at each other is positively heart melting. And the pics of him serenading his beautiful bride. Sigh. Then there’s that bouquet!?!? Beyond chic. Art actually. With planning by Shannon McCormick at Naturally Delicious, this New York soirée seriously knows how to bring out the swoon in SMP. You can check out all the rest right here in the gallery. After all, I’m sure I’m not the only one who fell hard for this music-infused lovefest.

From Clean Plate Pictures… Music is one of the most important parts of a wedding and the music at Eli and Kathryn’s wedding at The Green Building was a-mazing! Soul singer Roscoe Robinson sang during the ceremony and later a New Orleans-style brass band surprised all the guests by marching in and leading them in some crazy dancing. Eli (better know as Eli Paperboy Reed) is a singer himself and has a great voice, which we know because he serenaded his lovely new wife. The decorations and details were gorgeous and the couple were as sweet as they were stylish. It was a beautiful night.

From the Bride… Eli and I grew up in the same town in Massachusetts but didn’t meet until the last day of high school. Eli was sitting outside at a party and I walked up, sat down and introduced myself. It was really out of character for me to do something like that, but I don’t think anyone was more surprised than Eli! The two of us became close that summer, and kept in touch afterwards, but didn’t start dating for five more years. I moved to Brooklyn the following fall to study fashion design and Eli moved to Mississippi to pursue music. We reconnected at my 23rd birthday party in New York. He was living in Boston at the time but after about a year of dating and spending many hours traveling between Boston and New York we moved into our first place together in Brooklyn.

In August of 2011, Eli had just gotten home from a long European tour. We spent an afternoon walking around Brooklyn, visiting our favorite vintage shops. After we got home I wanted to take a nap, but he kept insisting we go and have a glass of wine in the park. He dragged me out and before we could even spread our blanket on the grass he blurted out The Question. I think the ring was burning a hole in his pocket! It was a total surprise but also a totally perfect moment.

We loved that the Green Building was a blank slate, and we could do whatever we wanted. It’s been so many things to so many different couples. Eli is a singer and I am a display coordinator so the ability to put our own personal touch on things was important from the start. I had planned on having a very DIY wedding but just as planning started, I went from freelance work to a demanding full-time position. I am so thankful to our friend and stylist Michelle Ferrara, our coordinator Shannon McCormick at Naturally Delicious and Eli for making everything turn out perfectly.

Before the wedding, Michelle and I went to the flower district in midtown Manhattan and walked through the lovely aisles in search of inspiration. We talked about what I was drawn to, as well as what I wanted to avoid. When it came to my bouquet I told Michelle that I trusted her, and wanted her to express herself. She asked me one question: “How crazy is too crazy?” I said “It can’t be too crazy”. On the day of the wedding she did not disappoint, creating a combination of dramatic shapes and unique elements that made me feel like I was carrying a piece of art down the aisle.

Eli and I collected vintage postcards from the early 1900’s showing Brooklyn landmarks for our save the dates. I typed each message out individually on an antique typewriter that was a gift from Eli’s parents. With bleach and a q-tip I was able to “erase” the old messages so the cards looked like new. I really didn’t plan on having wedding colors in the traditional sense. The raw space of The Green Building with its brass chandeliers and brick walls really spoke for itself. Tea lights along the walls and down the tables created a romantic glow. The rest of the décor was composed of soft whites with touches of peach and apricot along with metallic and natural elements to create contrast. We wanted to create a feeling of “discovery”; Everywhere our friends and family looked they found unexpected details. More than once we heard that the atmosphere was “dreamlike”. Eli sums up the broad theme of our wedding as “travel and home.” Travel, in that we’ve been fortunate enough to travel all over the world together so we incorporated some of our favorite things from places that we’ve been and used vintage suitcases, maps and globes as props around the venue. Home, in that Brooklyn is our first home together so we had the wedding at a very Brooklyn venue, served local whiskey and beer and took our photos on the beautiful Gowanus canal.

We wanted the ceremony to be very personal and unique, but also carry the weight of tradition. We incorporated symbolic elements from Eli’s Jewish heritage such as standing under a Chuppah and the celebratory breaking of the glass. A few weeks before the wedding, my mother gave me a handkerchief embroidered by my great-grandmother that she had saved for the occasion. I pinned it to the inside of my dress just before I walked down the aisle. The oldest guest at the reception was a cake topper that has been at every wedding in Eli’s family since 1885. We were so nervous about his aunt bringing it from Chicago because it’s made entirely of spun sugar! In addition to a regular guest book, we fixed up an old reel-to-reel tape deck and used it as an “audio guestbook” for guests to record messages on. We listened to the tape as soon as we get home from our honeymoon and got to relive the night.

