BIRCH BOX

So simple & so great. DIY flower arrangement in Birch Boxes! Done by Katherine of Crossed Keys Inn. $125 a pop. Saw this during our visit to Crossed Keys Inn on Tuesday (a venue I loved, by the way & will post about).. 

OUR ANNIVERSARY!!

Yesterday was me & Mark's 4 year anniversary!! Mark is a truly magical guy. We are falling in love with the idea of having our wedding on our 5 year anniversary on Friday, June 29th--the exact day of the week that we met (if the venue we absolutely love are available for that date). To read about how we met click here!

Last night I designed a menu, made a napkin holder & prepared him a 'meal'--I labeled each gift as a different course. I disguised the big gift--the 'cake'--in an actual cake box that I  picked up at the Bread Factory & pretended that it was a 'model cake' that I had the baker design for us. Mark laughed and said, "When people ask where we got our cake, we're going to say the Bread Factory, Naom!?" We drank negori sake & champagne & toasted to our union into the small hours of the morning..

NYIT'S DE SEVERSKY MANSION

One of the only mansions on Long Island's Gold Coast still open for venues, de Seversky Mansion is a really special place. If we can cut our wedding list down, it's a pretty ideal place to have our wedding. It has a really tuscan feel with European gardens and linden trees. The interior and architecture is absolutely beautiful--not too stuffy, not at all garish, just elegant. 


By the way, if anyone would like brochures and menus on any of the places I've listed, feel free to email me at naomixmark@gmail.com! xx

Location: Old Westbury, NY
Availability: April to November
Venue Type: Mansions, Estates
Capacity: 150 guests for sit-down dinner
Reception: Outdoor or Indoor
Number of Events per day: 1
Time: 5-1/2 hours
Accommodation: Nearby
Bridal Suite: Yes; only available 1 hour prior to ceremony
Catering Cost: Mansion-Style  (3 options) & European Style (1 option) - $150/pp for Fridays, $180/pp for Saturdays, $140/pp for Sundays (wedding cake not included/provided) - can bring in own caterer
Site Fee: $2,500 + $1,00 ceremony fee
Website: http://www.nyit.edu/deseversky/ 
Contact: Events Coordinator - Virginia Hartofilis -516.686.1270

MUSTACHES FOR EVERYONE

RAINBOW NY!

I heard fireworks outside of my window on 9th Avenue ('Hellsy') as the LGBT marriage bill passed tonight! The Empire State Building is lit up in Rainbow - a historic night in NY! It's about time!

Sidenote: I can't wait to see gay weddings in the best of what NYC has to offer--book your venue NOW, you know the best spaces will fill up much quicker :)

CAROUSEL WEDDING

LIGHTHOUSE POINT PARK CAROUSEL 

It's not often you get to see your priest or rabbi riding a dragon on a carousel at your wedding! Relive your childhood in this magical setting -- all guests are free to use the carousel when you rent out the Lighthouse Point Park Carousel. With 69 horses, 1 camel, and 2 dragon chariots, the carousel's outer rim has original oil paintings of mermaids, New Haven's local scenes, boats, trains, and lighthouses. The pavilion's interior is decorated with pastoral paintings and beveled mirrors. The park itself is 84 acres on the harbor's southernmost point. 

A straight shot from Grand Central, NY to New Haven, CT, this is a truly unique, historical venue. The ceremony takes place outside on the beach (just a few steps from the carousel) and the reception is held in the carousel space itself (see floor plan image). 

It's a completely blank slate and you have almost free reign of catering, liquor, and there's lots of free parking. While you can choose your own caterer (and thus cost) and the site fee is relatively low, you have to bring in everything (they provide tables and chairs but the chairs are apparently "dingy" so you might consider renting them). You may consider a wedding planner but the possibilities are endless here!

