The Perfect Surprise Proposal

Blue Hill at Stone Barns in Pocantico Hills, New York, is the perfect mix of rustic nature and understated sophistication, and a gorgeous setting for Brooke and Scott’s elegant candlelit wedding! Our eyes are drawn to the criss-cross pattern on the gown of Brooke’s ball skirt and her patent blush colored Christian Louboutins! We adore the minimalist flowers in exchange for romantic candlelight and shimmering mercury glass, styled by You + Me*. Poppies & Posies added a few floral touches for the outdoor Jewish ceremony—complete with a handmade chuppah by Roy Kushner of Artisan Chuppah—and barn-style reception, which featured an absolute sea of candles on the stunning tabletops! Our mouths are watering over the one-of-a-kind wedding cake from Momofuku Milk Bar, which stands out from typical white confections. The ever-fabulous Michael Falco of Christian Oth Studio captured all of the amazing details of this day—see them all in the gallery!

Weddings are naturally emotional events, even before factoring in complicated family dynamics. With so much on the line, an overbearing parent or feuding relatives can turn an already high-pressure day into a nightmare. 

Isobel and Geoffrey met on their very first night of college and were married on their seven year anniversary. With Isobel having always dreamed of a New York City wedding, the couple selected Brooklyn’s Prospect Park Boat House for its architecture, history, and location. A classic color palette of pinks and natural greens was accented by black Jenny Yoo bridesmaids dresses and Isobel’s sleek and stylish Reem Acra gown. The reception glimmered with candlelight and crisp white tables were decorated with long garlands of greenery and roses from Surrounding Flowers. The love between these two shines through in the cinema captured by NST Pictures and the beautiful images from Tracey Krick Photography!

The monochromatic look is all the rage, and this styled shoot featuring David’s Bridal‘s Fall 2017 collection is “Something Blue” perfection! Inspired by a Melissa Sweet for David’s Bridal wedding dress in dreamy ice blue, the Aisle Society ladies transformed the open and airy Hudson Loft into an entire wonderland of blue. Coordinating bridesmaids dresses in ice and steel blues were just the start of the on-trend styling. The Diana Gould Ltd team created an incredible harlequin-style ceremony backdrop with brushed metal accents that made the light dance throughout the loft, giving an enchanting glittery look to the accompanying ghost chairs. The tabletop carries through the modern theme, with a glass-topped table, shibori napkins, and a showstopping flower box centerpiece. As if all of these incredible details weren’t enough, a tassel installation surrounded the minimalist wedding cake from Lulu Cake Boutique. Swoon! From sapphire jewels to coordinating invitations (and of course those exquisite dresses!), David’s Bridal is truly a one stop shop for wedding goodness! We are completely smitten with this entire shoot, and the fabulous images captured by Cassi Claire Photography!

Lauren and Raymond both hail from large Italian families, so their East Meadow, NY wedding was no small affair! Their shared love for their heritage was incorporated throughout their reception at The Carltun, from the Italian menu to the vintage map of Italy re-purposed as escort cards and Italian love notes hand-calligraphed by Eliza Gwendalyn. The couple chose not to see each other before their ceremony, and recalls that “walking down the aisle and seeing each other for the first time was something so special that we will never regret.” We know that the moment of seeing Lauren in her elegant and sophisticated Monique Lhuillier gown will be forever in Raymond’s memory! Lauren and Raymond worked with Pedestals for the classic ballroom reception, featuring hydrangea, sahara roses, and glimmering candlelight. Each moment captured by Michelle Lange Photography and NST Pictures is perfection!

Rachel stood at the entrance to St. Pauls Chapel at Columbia University, took a deep breath, and interlocked arms with her mother. As the doors to the chapel opened and she walked down the aisle, pre-wedding craziness was replaced with pure and complete joy as Nicolas beamed from the altar. As Rachel recalls, “I’m certain that the way he looked at me is the way every bride hopes and dreams her future husband will look at her – as though he just won the jackpot.” The couple’s March wedding couldn’t have been more quintessentially New York City, complete with a vintage Checker cab! With the snowcapped branches of Central Park as the backdrop, The Central Park Boathouse set the stage for an exquisite event celebrating their union. Cress Floral Decorators created organic arrangements of roses, snapdragons, orchids, and stock in ivory and green, with a sea of candles to light up the winter’s evening and Spanish tile table numbers to honor Nic’s heritage. Rachel is an absolute vision in a structured Oscar de la Renta gown, and the pure joy that these two radiate is beautifully captured in the timeless images from Emilia Jane Photography!

We’re loving this gorgeous take on a waterside wedding! Dulce Dream Events set out to create an elegant and timeless take on nautical weddings, with a neutral color palette of soft blue, green, and ivory. Paired with dreamy ethereal details and fluffy blooms from Quatre Coeur, the result is a breath of late summer fresh air! We adore the pretty calligraphy on sea glass by Everly Calligraphy, the beautiful textured seafoam linens from Nuage Designs, and the subtle accents of driftwood. Every image from Charlie Juliet is positively stunning!