The biggest surprise of the night was the band’s entrance. At just the right moment, The Green Building’s bay door opened and the brass band “second lined” in, with the sound of trombones, trumpets, tubas and drums filling the room. Nobody had any clue what was coming and immediately the whole room was on their feet. Later Eli surprised me by singing the song “Something You Got” to me with the band. He held my hand while he serenaded me and I blushed the entire time.

Photography: Clean Plate Pictures / Venue: The Green Building / Event Planning + Catering: Shannon McCormick at Naturally Delicious / Event + Floral Design: Michelle Ferrara / Invitations: Michelle Ferrara / Cocktail Music: Select Blendz Doo Wop / Reception Music: High and Mighty Brass Band / Dress: Ellis Bridals via Sposabella Bridal / Tuxedo: Michael Andrews Bespoke / Bride’s Shoes: Kate Spade / Groom’s Shoes: Barney’s / Hair: Damian Monzillo of Scissor and Comb / Bridesmaid Dresses: Alfred Sung / Rings: Erie Basin

If you just so happen to be in the beginning stages of wedding planning, then you’re in some serious luck because Divine Light Photography, along with some other amazing vendors in your area, put together a superbly chic and out of this world gorgeous photo shoot, all to help inspire you. Just imagine industrial chic meets a secret garden and you’ve got wedding gold. See it all right here in the full gallery!

From Divine Light Photography… When designing this shoot, my focus was not only to inspire, but to showcase amazing Brooklyn designers, as well as the event space. There is so much talent in Brooklyn, and we wanted them all to be able to shine doing what they do best! From our gorgeous event space, The Green Building, to our florals & cake designer, everyone was so inspiring to work with! We wanted to showcase a vibe for the girls who want to get creative with their wedding design. Very industrial chic meets secret garden and we couldn’t have been happier with the result.

When I spoke with our amazing floral designer Denise, I shared that I really wanted to give inspiration for the girls who love the city, but also want a outdoor feel. She absolutely blew me away with her gorgeous designs, I love the unique use of mosses and the florals she arranged. Each artist we worked with brought their own specialties to table and they all worked together flawlessly. Our amazing cake designer Penny created such an amazing work of art! We wanted to utilize succulents, bc they are such an interesting floral choice, and she handcrafted the succulents for the cake! I couldnt believe it!

One of our favorite details were our laser cut wood invitations. Innovative and unique stationary can really set your event apart from the rest, as we always say, its all in the details! When i asked Matthew our invitation designer, he shared the following on his thoughts,

“I try to make things useful to their recipients. Sometimes that’s through the invitation and sometimes I find other place to do that. Here, it was through the placecards, which had holes that allowed them to double as a mountable nametag. We experimented with a couple materials, settling on a laser-engraved wood invitation to keep a crisp, but organic feel.”

I completely agree with Matthews thoughts! I loved the clean organic feel of the invitations, which really carried through the entire shoot.

All in all, everyone showcased a gorgeous design, and I believe we came away with some lovely images that girls can derive inspiration from for their own weddings.

Wedding Photography: Divine Light Photography / Venue: The Green Building in Brooklyn, New York / Floral Design: Denise Fasanello Floral Design / Linens: Connie Duglin Linens / Cakes – Penny Stankiewicz from Sugar Couture  / Wedding Stationery: A Fine Press

This wedding is so perfectly New York City. It’s everything I love about that those bustling boroughs all wrapped up in one stylish post. It’s a gorgeous Wtoo gown from Lovely Bridal Shop meets the gritty downtown streets. It’s the celebration of two stylish Brides and their obvious love for each other with the Big Apple proudly serving as the background. The scene is perfectly set for all this Manhattan magic to unfold at The Bowery Hotel and Housing Works Bookstore Café, and thanks to Olya Vysotskaya Photography we can see it all right here.

From the Bride… Manhattan is not only my hometown, it’s also the place we met and fell in love. (New York was also one of a handful of states where we could get married legally!) We knew as soon as we set foot in Housing Works Bookstore Cafe in SoHo that we wanted to be married there. It’s located in a gorgeous New York townhouse on a classic cobblestone street. The bookstore space was everything we wanted: intimate, romantic, and, best of all, filled with books. Robyn proposed at the Brooklyn Public Library, so it seemed fitting that we hold our wedding in a bookstore! We continued the book motif with our escort cards, which were printed on vintage library cards and displayed in real card catalog drawers. Many of our guests actually took them home. Once we chose the venue, all of the other details seemed to choose us, especially my blush tulle dress and our lovely photographer, who shoots real film and has a collection of vintage cameras. We kept the décor simple because we didn’t want to compete with the colorful book displays that first drew us to the space. We used silver grosgrain ribbon to make inexpensive table runners and deep purple napkins to add a pop of color. String lights and votive candles brought out the warmth of the rich wood paneling. We chose the Bowery Hotel, on Manhattan’s still-gritty Lower East Side, for our first look and wedding night. As we walked from the hotel to Housing Works, we received many well wishes from tourists and panhandlers along the street. Only in New York!