Location: New Haven, Connecticut 
Availability: April 1st to November 1st
Venue Type: Outdoor, Unique
Capacity: 275 guests
Reception: Outdoor on the beach with no indoor backup
Number of Events per day: 1
Time: 6 PM onAccommodation: Nearby
Bridal Suite: No
Catering Cost: Choose own caterer - must have insurance caterer; must obtain a license from the City of New Haven Health Department and present it to the events coordinator prior to the event.
Site Fee: $2,700-$3,200
Deposit: $500
Things to note: Final fee will be assessed based on hours needed and number of CT park security and staff needed (security required when liquor is served); may need additional administrative and permit fees; Decorations or signs may not be taped, glued, nailed, stapled or attached in any way to any part of the facility including the walls, windows or ceilings. Candles, fog machines, confetti and Silly String are strictly prohibited. Only free-standing or table-top decorations may be used; wheel-chair accessible; bathrooms are only outside but come with an attendant; may be beach-goers milling about. 
Website: http://www.cityofnewhaven.com/parks/parksinformation/carousel.asp - 
Contact: Events Coordinator - Sabrina Bruno - 203.946.8327

GANGS OF NY

Listen up bridesmaids! We're going to gang it up.. 

via Brookelyn Photography, Kallima Photography & SMP

MY ENGAGEMENT RING

It reminds me of the Rialto Bridge (Ponte di Rialto) in Venice.

I never specified what ring I wanted prior to our engagement, except that I've always thought that a round brilliant cut diamond is timeless & classic. Mark popped the question on a black sand beach in St. Lucia (I foiled his original plan, but that's another story).

The ring we got is shown above. It's a Tacori Crescent except set higher. We got it customized at Michael C. Fina on 5th Avenue. Justin helped us out along the way. This design wasn't available when we got it--but it looks like Tacori's now added it as one of their designs (HT2513RD7512X)! I am absolutely in love with it--it has at once an heirloom vintage feel & a certain unassuming intricacy.

I'll post photos of it when my good friend (photographer extraordinaire, co-founder of our company & bridesmaid!) Sophie Elgort photographs it. Once we get married, I'm going to get it engraved with our wedding date & initials!!

THE TIFFANY SUITE AT ST. REGIS, NEW YORK

Talk about a bridal suite! Want to be Audrey Hepburn for a night? St. Regis Hotel in New York is now offering brides to spend the night in a giant blue Tiffany's box for $8,500/night + tax. Almost every single accent in the room echoes an engagement ring. This is branding taken to an entirely new level.  


Kitchy or Lush? You decide!   


via WWD & The Cinderella Project

RUSTIC ELEGANCE

Dream wedding in Toscana? I wish! 

Now how to bring this rustic elegance to a wedding in the NYC area? 

A tent draped with ivy, cork screws, autumn.. any other ideas?

via Once Wed & SMP

BEYOND PERFECTION

An amazing wedding video of Noah and Rachael's (fellow blogger lace and likes) wedding by Cana Video Productions, based out of California, but available for worldwide weddings! Plus, they're part of my favorite entourage: The Wedding Artist Collective. They are insanely good and we're hiring them!!

FAMILY TREE

Buy or DIY mismatched decoupage frames and play around with this ingenious idea. My favorite vendor is Etsy sellers Trixie and Radar

EAT, DRINK, AND BE MARRIED

You're a champagne lover and he's a beer or whisky snob? Rent a beer truck with all your favorite microbrewery beers on tap -- or have a whisky table to quench everyone's thirst!

If your venue is BYOB (like the beautiful Crossed Keys Inn in NJ) then buy a bunch of liquor $3,500 as quoted by Roger from 54 Wines for 200 people. Many liquor shops will buy back any unopened bottles. Or better yet, throw a liquor shower!

WANDERLUST

I have a serious case of wanderlust, but we want to keep our wedding nearby to avoid the hassle for friends & family. With friends all over the country and across several continents, the hub of our NYC hometown area is best for us. If you want to express your love of travel without having a destination wedding, here are some simple ways to incorporate the wanderer in you. The key to any wedding theme is to carry it throughout in subtle ways but not to make it overdone or kitchy.

My favorite idea of all though (which is perfectly acceptable nowadays) is having a HONEYMOON REGISTRY instead of a traditional one! Who in NYC has space for more pots & pans anyways!? I'll list a comprehensive list/comparison chart of my favorite honeymoon registries in the next few days.

For full vendor details on save the dates and invitations, escort cards and table numbers, programs and menus, decor, guest book, and cake stand shown above, go to : CAP CLASSIQUE