Bright lights. Big city. Today’s chic and glamorous wedding was a New York City inspired affair full of contemporary modern detail and a smattering of gold sequins and sparkle!
Kate & Douglas said I do on the Upper East Side and were very keen to keep their wedding local, as well as being environmentally conscious.
Words by Kate. Images by Samantha Lauren Photographie.
A Chic & Sparkling New York City Inspired Real Wedding: Kate & Doug
I love a lot of glitter and sparkle, and feel super lucky to have planned a wedding in the era of Pinterest. New York City was the background and inspiration for all things wedding for us, so all of our stationery featured the skyline. We were inspired by our environment to plan a chic, timeless, energetic, sparkling event, just like New York itself!
To help be environmentally as well as budget conscious, I was hoping to find a great pre-owned dress. After trying on several styles and falling in love with La Sposa’s Glamour collection, I hoped to find something similar online. I found the perfect dress on preownedweddingdresses.com. I wanted modern, simple, and glamorous, and was thrilled with the results.
I wore a pair of vintage earrings from etsy with a set of sparkly bracelets from Tejani. My veil was Vera Wang White and my shoes were BCBG Tashaa.
Alexandra, our Day of Coordinator, also designed our beautiful bouquets, corsages and boutonnieres. I envisioned lush florals, all white with lots of greenery and dimension. She took my vision and ran with it, creating a Gatsby Garden Party design.
I told her I wanted a bouquet so big it would break my arms, and she assured me that would not be necessary! I wanted to include my favorite flower, white Phalaenopsis orchids, and Lily of the Valley, a favorite of my mother’s family members who have passed on.
Doug designed my engagement ring to include recycled gold and diamonds from both sides of the families. To compliment the design, my band came from the NYC diamond district, and the Doug’s recycled band was purchased from Brilliant Earth.
Our ceremony was at the Unitarian Church of All Souls in New York. We loved the inclusive atmosphere at All Souls, and knew it was the perfect blend of traditional and progressive to make all of our guests feel comfortable. One of our goals for the wedding was to keep a local feel to the festivities, and both the ceremony and reception took place in our neighborhood on the Upper East Side. Most people, including the groom, even walked to the wedding!
To keep a blend of modern and traditional, the bridal party and family walked down the aisle to The Beatles’ “Here, There, and Everywhere” and I walked to Bach’s “Air on the G String.” The string duo from Juilliard set a very romantic tone for the ceremony.
My dear father accompanied me down the aisle, and it was beautiful to include that traditional aspect. I was very emotional, and I was so grateful to have him there to keep me calm and steady.
Doug and I have known each other for over twenty years, having met through Doug’s sister Sally, and grew up in the same home town in Maryland.
We went out a few times in our teenage years and then moved to Chicago and New York respectively to begin our adult lives. Fate brought us back together, and we have been happily building our lives and future since 2010. Doug proposed in Central Park, in the moonlight and under the stars. He really knows how to get a girl to say yes!
Luckily, our venues were already beautiful so our job was easy! Our Day of Coordinator lined the aisle with ferns and made beautiful bar arrangements. We made DIY potted phalaenopsis centerpieces and brought in touches of sparkle. The gold sequined linens and DIY sparkle photo backdrop were a huge hit!
In keeping with our New York theme, we picked up black & white cookies from famed Glaser’s Bake shop on the Upper East Side. We also had lots of pashminas on hand in case it got chilly.
Our lovely cake was home made by the Doug’s aunt Shirley Malzone! She has historically made all of the wedding cakes for the family, and we were so fortunate to be able to share in the tradition. We wanted something simple and tasty that would allow our handsome swan couple cake topper to shine.
The cake was champagne flavored with a light butter cream, and served with an aged balsamic glaze (bride request!)
Blah Blah Blah played The Beach Boy’s “Forever” for our first dance, and it was magical. My inspiration for that moment was Uncle Jesse’s wedding on Full House! Have mercy!
If you could impart any words of wisdom to a Bride to Be planning her marriage and wedding day, what would they be?
Wedding planning can be stressful, but it’s also a very special time that is likely to only ever happen once! Try to enjoy the process, and keep a loving relationship with your fiance, friends, and family along the way. You are planning one spectacular party, and at the end of the day, you will be married to the person you love. What an amazing gift!
With so many gorgeous styles and options these days, it’s easy to change your mind about your vision, and costs and stress can really add up that way. I recommend staying true to your own style as opposed to leaning more towards a “theme” so that you can incorporate wedding items into your new life. Work with the colors already in your venue to keep a cohesive look, and let your partner give some suggestions along the way too!
What was your most memorable moment of the day?
I’m fortunate enough to have married into my lifelong best friend’s family, and my Maid of Honor is now my sister in law! She surprised everyone by reading from her childhood diary where the two of us had written detailed descriptions of our perfect mate. It was hilarious, touching, sweet, and a little embarrassing! Needless to say, the crowd loved it!
Love, love, LOVE this gorgeous glitzy, sparkling wedding. That diy sequin backdrop, those florals and of course, our lovely couple Kate & Doug. Massive congrats you guys – hope married life is super sweet.
wedding credits / photographer: samantha lauren photographie / wedding venue: all souls / brides dress: la sposa, disco/ brides veil: vera wang white / grooms suit: vintage lord & taylor / brides shoes: / brides accessories: bangles, vintage earrings / hair & makeup: kerry lou brehm / florist & day of coordinator: the dedicated new yorker / wedding cake: groom’s aunt, swans cake topper: bhldn / catering: bassett caterers / rings: brilliant earth / entertainment: folk singer, megon mcdonough band: blah, blah, blah
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Thanks ‘Want that Wedding’! I was looking for divine inspiration and I have found just what I was looking for! Love the glittery, sparkly gold theme to the wedding featured here.
I am going to try to recreate this for my wedding in four months time as we are getting married in a stately country home and this would fit the bill perfectly, with the addition of some of the fab light up letters that are all the rage at the mo! I have found some great ones here: http://www.wordstoglow.co.uk
how exciting Caroline, so glad you have taken inspiration from this stunning wedding :)) XxX Sonia
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