A pretty detail can inspire a whole event, but nothing like a good love story sparks a smile and reminds us why this little ol’ blog keeps us coming back on the daily. Case in point? This sweet tale of a couple brought together by the Brooklyn Bridge, which in turn inspired their Big Day. Valerie Barnes Film captured it all beautifully and don’t miss the Bride’s full story below!
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From the Bride… I think our priest says it best: Vincent and I are cut from the same fabric, just different ends. When we were dating, Vincent had to drive many, many times from his home in New Jersey, over the Brooklyn Bridge (often sitting in traffic), to my home in Brooklyn. So when it came time for planning our wedding, we thought that the Brooklyn Bridge needed to be a part of it somehow.
We were each raised in traditional, Italian families, where our family gatherings and weddings pretty much all take place the same few catering halls. The thought of doing something different and gasp, a Manhattan wedding, seemed out of the question, and the budget. Luckily, I have an event production background and Vincent is a whiz at crunching numbers.
In my obsession with New York City architecture, I learned of the Surrogate’s Courthouse, which is a familiar building in a very obvious location right over the Brooklyn Bridge at 31 Chambers Street in Manhattan that many New Yorkers, including myself, have passed by thousands of times without knowing its history or its breathtaking interior. To me, finding something unknown in a city so populated, where everything has already been discovered, makes the hidden gems that much more special.
As the NYC.gov site describes, the Surrogates’ Courthouse, built in 1899-1907, is a New York City Landmark, originally designed for use as a Hall of Records, it’s original name. It’s considered a major example of the early twentieth century City Beautiful movement. The idea behind the “City Beautiful” movement was to transform cities with spectacular, imposing classical buildings and monuments to provide an uplifting experience for the community. That description fit perfectly for what Vincent and I wanted our wedding guests to experience.
Because the Surrogate’s Courthouse is used for local government events and corporate holiday parties, they were less thrilled about hosting 300 of our closest family members but we somehow convinced them to agree to our big fat Italian wedding. I later learned that the Surrogate’s Courthouse was often used for filming Law & Order, which is Vincent’s favorite TV show. Once I told him about that, there was no turning back. I just needed to find a caterer that was up for the challenge of working in a completely raw space with no kitchen on-site.
In our culture, food is everything. I met with several caterers but didn’t find the right fit. So, I returned to my roots in Brooklyn and connected with Gargiulo’s, an old-school Italian restaurant, a Coney Island institution circa 1907. They do not typically agree to off-premise events but they were so interested in our story and the venue, that they fell in love with our idea and signed up for mission impossible. Gargiulo’s was amazing to work with and created such an elegant experience from the catering, tuxedoed wait staff, full bar service, furniture, to the candle centerpieces, that our guests thought that the Surrogate’s Courthouse was a restaurant.
The venue’s marble covered interior and ornate design did not need additional décor elements and I knew that I simply wanted to enhance its existing beauty through lighting. Funktion DJ designed and produced the lighting throughout the space and DJ Vitale, who grew up in the same neighborhood as me, and is the most talented and reliable DJ I know, ensured that our guests enjoyed a memorable dance party all night long.
Valerie Barnes artistic eye captured it all on film and most of the time, I forgot she was even there, and that is the highest compliment. Our wedding film speaks for itself. Our photographer, Nick Gagliano at Studio Uno, captured the surrounding architecture and special moments throughout the night.
Days after our wedding, the Surrogate’s Courthouse will be indefinitely closed for renovations. Our wedding was the last event there which makes our memory of that night feel like it’s frozen in time.
Photography: Studio Uno Photography & Cinematography | Cinematography: Valerie Barnes Film | Floral Design: David Shannon | Ceremony Venue: Sacred Hearts St. Stephen's | Reception Venue: The Surrogate's Courthouse | Catering: Gargiulo's Restaurant | DJ: Anthony Vitale | Vocalist: Garrad Perry
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