We adore the relaxed, casual vibe of Meredith and Graham’s summer backyard wedding! With a ceremony at the intimate Smithfield Church and a reception held at Graham’s family’s New York country home just one street away, these two brought all of the comforts of home into their celebration. Meredith is radiant in a demure Lela Rose gown, and we love that although she wore a chic chignon for the ceremony, she let her hair down (literally and figuratively) for the outdoor reception! Bridesmaids in simple white dresses, simple centerpieces of daisies and greenery topiaries, and pretty runners with pops of blue complement the garden setting under the tent. After a family style dinner by , guests danced the night away to John Ragusa Music. Sit back and enjoy the beautiful images from Charlie Juliet!

Michele and Jonathan met in the first grade in their hometown of Baldwin, on Long Island. With the gift of a glow in the dark ring on Valentines Day at a roller rink in fourth grade, Jonathan asked Michele to be his girlfriend. With the gift of a beautiful sparkling diamond in Central Park many years after fourth grade, Jonathan asked Michele to be his wife. Jon convinced Michele to sit for a caricaturist, who (in on the plan) drew a picture of Jon proposing! Naturally, she said yes (to the cheers of the NYC tourists). Jon, ever the industrious husband-to-be, had gathered their friends and family to picnic in the park afterwards, and after returning home, their friends had filled their apartment with confetti, banners, and balloons. An incredible celebration for an incredible couple! Their Long Beach, NY engagement session is filled with love and light, and we love celebrating this unofficial last week of summer with these images from Alexis June Weddings!

There’s something so genuinely lovely about Courtney and Greg’s New York-area wedding. Timeless but unfussy, elegant but relaxed, theirs is an event that radiates love and happiness. The Tuxedo Club—a gorgeous mansion set beside a sparkling lake—was the setting for a springtime wedding, and a perfect 70-degree day was a welcome respite from the endless Northeastern cold weather! Courtney is genuinely radiant in her Vera Wang gown and shoes, both with custom alterations by Fidencia Dressmaking. The ballroom at The Tuxedo Club is decorated with many paintings and antiques, and Dramatic Innovation worked with the couple to create florals that complemented the historic setting. We are smitten with each and every image from the wonderful Michele M. Waite!

We love the playful vibe of Nicole and Oscar’s engagement photos from Coney Island USA! A little bit of romance on the beach, flirting on amusement park rides, and laid-back fun all around makes these images from Cassi Claire just perfect for the couple, who built a relationship around laughter. “We met on my very first day of work at a new job, when he was assigned to do my orientation training. Within only a few minutes, we were cracking each other up, and as our relationship has evolved over the years, silliness and laughter has always been a really big part of it,” says Nicole. That makes their venue choice for the engagement session absolutely perfect. “Every part of it, from playing in the water, to the rides and games, to eating cotton candy that turned our tongues blue, was a blast. The pictures are so us,” says Nicole. We agree completely!

We love the sweet elegance of Sarah and Evan’s wedding! Both NYC residents, the couple chose to honor Sarah’s Catholic faith with a ceremony at Immaculate Conception Church. Long strapless navy bridesmaids dresses by Jim Hjelm lent a classic touch to the festivities, as did pretty stationery in the same color palette from Respond If You Please. Sarah’s chic Romona Keveza gown from Gabriella New York Bridal Salon. We just cannot stop staring at Sarah’s dramatic cascading, Princess Diana-inspired bouquet, filled with ivy, orchids, and garden roses and fashioned by Agnew Florist. At the reception, held at Tarrytown House, simple arrangements of orchids, garden roses, ivy, and baby’s breath were set with vintage milk glass that Sarah’s mother spent a year collecting. One of our favorite details of the reception is an homage to Evan’s Jewish heritage with a traditional hora dance. We love these joyful images from Lindsay Madden!

This uber-mod, chic wedding held at New York’s Three Sixty in Tribeca, is a study in monochromatic palettes and sleek sophistication! All white flowers with pops of green from Ovando keep the vibe romantic and contemporary, with planning from the always flawless Ang Weddings & Events. For the Buddhist ceremony, the bride chose a romantic beaded gown by Monique Lhuillier with a Pronovias belt, while her single bridesmaid wore a white dress with a similar silhouette from Badgley Mischka. Of course, we adore that the couple’s dog participated in the festivities, dressed in his own tux found on eBay!  These images from Susan Stripling are just stunning!

