Molly and Steve met in Boston, built a life together in New York, and in October they were married surrounded by 106 of their favourite people at the Church of St. Francis Xavier downtown followed by a reception at the New York Historical on the Upper West Side. The museum was the natural choice. It holds so much of the old New York glamour and style that the couple love, and it gave them a setting that felt unmistakably like the city they now call home. Many of their guests traveled in for the weekend, so the celebration was also a chance to share everything Molly and Steve love about New York: the range of its food, the pull of its theater, and the way its history sits right alongside the present.
Invitations with a Little New York Attitude
The New York theme started with the invitations, designed by Ink and Nibs. The main invite featured hand-painted watercolour flowers and the couple's monogramme. The details card highlighted each location for the rehearsal dinner, the ceremony and the reception. My favorite part was at the bottom of the card: a New York pigeon holding a warm pretzel! The envelope liner carried more of the city, with venue highlights, a red apple, a yellow taxicab and Tiffany lamps. These illustrations carried through to matchboxes at the reception with the lamp and their monogramme as details.
A Ceremony Downtown
The day began at the Carlyle Hotel on the Upper East Side, where Molly and Steve got ready before heading downtown to the Church of St. Francis Xavier on West 16th Street. October is New York at its best, and the couple's wedding fell squarely in that perfect fall season. Crisp air, golden light and a city in full swing made the day feel like the postcard version of New York that Molly and Steve wanted their out of town guests to see. Between the ceremony and the evening reception, the schedule left a gap on purpose. It gave Molly and Steve time to slip away for portraits in Central Park and around the museum, together with the wedding party and family.
Cocktails in the Tiffany Gallery
Cocktail hour took place on the museum's fourth floor, in the Tiffany gallery, a fitting backdrop for a couple drawn to the glamour of old New York. A jazz trio from Jarrell Entertainment (upright bass, keys and sax) set the mood while guests mingled.
Acquolina catered the affair, and the passed hors d'oeuvres were a tour of the city's range, from nostalgic to elevated. Guests were treated to mini steak tartare with a caper floret and frites; tater tots topped with crème fraîche and caviar; mini crêpes with smoked salmon, dill and sour cream; spicy tuna tartare on a crispy rice cake with furikake; and saffron rice arancini with peas and mozzarella. There was also a shiitake crisp with shimeji mushrooms, shiitake nori crisp and lovage shiitake cream, a miniature Caesar salad with crunchy Parmesan frico, and, for a retro wink, all-beef pigs in a blanket with ketchup and mustard. The signature cocktail was the Smoky Pasión: blanco tequila, Arbikie chili vodka, passion fruit purée, agave and fresh lime.
Dinner and Dancing in the Library
The guests walked down the grand staircase to the Library on the second floor. The flowers by Fleurs stayed classic and timeless in white and green: soft shapes of white blooms set against lush, verdant greenery. On the guest dining tables, low, lush arrangements alternated with tall arrangements in clear vases, giving the room rhythm and height without blocking anyone's view across the table. Behind the DJ, Fleurs built a lush installation of leafy green branches in an urn, finished with white roses.
First course was a salad with grilled pear, baby arugula, Gorgonzola and candied walnut, served with fresh breads, rolls and homemade grissini. For the main course, guests chose among smoked short rib with sunchoke purée, glazed heritage vegetables and a passion fruit glaze; halibut in a zucchini blossom blanket with green chickpea, vermouth reduction and nasturtium; or eggplant parmigiana with tomato sauce and mozzarella.
Dessert arrived in two parts. Passed mini sweets made the rounds on the dance floor. The tray included a dark chocolate ganache mini tart with pistachio, a white chocolate cup filled with cappuccino amaretto mousse, passion fruit ganache with sliced green apple and chocolate croquant, and a meringue mignon with whipped cream and fresh berries. The wedding cake from Lulu's was a three-tier Rhapsody in Raspberry in soft off-white buttercream, finished with a statement bow in dark hunter green.
From a downtown ceremony to a glittering night among the museum's treasures, the day felt like the best of New York: elegant, energetic, and full of good food, music and people. Congratulations, Molly and Steve!
“We worked with Tzo Ai for almost two years leading up to our wedding, and throughout that time she kept us on track, offered helpful advice, and assembled a stellar team of vendors. Tzo Ai is highly organized and has excellent taste :) ”
Planning: Ang Weddings and Events | Venue: New York Historical | Photography: Mademoiselle Fiona | Video: Mike Zhu Films | Flowers: Fleurs | Catering: Acquolina | Rentals: Party Rental Ltd. | Music: Jarrell Entertainment | Dance Floor: Dance Floor Kings | Lighting and Sound: L&M Sound and Light | Drape: Drape Kings | Cake: Lulu’s | HMU: Willowhouse Beauty | Gown: Amsale