Photography: Olya Vysotskaya Photography / Second Photographer: Asya Photography / Wedding Venues: The Bowery Hotel + Housing Works Bookstore Café both in New York City, New York / Floral Design: Florisan LLC / Catering: The Works Catering / Wedding Cupcakes: Sugar Sweet Sunshine / Escort Cards: DIY / String Quartet: Harmonia Strings / Wedding Dress: Wtoo Brides “Olivia” via Lovely Bridal Shop / Veil: Custom Made via M&J Bridal Salon / Earrings: Perfect Details / Hair Comb: “Something Borrowed” / Cardigan: Vintage /  Shoes: Badgley Mischka / Suit: Theory / Rings: Catbird + Mark Morrell / Robyn’s Hair + Makeup: Jackie Schneider Beauty /  Ría’s Hair: Zion Bakari (zionbakari@gmail.com)

Oh, Brooklyn. A borough filled with so much inspiration and creativity, it’s no wonder that it was chosen for the backdrop of a picnic-social inspired wedding. The bride, a designer herself, had many DIY tricks up her sleeve including throwing a garden party where her favorite gals helped create beautiful florals purchased at the local Chelsea flower district. These gorgeous pops of color were captured by the talented Trent Bailey, who continues to keep us in awe with every snap he takes. And as you wander down love lane with this gorgeous couple, stop by the gallery for more of these breathtaking photographs.

From the Bride… As we began scheming for our big day, we both agreed that our lives needed to be meaningfully interwoven into the wedding ceremony and reception. From season, to location, to flowers, to desserts, we wanted to provide a glimpse of our hearts and show our deep appreciation for the family and friends walking with us into our marriage. Since Derek and I met in New York and would call Brooklyn our home, we thought our wedding would be a great excuse to bring both our families here to the city to celebrate. And what better way to kick off our favorite season – summer – by ushering in the sunshine with a good ol’ picnic-social inspired wedding?

The ceremony was held in a quiet garden attached to Plymouth Church, a historical site in Brooklyn Heights. With one side of the garden bordering Orange Street, we were able to exchange our vows in front of family, friends and all of the Brooklynites who happened to take a sunny stroll that morning. The Green Building, which I first discovered in a Style Me Pretty post, seemed like the perfect venue to host an airy dawn-of-summer cocktail brunch to follow. The large windows, whitewashed walls, swung-open doors and friendly staff are all that what we had hoped for.

As a designer by trade, the aesthetics of the day came together with numerous DIY projects that I spearheaded with friends and my mom. The flowers were bright arrangements of coral peonies, english roses and other happy bursts of color. All their arranging was done at a garden party with my favorite ladies a couple days before the wedding. Our guests brunched at long tables set with white crocheted runners, antique colored glass and seersucker napkins. A street jazz band, Baby Soda, played alongside a rustic table laden with homemade pies and desserts, all baked by dear friends.

Our favorite part of the reception was months in the making. Derek and I penned individual letters of welcome and gratitude to each and every one of our guests. Our intent was to do our best to out-love these amazing people who came to celebrate our new marriage. We cannot be more grateful for our talented friends’ help in bringing this all together. Trent, our photographer and friend, captured the day beautifully, allowing us to continue to enjoy and share these wonderful memories.

Wedding Photography: Trent Bailey Photography / Wedding Venue: The Green Building in Brooklyn, New York / Floral Design: Purchased in Chelsea Flower District, DIY Arrangement by Bride + Friends / Day-of Coordinator: Latoyia of Breuckelen and Honey / Wedding Cinematography: Josh Itiola / Wedding Catering: Danny of Bottino / Wedding Stationery: Tracey King / Desserts + Pies: Liz Harrison of Somewhere North / Music: Baby Soda Jazz Band / Wedding Dress: Ivy & Aster via Lovely Bridal / Bride’s Turquoise Earrings: Bounkit / Groom’s Suit: J.Crew / Groom’s Tie: William Coburn / Groom’s Wingtips: Ralph Lauren / Wedding Bands: Doyle & Doyle / Engagement Ring: Antique