An interview with the couple…
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?
My inspiration was my overall style, classic, simple, and bright. My theme was white and slate blue. My husband and I are Christian, so we had our ceremony at the church we met and we danced to a Christian song, When I Say I Do, at Edgewater Hall.
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?
I decorated Edgewater Hall with white and slate blue florals. I also had white rose pedals thrown when we walked out of the church. The reception space was rustic, so I wanted to keep that feel by just doing white table cloths and napkins. I did however have slate blue cloth that I put on some tables.
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?
Yes, the florals were white roses with some hints of slate blue for the bridal party. The played an important part because they really tied together the style I was going for. The florals also matched my headpiece, which was an off-white rose headband style piece. I also had flowers at the church, with rose pedals being thrown when we walked out.
4. Did you personalize the day in any way (food trucks, guest entertainment etc.)? What were some of your favorite parts of your wedding?
My favorite part of the wedding was dancing with my dad. He threw me by surprise (there is a pic of this :) as we didn't practice the dance at all. I'm glad we didn't because it was so fun improv style. We had little flower cups as wedding favors with seeds in them that said "let love grow". It was the first day of Spring that day! Other favorite parts were reading letters my husband and I wrote to each other, and dancing with my friends and family.
5. Let's talk fashion. How did you both choose your wedding day look? Describe the looks in detail.
Classic, classy, yet modern and chic. I chose my dress because I loved the simplicity of it. There was nothing too grand about it, yet the style was very timeless and flattering. My mom found my shoes from Anthropologie and they were so comfortable and unique. People loved them. They were blue (something blue) with gold detail and gold ribbon. My jewelry was my great grandmothers and mother's. My husband rented his tux from a modern renting company and they had such nice tuxedos, all the groomsmen and my dad got theirs from them. We chose the most popular style and it was black with a white shirt. Black shoes as well.
6. How did you meet? Tell us about the proposal.
I met my husband nearly 10 years ago at our church, Salem Church in Staten Island. We dated for about 8 years and got married in 2021. The proposal was at Snug Harbor in Staten Island. We went out to dinner and went for a walk in Snug Harbor right after a big summer rain storm. While walking we saw a rainbow. And he proposed! It was so special, because we believe the rainbow signified God being pleased by our commitment to one another. It was also the day before my 22 birthday :)
7. What was the most anticipated or special moment of your wedding day?
Reading the letters my husband and I wrote to another was very special. We had custom books made from Etsy and it was wonderful. I would also say my husband dancing with his mom was really special, as they choose the song Josh Groban - You Raise Me Up and it was emotional for many guests. And as I mentioned, I really enjoyed dancing with my dad. We chose "My Girl" as the song, as I'm his oldest daughter.
8. Do you have any wedding planning or marriage advice that you'd like to share with other couples planning their day?
I feel that I worried about the small stuff a lot (like wedding favors) but looking back, it didn't really matter! People had so much fun, and we got married with all of our dearest friends and family- that's what matters the most. As per marriage advice, I don't think I'm that seasoned yet ;) But it's been amazing so far.
Reception: Edgewater Hall
Florist: Sam Gregorio’s Florist
Makeup: Lulé Karpuzi
Hair: Oh Lala Hair Artists
Dress: David’s Bridal
Photographer: Laurel Creative