What does the Director of Wedding Design at J.Crew wear for her own wedding? Two gorgeous dresses of her own design, of course! Paired with a fabulous net veil, Valentino shoes, and vintage jewelry, Molly’s wedding look was nothing less than perfectly chic – and in head-to-toe Prada the groom looked smashing as well. The Gramercy Park Hotel was the perfect location for these stylish lovebirds to tie the knot…
The couple took photos in nearby Gramercy Park. Says Molly, “Seeing each other for the first time was my favorite part of the day.”
The ceremony and reception took place on the hotel’s rooftop terrace.
After dinner, Molly changed into a fabulous flapper-style cocktail dress, also designed with the help of her team at J.Crew.
A big thank you to Belathée for sharing these beautiful photos, and to Molly and Alex for sharing your wedding with us! From the couple, some details about the day:
Why did you choose this location for your wedding? The hotel has amazing ambience and we knew it was the right place for us the moment we stepped into the lobby, with its welcoming fireplace crackling and the air filled with Le Labo’s Santal 33. The location was very convenient for our guests, and together with the private park and roof terrace, it provided the perfect backdrop for our wedding celebration. The innovative yet grounded design and architecture of the hotel combined with all the incredible original art hung throughout the hotel really brought it all together.
What inspired you when you were planning your wedding? We wanted a relaxed and personal evening with friends and loved ones that everyone would remember.
Did you include any traditions in your wedding? Something old: grandmother’s handkerchief tied around bouquet. Something new: wedding dress. Something borrowed: vintage earrings. Something blue: a temporary tattoo.
What advice do you have for other brides? Keep it sweet and simple.
Menu
Signature Cocktail: Elderflower Smash // Passed Hors d’Oeuvres: Lobster Salad with Chive and Cucumber, Salmon Tartare with Black Sesame and Lentil Cracker, Fava Bean Crostini with Mint and Pecorino, Seared Tuna with Fennel and Preserved Lemon, Mini Cheesesteaks with Gruyere and Onion Marmalade, Ricotta Raviolini and Snap Pea Salad // First Course: Grilled Aparagus Salad with Watercress and Hazelnut Vinaigrette // Entrees: Halibut with Swiss Chard, Wax Beans and Stewed Tomato OR Roasted Veal Chop with Heirloom Beans and Escarole // Dessert: Rhubarb Tart with Country Cream, Pistachio and Vanilla Cupcakes
Featuring a wedding from One Love Photo is like posting twenty-five Sunday Editions at once – every single image is artistic and frame-worthy, and makes you so happy for the couple who hired them. Audrey and Craig were married at one of the most beautiful venues in Northern California, and One Love Photo captured it brilliantly…
Audrey shared a bit about their ceremony: “Our favorite part of the day was the ceremony. From beginning to end, the mood was simply happy and full of laughter. It was exactly how we would have wanted it but could never have planned for. My uncle’s jazz band was playing as people got settled (there’s just something so special about a live jazz band in such an old building), so the mood was upbeat and lively. So much so that, when Craig walked in with his two siblings, the entire room burst into applause! It was great and we couldn’t have predicted that people would react that way, but it fit our personalities perfectly. When the ceremony actually started, Craig’s sister, Brianne, who was our officiant kicked everything off by reciting a line from The Princess Bride. You know the one: Mawwiage. Mawwiage is what bwings us together today… Everyone, including the two of us, burst into laughter. It was the perfect way to enter into our life together – with so many people we care about laughing together.”
Audrey kindly answered some questions about the day (lots of words of wisdom!):
Why did you choose this location for your wedding? The Headlands Center for the Arts is nestled away in a national park just North of the Golden Gate Bridge in one of a handful of converted military buildings in the area. Surrounded by eucalyptus trees and just a 15 minute trek from the beach, Craig and I have always loved hiking in the area. The setting alone was reason enough for us to choose this special place as our venue, but the fact that it is home to an artists-in-residence program was a big deciding factor for us as well. Craig and I met in design school and each have a deep love of the arts, so it meant a lot to us that we could support such an important program as this. Add to that the quirky details of the refinished interior, the rawness of the decor, and the amazing staff and we were sold. There is a magical quality to the Headlands and we were thankful to be a part of it for a couple of days.
What inspired you when you were planning your wedding? The venue and surrounding landscape are so inspiring and so special – full of raw beauty and history – that we let them guide a lot of our visual inspiration when we were planning our wedding and kept any additions on our end simple and complimentary to the venue itself.
Did you include any traditions in your wedding? We wanted the whole event to feel like a gathering at our house where people we loved were involved in just the right ways and where things were personal and casual. So, since neither of us is religious, we asked Craig’s sister to officiate the ceremony and tell the story of “us,” and we each picked a close friend to speak about us as individuals. It made everything feel tailor made and like a conversation between great friends.
