A Very New York Wedding (Part 1)

AT last--after several days, weeks and months of planning, listing, calling, visiting, tasting, trying, searching, shopping, ordering, fixing, fitting, tailoring, paying (and praying)... David and I can finally exhale as our wedding date is now finally behind us!

at Pasticceria Bruno the weekend before the wedding,
with the notebook that went everywhere with us...

Of course, the thing that I'd we'd most been looking forward to all throughout this wedding-planning process was the tastings!

David and I selected a dry, Provence rosé and a lovely, vegetal white!

With the help of De Wine Spot in E. Williamsburg, David and I chose: cava for the toasts and cocktail hour, followed by a still rosé and white (and more cava) throughout the reception. (We also picked up a couple of cases of Brooklyn Lager from Brooklyn Brewery upon the 'strong suggestion' of also having beer as an option.)

sampling Italian cookies along Arthur Avenue

A week later found David and I sampling Italian cookies along Arthur Avenue in the Bronx (New York's "real Little Italy"). Our first stop was at Palombo Pastry Shop (pictured above), but we ultimately ended up getting our cookies from Morrone Pastry Shop (2349 Arthur Avenue)--(mini) cannoli, tri-color cookies, pignoli cookies and chocolate-dipped heart cookies (to go along with the heart theme of our wedding)... were just a few of the varieties we'd selected.

Even though there were still cheesecakes (Carnegie Deli) and rugelach (Perl Girl Baking Co.) to be ordered, black-and-white cookies to be tasted, and almond cookies and mooncakes to be picked up in Chinatown... our big day was soon upon us!

setting up for the ceremony

WHILE the staff David and I had hired were doing a great job of getting both the main floor and terrace set up (according to the maps we had drawn out for them), I do recall spending at least a good twenty minutes darting around the 5,000 square foot space, wringing my hands and (repeatedly) checking the time... I didn't know what I should be doing! But one by one, friends and family members began to show up, ready and willing to pitch in with whatever help was needed!

getting the decor ready in time was indeed a group effort!

By four p. m. (on a beautiful and sunny afternoon), the space was ready for the ceremony, the guests had been seated, and all that was left was for David and I to walk down the aisle...

photo by Gazelle Paulo

To be continued...