A Very New York Wedding (Part 2)

Our wedding programs - by hellolucky.com

Program photos by Shelly

... and Mary

Our suits were by Bindle & Keep and GANT
- in lieu of fresh flowers we wore handmade heart boutonierres

AFTER a beautiful, tear-filled ceremony (mostly from myself), we moved the party to the rooftop terrace where after a brief (cava) cocktail hour, the vows David and I had written for each other were preceded by toasts--each of us chose one family member and one friend to propose.

terrace photo by Gazelle

While plenty more tears were being shed on the terrace, the staff was transforming the twelfth floor according to the second map we had given them: "RECEPTION." Once all toasts were proposed and our vows had been read, we all returned to the main floor which was now ready for food (course two), wine, mingling and eventually... a first dance!

a 'first dance' wasn't in the plan, but 
our DJ had thought otherwise...

MUCH to my surprise, I didn't get so much as a nip of food from our painstakingly planned (seven course) menu... until nearly the last course! Something I did not know is that apparently, you don't get to eat at your own wedding. (I did catch some photos of some tasty-looking dishes though!)

Fairway's whole poached salmon

David & Pat's Wedding Menu

Cocktail Hour:
Imported Cheese

Reception: 
I
Crudité
Antipasto
Bruschetta

II
Cucumber Caviar Cups
Smoked Salmon & Mascarpone on Cocktail Pumpernickel
Orzo & Feta Salad
Cucumber Spears & Dill Sauce

III
Mini Brioche Sandwiches
-Roast Beef with Lettuce and Horseradish Cream Sauce
-Classic Egg Salad with Mesclun and Tomato
Assorted Pinwheel Sandwiches

IV
Whole Poached Salmon
Brie en Croute
Green Beans with Shallots
Wild Rice with Cranberries

V 
Seasonal Fresh Fruit
Cranberry Pecan Salad

All of this took place before the "New York dessert bar" (what I was calling the dessert table, which took place of a more traditional wedding cake) which consisted of: cheesecake, black-and-white cookies, Italian cookies, rugelach, almond cookies and mooncakes. I did manage to make myself a small plate of black-and-white cookies and rugelach, but that was quickly forgotten once (our dear friend) DJ Cynthesizer started peaking at the dance floor!

"Shake it like a Polaroid pic-ture!"

While people were telling me all afternoon that it was the best wedding they've ever been to, and from my maid of honor, I'm still getting emotional thinking about how perfect your wedding was... all good things must come to an end (even the perfect ones).

Our 1 a. m. load out

Before David and I had known it, the weeks had turned into days, the days had turned into hours and the hours had turned into minutes. And then (as I had been warned about in the weeks preceding the wedding) it was all over so quickly. I think my sister Kim said it best: You could not have asked for a more perfect day or better people to have celebrate it with you.

I'd say that I have to agree. Thank you, all for a beautiful wedding...

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...