What was the best advice you received as a bride? A friend of mine gave me the best advice ever. She told me that even though I would want to have my hand in everything and care 100% about all of the details, that realistically I would only be able to care about 3-4 things. So, I’d have to decide up front what those things were and be relaxed about everything else. It really helped me focus and it helped to take the pressure off. I’d add that you have to find a planner you really trust even if it’s only for day-of help. At first, I thought that planning would be the one place for me to save money by doing it all myself, but I was so wrong. Laurel, my planner at Esla Events, covered things that I didn’t even know needed covering and most importantly I trusted her to make decisions on my behalf on the day-of. Being able to enjoy every minute of your big day is priceless.
Do you have any budget tips for other brides? We were lucky enough to be able to tackle a lot of the design details such as invitations, menus, and décor, ourselves, but it also really helped that we were able to play on a few of our friends’ strengths to help bring the whole day together. My bridesmaid, Veronica, did my make-up and hair for me. Another bridesmaid, Elyse, did all of the flowers. My uncle and his band played during the ceremony. And a group of our friends and family helped us set up the venue the morning of. At first we felt like we were imposing on our friends and felt bad for even asking, but it actually made everyone feel more involved in the big day and we ended up having a lot of fun. Another thing to keep in mind is photography. Of all of the line items of your wedding day, don’t skimp on photography and also make sure you know exactly what’s included in the price that you’re paying. If they’re traveling for your wedding, make sure you talk through expenses (a couple photographers we spoke with didn’t include that in the price they quoted) and take your time interviewing a few to get a feel for which personalities fit with yours. In the end, we were lucky enough to find Heather and Jon of One Love Photo who not only had a travel package but also walked us through all of the details, answered all of our questions, and who (as you can see) are amazing artists to boot.
Is there anything else that helps tell the story of the day? We knew that one of the most special things about a wedding is having so many people you care about in one place at one time, so Craig and I really wanted to seize the opportunity to extend our time together. It just so happened that up the road from our venue was a hostel with a main house and an annex house and we were able to rent out the entire annex house for our wedding party. We’re talking communal bathrooms, a shared kitchen, and bunk beds: hostel. We weren’t sure if everyone would be keen on the idea, but it was one of the best decisions we made because it gave everyone a chance to get to know one another and it gave us the chance to spend time with everyone before the chaos of the big day hit. We had breakfasts together, lounged around in our sweats, and had a ball. After the reception, we walked back to the house and a friend of ours serenaded the group with a few songs on his ukulele.
We love One Love Photo! See lots more from Audrey and Craig’s beautiful wedding over on their blog today.
What’s not to love about a winter wedding?! I was a winter bride, so maybe I’m a little biased, but there’s something extra special to me about gathering all your favorite people together to celebrate against the cold and gray. Says the bride, Whitney:
We planned our wedding in two months. I had always wanted a summery, June wedding where the pictures are in daylight and you can have an outside wedding party. But we both have sisters who are having babies soon and we wanted to have our wedding before they were due, so we said, Why not New Year’s Eve? Plus, my husband’s last name (and now mine) is Snow. It ended up being perfect!
Whitney and Dalen chose a warm and festive color palette for their New Year’s Eve wedding: gold and white with navy blue accents. The cake was the bride’s favorite flavor, Devil’s Food with mint infused buttercream and ganache, and the groom’s cake? “The groom wanted Funfetti and so that’s what he got,” says Whitney. “And my husband’s last name is Snow, so it was a snowman covered in coconut.”
Says Whitney: Later in the evening, we served white, caramel, and cheese popcorn from Poppin’ on Broadway from my hometown, as well as cookies. We also offered our guests hot chocolate and hot apple cider with cinnamon sticks – this helped people warm up after a carriage ride!
A fun little detail? The couple mailed their invitations from Winter, Wisconsin so even the postmark fit with the snowy theme! Whitney was kind enough to send over some more about the day…
What inspired you when you were planning your wedding? With two sisters married before me, we had a lot of old Martha Stewart Weddings magazines. Also, I found a palette of indigo, french blue, nude and gold on Snippet and Ink and used it in all of my planning, especially for the flowers, bridesmaid dresses, and the table decor. We wanted it to be a day to remember, and for our loved ones to have a wonderful time.
Why did you choose this location for your wedding? The Chicago Temple has been an important part of my spiritual life since I was a child, but even more so as an adult. We chose the Elm Grove Women’s Club for the reception because it is close to my hometown and accommodating. Pick a place you don’t have to spruce up, that is lovely inside and out, and with kind staff.
How did you incorporate New Year’s Eve into your wedding? I wanted this to be the best New Year’s Eve of our lives – after all, we were getting married! Our first dance was to “What Are You Doing New Year’s Eve?” Then, before midnight, we handed out cheap noisemakers and hats from Wal-Mart, as well as fake snow in glassine bags for everyone to throw like confetti at midnight. We printed Auld Lang Syne on cards and put them at the tables (because who really knows the words to that song?), and sang it at midnight with the big band. Immediately after midnight, guests sent us off with large sparklers. To add to the festive mood, we offered carriage rides throughout the night.
