This lovely couple was supposed to have a big spring wedding at the Plaza Hotel. Due to COVID-19, they decided to have a much smaller outdoor wedding in their family backyard, and reschedule the bigger reception to 2022. I love that they decided to still get married on their original date and in a place that was so meaningful.
The nice thing about having two separate parties for a wedding is you get to wear your gown twice! She looked amazing in this dramatic Monique Lhuillier piece. I love the folds in the skirt. They remind me of whipped cream in the best possible way. She carried a sweet bouquet filled with peonies, poppies, tulips, ranunculus and Japanese anemones.
The unpredictable spring weather made us move the ceremony under the Sperry Tent just in case. It worked out beautifully as the cherry blossoms at the house were in full bloom and created a magnificent backdrop for the chuppah. A.P. Bio used a simple delicate gold frame and hung so many strands of carnations in a varying palette from creamy white to peach and pink. It was so ethereal and special! As Beatles fans, the couple chose “Across the Universe”, “In My Life” and “BlackBird” for the harpist to play for the ceremony.
For COVID-19 safety, we kept the entire wedding outdoors. With the temperature in the 50s, guests had the option of warm apple cider in addition to champagne when they arrived. We had also installed heaters for the tent the week of the wedding. We kept most of the walls of the tent open for airflow, but the heaters definitely helped. We made sure one of the heaters was pointing right at grandma’s table.
We found glass dispenser bottles with floral details that matched our palette quite nicely! These were filled with hand sanitizer and we had these dotted around the various wedding locations.
After the ceremony, guests went to the cocktail reception on the terrace. It ended up raining part way through the cocktail, so everyone was directed to the covered front terrace to keep dry. For their signature cocktails, we offered The Golden Spring (bourbon, honey, lemon & mint) and The Garden Smash (gin, cucumber, basil, thyme, rosemary & elderflower essence). Fourteen Forty created some custom watercolour illustrations for a fun cocktail sign at the bar. Passed hors d’oeuvres were a little fun and a little fancy: Petite Lamb Burger, Chilled Oysters, Vietnamese Spring Roll, Ahi Tuno Wonton “Taco”, Montauk Lobster Rolls and Tikka Masala-Glazed Chicken. While guests were enjoying their cocktails, we were busy flipping the Sperry tent from ceremony to dinner.
For the outdoor setting, we chose wooden cross back chairs and a grey rattan linen. The florals really popped off the textured linen! I loved the floral accents on the menu and table number that complimented the real flowers beautifully. For dinner, we started with Maplebrook Farm Burrata, followed by a choice of Pan-Seared Duck Breast or Citrus-Glazed Branzino. In addition to the wedding cake, Marcey Brownstein Catering passed Warm Chocolate Chip Cookies over a Vanilla Milkshake, Peanut Butter S’mores Tarts, Meyer Lemon Sorbet in Mini Ice Cream Cones, and Seasonal Fruit and Berry Skewers. We sized down our 11 piece band from The Eleven for the Plaza to a 4 piece band for the wedding of 49 guests. It still worked great for dinner and the horah. It was such a sweet celebration, and I am very excited for the bigger reception next year!
Planning: Ang Weddings and Events | Venue: Private Residence | Photography: Mademoiselle Fiona | Video: Mike Zhu Films | Tent: Greenwich Tent Company | Caterer: Marcey Brownstein Catering | Rentals: Party Rental Ltd | Stationery: Fourteen Forty | Band: The Eleven | Harpist: Jarrell Entertainment