Wedded Luxe - Wedding Planning Advice & Inspiration for the multi cultural bride and groom.: Real Wedding

For the past 18 months I’ve been working with a fantastic couple Shirley and William. I was contacted by the groom in September 2008. I was very surprised by the email came from the groom but now that I know the happy couple better, I completely understand. This couple worked together throughout the entire wedding process. William and I had our first conversation via telephone. He gave some background information about them. He let me know that they live in Boston but they want to get married here in NYC. We met and the rest is history!

The Couple
Shirley and William are the most interesting couple I’ve ever worked with. What makes them so interesting is their range of interest. William is an engineer and he’s currently finishing his PhD at MIT. Shirley is a Harvard graduate and will be attending Harvard business school in August. Nerds you say, absolutely not, ok just a little. But these two intellectuals love snowboarding, rock climbing, traveling and William is a professional salsa dancer! You have to love it. I told every vendor we selected about this because it really is a big part of their lives. And I wanted to brag a little, I thought it was so cool. These two are such a sweet couple and they work well together throughout the wedding process. William was cool and laid back but he was there for support whenever needed. Shirley was very hands on and detailed throughout the wedding process. She told me what she wanted and she let me be the planner and find it for her.

The Vision
From the very beginning they knew the type of wedding they wanted. It had to fun, modern, simple, elegant and colorful. Shirley showed me a picture that Colon Cowie did in South Africa for his niece and that was the source of inspiration for the wedding. She loved the colors, the tablescape and the overall theme fit what she wanted exactly. So from there we made it all about Shirley and William. One of the most important elements of the wedding was finding the perfect venue. They wanted a modern loft that they can make their own with a great view of NYC. Studio450 was a no brainer. They fell in love with the space immediately. What was also important part of their vision is their background. Shirley’s family is Columbian and William’s family is Dominican. We incorporated their cultures with the menu, the cake, music and they said their wedding vows in Spanish. Didn’t understand a word but I was moved!! Shirley took on her own stationary suite and she rocked it out! The invitations, programs, escort cards and favors came out amazing!!

The Wedding Day
The ceremony was set in pink and white. My favorite was the clear Lucite pedestals to set the altar. It added the modern feel that the couple wanted for their wedding. After the ceremony the guests enjoyed cocktails and passed hor’douevers on the roof top terrace while a guitarist serenaded them. While they enjoyed the gorgeous view, my staff and I were transforming the room for the reception. The table linens were raspberry with mango dinner napkins. We used orange and pink roses in a row of frosted vases of different heights and sizes along the middle of the table. Then as the sun set, the lighting changed from amber, to orange to pink. For the first dance, the guests were treated to a choreographed salsa dance by the happy couple. Shirley change in to a short and sassy dress and the groom change into his pink kicks to get the party started.

My Favorite Moments
One of my favorite parts of the wedding was the ceremony. The natural light of the sun, the Spanish guitarist, the violinist, and the pink and white colors made the space feel so romantic. It fit the energy of the couples’ relationship completely. The couples’ first dance was absolutely spectacular! They chose to do something that fit their personality instead of a traditional love song. The choreographed sance was great. Shirley’s second dress was amazing, William’s pink sneakers were super funky and they looked great out there on the dance floor. I cued the lighting team to change the lights during the dance and it was perfect. It added to the excitement.