Sara and Michael narrowly escaped an impending snowstorm in order to pull off their fabulous NYC fete at the JW Marriott Essex House New York! These breathtaking images from Rebecca Yale Portraits have us swooning—from white tulip bouquets to lush textural white arrangements, fashioned by Lewis Miller Design, this wedding is classic, fresh, and stunning. Helping the couple from start to finish, including designing classic cream stationery, Reed Cohen Papers and Events ensured the details were flawless. We love the light lavender Bill Levkoff bridesmaids dresses, a pop of springtime color in this winter wedding, and Sara’s jewel-encrusted Pnina Tornai gown from Kleinfeld—such sophistication! Blingy details at the reception sparkled and shined among the gold and cream table settings. We are dying over the amazing chandeliers in the ballroom! A chic cake from Ron Ben-Israel Cakes is exactly what Sara and Michael envisioned, and after cutting into the confection, the couple participated in a traditional Jewish wedding dance, the horah, with their guests. Enjoy all of the photos of this gorgeous celebration!

Kaitlyn and Brad waited from their winter engagement until fall so they would have gorgeous scenery around New York City for their pre-wedding photos. After a brief stop at Hudson River Park, the couple headed over to Tribeca—where they live now—and then to their old nabe on the Upper West Side for these chic and sophisticated engagement images from Sasithon Photography. The backdrop of the Lincoln Center provided a walk down memory lane; it’s where Kaitlyn studied ballet and Brad attended law school. We’re in love with these elegant photos taken around the city!

Jenna and Eddie’s modern New York City wedding is filled with color and elegant details that Christine Chang Photography captured in a timeless way! Pinks and purples are woven throughout all of the details, in fuchsia Ralph Lauren bridesmaids dresses, lavender and plum orchids from By Yena Designs, and even in Jenna’s multicolored glitter Jimmy Choo heels. We adore the bold hues against Jenna’s classic Monique Lhuillier gown! The W New York Union Square was the perfect backdrop for the ceremony and reception, offering an elegant contemporary space in the middle of the bustling city. Jenna and Eddie worked with Ang Weddings & Events to coordinate their affair, which included orchid details on stationery from In a Card, as well as on the garland cascading down the Ron Ben-Israel Cakes dessert. We’re swooning over this gorgeous celebration!

Sammi and Dan achieved the ultimate in engagement photos during their time around New York’s West Village and Hudson River Park with Lindsay Madden: effortless, romantic images that are chic and classic! With styling expertise from Roey Mizrahi Events, Sammi and Dan walked the city’s side streets and casually picnicked in the park to get these sweet reminders of their engagement. We could not adore Sammi’s red-hot Kate Spade New York dress and that vintage bicycle any more! We hope you enjoy all of the fabulous photos from this day!

Nothing says fairytale like a castle, and that’s exactly what Daryl and Larry got when they chose Oheka Castle in Huntington, New York, for their wedding celebration! Elegant ombre details like taupe and brown shades on Amsale bridesmaids dresses gave way to gorgeous orange and green fall flowers from Rebecca Shepherd Floral Design, giving the entire affair a crisp, seasonal look. Daryl looked as stunning as a princess in a lacy Monique Lhuillier gown from Wedding Salon of Manhasset, and we’re particularly swooning over her gold glitter J.Crew sandals! We love the way Betsi Ewing Studio and second photography team Alexis June Weddings captured the dreamy details! Touches of gold and more lush florals at the reception inside the castle are taking our breath away—we are absolutely in love with all of the gorgeous details in the gallery!

It’s no wonder that classic style rules the day at Meghan and Aaron’s Chautauqua, New York, affair–after all, the wedding was held at The Hall of Philosophy at Chautauqua Institution, an education center and summer resort where Meghan’s family goes back generations. To set the tone for their day, the couple sent out vintage-style stationery designed by the groom, Aaron Fetter. Following the outdoor ceremony, where bridesmaids wore short pink Jenny Yoo Collection dresses that sweetly coordinated with hydrangea bouquets by Francesca’s Floral Design, guests headed to the resort’s Athenaeum Hotel for a laid-back reception that included a buttercream cake from The Cakery, plenty of dancing, and the release of paper sky lanterns, which lit up much the way Meghan did in her Watters gown! We love these images from Hunter Photographic and can’t get enough of all of the beautiful details waiting for you in the gallery!

Isn’t Amy and Jeff’s Milton, New York, farm wedding lovely? We just adore the charm-filled setting of Buttermilk Falls, with the gorgeous scenery and rustic-elegant red barn. Amy and Jeff exchanged vows beneath a twig and flower arbor outdoors, with Amy wearing a delicate lace gown from Fontana Couture. Steven Bruce Design created dramatic fall bouquets and arrangements, with hits of plum, golden yellow, and orange, which complemented natural elements like pumpkins and fall leaves. Charlotte Jenks Lewis Photography captured great details like the linen place cards from Gallery360, simple and elegant stationery by Wedding Paper Divas, and a cool wagon wheel place card presentation featuring vintage keys from Sister Nomad Supplies. We adore a pretty autumn wedding—see all of the gorgeous images in the gallery!