1. Tell us about your wedding! What was the inspiration behind your day? Did you have a specific theme, style or color palette? Did you incorporate any cultural or religious traditions in any part of your day?
We both wanted our wedding to be elegant, but modern. When we found The Estate we knew it was the venue for us. The original features of the historic home mixed with contemporary art lining the walls was exactly the juxtaposition we were after. We chose a charcoal grey and white as a softer take on a traditional black and white color theme with silver accents. We did not have a religious ceremony, but we did incorporate some cultural Jewish traditions to honor our heritage - getting married under a chuppah, the breaking of the glass to conclude the ceremony and dancing The Horah at our reception. Our grandfathers also shared in saying the Hamotzi before dinner, which was really special.
2. Let's talk wedding decor. How did you decorate your space for the ceremony and the reception? Was any part of the decor DIY?
We chose to keep the decor simple, yet elegant to allow the venue to really shine. We choose greenery with white blooms to line the isle and frame our Chuppah at the ceremony which was held overlooking The Estate's curated gardens. For the reception, we used the greenery lining the isles of our ceremony to frame the stage for the band and we had string lights with a sheer drape behind the band on the stage. This setup really created a focal point for the ballroom and looked beautiful. For table decor - half the tables had tall, leafy manzanita trees in a Anabelle glass vase adorned with hanging glass orbs with floating candles. At the base, we incorporated some greenery, Monet candles, and white floral bud vases. On alternating tables, we had larger bouquets of greenery and white blooms interspersed with high and low floating Monet candles. Glass chargers with a silver rim, silver napkins, and printed menus rounded out the tablescape. When it came to printed materials, no detail went unnoticed. This was the only DIY element of the event. Jason and I spent time going through hand-written Calligraphy to find a font that we felt was both modern and elegant and that font was used on all printed materials from the ceremony program, to the menus and the bar signage. My mom has a childhood friend who hand pressed our invitation suite, ceremony programs, and menus and they were absolutely beautiful.
3. What were the florals like in your wedding? Did you use flowers in any of your design elements like the bridal bouquets, centerpieces or ceremony backdrop? Did they play an important part in the overall style of your wedding?
We used greenery and white blooms throughout the ceremony and reception which simply enhanced the innate beauty of the venue. The white blooms really popped against the deep gray incorporated into our design including the bridesmaids dresses. The tall Manzanita centerpieces, with the floating glass orbs were stunning! They were so different from anything I'd seen before and they kind of took your breath away when you entered the ballroom.
4. Did you personalize the day in any way (food trucks, guest entertainment etc.)? What were some of your favorite parts of your wedding?
There were a few standout moments along the day. I really enjoyed getting ready with the girls at the venue. We had the whole second floor to ourselves; we were overlooking the garden, and we gathered around the fireplace while we waited for everyone to finish their hair and makeup. I thought that was a really relaxing way to start such a hectic day! I felt that our cocktail hour was really special. Jason and I chose to do a first look so that we could both spend time at our cocktail hour having a drink and chatting with our guests. For cocktail hour, guests were able to tour the historic home, grab a drink at the downstairs or upstairs bars and enjoy passed hors d'oeuvres. We also had a jazz trio utilizing the venue's grand piano and Jason's dad took a turn on the piano, and along with his harmonica, did a beautiful rendition of Georgia On My Mind by Ray Charles. Lastly, we had a packed dance floor all night long, which is exactly what we'd hoped for! Jason is a huge music fan and he's known for his exuberance and non-stop dancing on the dance floor. He found our band, The Adrian Duke Project from Virginia, and they were not only great musicians, but really knew how to keep the party going. I'll never forget their rendition of Burning Down The House by the Talking Heads - they absolutely killed it.
5. Let's talk fashion. How did you both choose your wedding day look? Describe the looks in detail.
I wanted my look to fit the overall theme of modern, yet elegant. I chose a simple, crepe, dress with an off-the shoulder neckline and scoop back. Covered buttons lined the back all the way through the train. To add just a little bit of pizzazz I added a pearl and rhinestone belt, coordinating statement earrings and hair comb. For the reception I changed into my second look - this was not by choice! As my wedding dress was being altered to fit, I realized that while the off-the-shoulder neckline was beautiful, it was not functional. With each fitting it became more and more difficult to lift my arms in the dress - how was I going to dance?? With 5 weeks to go, I found an off-the-rack Badgley Mischka long-sleeve beaded white sheath gown with a square neckline and tie waste. It was total Hollywood glam and it saved the day. I had no problem dancing the night away!
6. How did you meet? Tell us about the proposal.
Jason likes to say we met on a blind date (which is true); I sometimes say we met through a dating app (which is kind of true), but we both agree that my best friend Erin connected us. She found Jason on a dating app and after reading his profile thought he sounded like a good match for me. She sent him a message to tell him this, and surprisingly he agreed to meet me. Even more surprisingly, I agreed to meet him! We went to a cocktail bar in the East Village for our first date and had so much fun we went to one more. We got engaged on a fun getaway weekend in Montreal. About halfway through the trip Jason proposed in the Botanical Gardens and we spent the rest of the weekend celebrating with great cocktails and lovely meals!
7. What was the most anticipated or special moment of your wedding day?
We were both just really excited to have a big dance party with all the people we love. When the band played the first chorus of Burning Down The House, we looked at each other, then around at the crowded dance floor, and then back at each other and nodded because we were living in such a fun moment!
8. Do you have any wedding planning or marriage advice that you'd like to share with other couples planning their day?
Try to just pause a few times throughout your wedding day and take note of the moment. The day flies by and you want to make sure you took the time to really take it all in and be in the moment.
Venue: The Estate
Florals, Decor, Food, Cake: Legendary Events
Event Planner: We Tie The Knots
Wedding Dress Alterations: RL Couture Bridal Design & Alterations
Dress Store: The White Magnolia
Hair & Makeup: Bombshell Creations and Glam Makeup by Ruthie
Videographer: Imagine Video Productions
Music: Adrian Duke Project
Photographer: Laurel Creative