Rebecca and Kevin: Classic New York City Glamour at Tavern on the Green

Rebecca and Kevin met in January 2021 during the Pandemic after matching on Hinge. Unable to sit through another date eating pasta outside in the cold under a heated lamp, Rebecca did something she ordinarily wouldn’t do – she accepted an invitation to come to Kevin’s apartment so he could cook dinner for her. Taking a risk paid off. “My thoughts on love at first sight changed,” she remembers. “The man standing in the entryway was everything I hoped for and, up until that day, never found. Kevin had made lemon pasta, spiral potatoes, and bacon wrapped dates and I never looked back.”

Kevin and Rebecca were engaged in March of 2024 when the couple was vacationing in the Hudson Valley. “I had a pretty good feeling I knew what was coming that weekend, but I had no idea of the specifics,” the bride says, noting that after arriving on Friday, she was told to be ready at 3 pm. The couple then headed to Olana, a historic site overlooking the Hudson River where Kevin had arranged a private tour. After exploring the scenic grounds and mansion, they went up to the bell tower – access wasn’t easy, and the groom had all but bribed to get them up there. Surrounded by breathtaking views of the Hudson River Valley and Catskill Mountains just as the sun was setting, Kevin asked Rebecca to marry him.

Rebecca had a short list of wedding venues before the engagement even took place – the common thread being they all channeled classic New York City style. As the couple deepened their search, Kevin realized that he wanted an outdoor component for their reception. Hidden amongst the bucolic setting of Central Park, Tavern on the Green ticked all the right boxes. Rebecca recalls her first impression, “Tavern on the Green is such an iconic place and from the first minute I walked into the tented event space, I could picture our wedding there.”

Fashion has always been important to Rebecca, so she knew finding the right dress would be a challenge. Adding to the emotion of the moment, her mother. who had passed just three years earlier, had set aside money specifically for this occasion. Feeling her mother’s presence throughout the process, Rebecca promised herself, “Whatever I fall in love with, I’ll buy.” She tried on well over 100 dresses at twelve different appointments. “I was all over the map from wanting something fitted to a detachable train to what I ultimately ended up with – the ball gown of my dreams.” Putting a modern twist on the classic silhouette, her striking choice by Australian bridal couture designer Leah Da Gloria made of Mikado satin paired a pleated bodice with off-the-shoulder straps and a dramatic skirt. “I kept telling Kevin my dress was big as we practiced our first dance, but nothing could have prepared him for just how big it truly was,” she says. “And I wouldn’t change a thing. The dress was absolutely perfect for me.”

Jewelry was full of meaning. Rebecca wore two ‘something borrowed’ tennis bracelets – one from her mother-in-law, the second from her jeweler, Suzy B Jewelry. “After purchasing an engagement ring, the bride can wear any of the designer’s pieces on her wedding day,” she shares. Rebecca’s former managing director, mentor, and friend Harlan Saroken, who has a background in the diamond business, loaned her a shimmering pair of diamond and pearl drop earrings. “It’s the sisterhood of the traveling earrings,” the bride notes. “She lent them to a girl at work who was married two years ago and she’s lending them to another girl on our team who is getting married in September.” Beauty and hair were understated glam – a ballerina bun, glowing skin, golden rose eyeshadow, and a soft pink lip. Rebecca completed her look with Badgley Mischka shoes and a hand-tied bouquet featuring various types of roses, peonies, calla lilies, ranunculuses, sweet peas, stock, and dogwood accents in shades of light and vibrant pink, peach, blush, and white. For groom’s attire, Kevin enlisted Suit Supply, wearing a classic black tux trimmed with a sweet pea boutonniere and engraved cufflinks. For their supporting roles, bridesmaids wore satin black gowns from Show Me Your Mumu and groomsmen sported black tuxes.

Rebecca and Kevin married on May 10, 2025. The ceremony took place at St. Paul the Apostle Church on Manhattan’s Upper West Side. Any wedding nerves Rebecca was feeling were remedied by her mentor/friend Harlan’s advice – take in the moment and appreciate the love and support of everyone who came. Adding to her sense of calm was Kevin, who thought when they were on stage would be the perfect time to tell a crazy story. “We laugh about that quite a bit,” she remembers.

After a cinematic recessional on the church steps, the couple jumped into a vintage cab and headed to the Tavern on the Green. “I’m from Georgia. Knowing that my family would be traveling from there to here, we really wanted to lean into the New York of it all,” Rebecca notes. The couple’s monogram crest reflected this sentiment – a Georgia peach, vintage cab (a running theme throughout the night – toy versions were set on the place settings of friends about to get married), and goldfinch (the state bird of New Jersey where Kevin is from) were incorporated into the design.

The reception kicked off with guests raising a toast – the first of many – to the newlyweds. Then everyone headed to the courtyard where they were welcomed by a stunning scene. Decorated like an elegant garden party, the tablescape unfolded in a row of monochromatic arrangements, each containing a unique flower – roses, peonies, hydrangeas, tulips, ranunculuses in pink, blush, peach, fuchsia, and white. Round tables were topped with blossoming high centerpieces surrounded by a ring of peaches. A jaw-dropping floral chandelier suspended over the dance floor added to the enchanted atmosphere felt all around. “It was absolutely everything,” the bride notes. “To this day, I’m not over how it looked in the space. I just thought it looked absolutely perfect.” Working on this wedding felt especially sentimental for Bride & Blossom Founder Rachel Santana. “It brought back fond memories from my own childhood,” she says. “Designing weddings at Tavern on the Green is truly special – the colors, the atmosphere, and the history of the venue create an experience our team cherishes every time.”

For Rebecca, the day was nothing short of a dream come true. Known for wearing heels on a hike, she set a “fashion-forward black-tie” dress code, encouraging guests to go all out. “I asked my girlfriends to wear sequins and feathers, the crazy dress with the train. I wanted everyone to dress up and feel like it was a night out – old-school New York City glamour,” she shares. Other memorable moments included an emotional first look, where both bride and groom were on the verge of tears. And the cherry on top? “One of our favorite movies is Wedding Crashers, and we had one of our own. We thought it was incredibly iconic – and chic – of us,” Rebecca laughs.

Congratulations, Rebecca and Kevin! Thank you for sharing your Real BB Wedding story with us.

Couple’s Vendor List
Reception Venue: Tavern on the Green
Ceremony Venue: St. Paul the Apostle Church
Photographer: Lizzie Burger Photography
Planner: The Wedding Connection
Videographer: So Bridal Social
Bride’s Dress: Leah Da Gloria
Bride’s Shoes: Badgley Mischka
Groom’s Attire: Suit Supply
Bridesmaids’ Dresses: Show Me Your Mumu
Makeup: Beauty by Kylie D
Hair: Beauty Icon
Jewelry: Suzy B Jewelry 
Invitations: Sterling Stripes
Cake: Mia’s Bakery
Vintage Cab: Film Cars NY
First Dance Choreography: NY Wedding Dance