What was your favorite moment or part of the day? Being married in the Temple surrounded by people who were vital in our lives and had watched us grow up was overwhelming and we were full of happiness. That’s the best way to start a wedding day, and really all that matters. Kissing at midnight on New Year’s Eve as husband and wife was pretty amazing too.
What advice do you have for other brides? Spend as much time together as you can on that day. You can’t do it all, so don’t try. It’s wonderful to work so hard and see it all come together, so just enjoy it with your new husband. Also, remember to eat! Pack yourself a lunch or snack bag – we didn’t and were starving.
Is there anything else that helps tell the story of the day? My husband was by my side helping me with all the planning during our engagement and that made us enjoy all the details and party so much more. For wedding gifts, I gave him cologne to remember the day when we smell it and he got me a Tiffany’s snowflake necklace as I became a Snow.
Simple elegance is my favorite look, and Nicole and Adam achieved just that for their wedding at Marvimon House last summer. Photos from the darling Annie McElwain:
Thank you to the bride and groom for sharing some details about the day…
Why did you choose this location for your wedding? We wanted a small and intimate event space that had both an indoor and outdoor area. We immediately fell in love with Marvimon and its uniquely gorgeous garden, exposed brick walls, and beautiful hanging light fixtures; it was so beautiful on its own that we didn’t need to do much to decorate it!
What inspired you when you were planning your wedding? From the beginning we wanted a very classic, but still unique wedding. The venue became a huge inspiration for the design and color scheme. We love succulents, so we had the florist use them generously in the arrangements, bouquets and boutonnieres; this really helped tie in the flowers beautifully with the plants in the garden. Adam was a film major in school and always loved the elaborate choreography in the old Busby Berkeley movies, so we decided to show the movies on the large projector to create a fun atmosphere and add to the classic theme.
What was your favorite moment or part of the day? Our favorite moment was watching all of our family and friends have a wild time on the dance floor. A close second was running around downtown LA, gown and all, as we took photos.
Did you include any traditions in your wedding? Since the groom is Jewish and the bride is Catholic, we had a Rabbi and Priest officiate the wedding. This made the ceremony special for both sides of the family, as well as for us.
What advice do you have for other brides? Our best advice was probably to soak in every moment, because the day really does go by extremely fast! Also, wear comfortable heels, or if you don’t (like me), at least bring a pair of flip-flops or flats. You will be glad you did!
Nancy Neil is one of my favorite photographers to feature – not only does she take lovely photos, but her clients always have the loveliest weddings! In a fun twist, Laurel and Scott were wed at the Santa Barbara Zoo…
Before the ceremony, guests were offered water and lemonade in miniature jam jars.
I asked Laurel and Scott why they chose this location for their wedding: Scott is from Santa Barbara and we knew we wanted to get married somewhere outdoors in his hometown. Because he grew up there he was initially skeptical about the zoo (he hadn’t been since he was a kid), but when we saw it we knew it was just right for us. It’s very pretty and has beautiful views of the ocean and mountains. We also have lots of family and friends with kids, and we wanted to be able to include everyone in our celebration, including their children. We both love animals too – who else can say they got to feed a giraffe right after their ceremony? And it’s a little different and not too formal. We really wanted everything to be relaxed, casual, fun and still beautiful.
How darling are these animal alphabet cards?! Says Laurel: The amazing custom wedding day stationary was made by my best friend, who was also one of our officiants. She did 17 original watercolor paintings of different animals at the Santa Barbara Zoo that start with a different letter, and then each table at the reception had a custom-printed version of her paintings as the place card for that table (instead of table numbers). She made printed sticker versions of the animals and we hand-stamped guests’ names on the escort cards. She also drew the program and custom zoo map, which included activity information for our guests.
Did you include any traditions in your wedding? My father passed away three years before our wedding, and he was remembered in many ways during our wedding, from the flower my mother carried in his memory when she walked me down the aisle, to the ceremony and toasts at the reception. We included some other traditions, but including the memory of my dad in the day was the most important.
What advice do you have for other brides? Don’t sweat the small stuff. Things that don’t go according to plan are either so memorable that they’ll make for great stories, or are so forgettable that even you won’t remember a year from now. All the little details can be fun if you want them to be, but truthfully, most of your guests won’t notice or care. Everyone’s there to celebrate, and at the end of the day, if you get married and have the people you love with you, that’s really all that matters.
Is there anything else that helps tell the story of the day? Scott and I have known each other a very long time – we first met in college almost 16 years before our wedding, so that means we’ve also known each other’s families and friends a long time too. Because the large majority of our guests were traveling from other places (and even other countries) to attend, we wanted to have as much time with everyone as possible and tried to extend the celebration all weekend. Everyone was invited to a party on Friday night, and we had a big brunch on Sunday that lasted into the afternoon. To have almost everyone you love together in one place – there’s truly nothing better.
