Heavenly Rooftop

by

Mary and Galen’s heavenly rooftop wedding was straight out of a fairytale. The west coast couple embraced the spring season with a gorgeous pink and green color palette and a stunning ceremony with a magical canopy of hanging flowers.

 


As told to BRIDES, Mary and Galen’s romance was straight out of a fairytale. In fact, the couple was watching Frozen when Galen proposed! He told Mary a story about a boy’s love for a girl, and by the end she realized he was talking about their relationship!

 

The couple took their time over two years to plan an intimate ceremony and reception for 50 guests with help from wedding planner Kate Werkin at Chancey Charm. The rooftop of the Hudson Hotel was the perfect venue for their intimate wedding and the perfect mix of a traditional Chinese and a Western wedding. Mary and Galen initially considered getting married in California’s redwood forest, but since they were moving to New York after the wedding, they decided to host their wedding in their new city. They settled on a beautiful verdant palette of light green, peach, pink and white, and carried those colors throughout their invitation suite, florals, decor and even their wedding cake!

 

The day started with a traditional Chinese tea ceremony with both of their parents, who traveled from China to celebrate the wedding of their children. Mary and Galen then had a Western ceremony on the rooftop terrace of the Hudson Hotel. They mentioned to BRIDES that instead of reciting their wedding vows in front of their guests, they privately shared their vows with each other before the ceremony. We thought that intimate moment was such a beautiful decision! Mary walked down the aisle in a stunning Vera Wang gown and gold and pink crystal Christian Louboutin pumps that Galen had given her as a gift. We also couldn’t help but notice her cheeky rainbow rolling stone tattoo!

 

Mary chose to carry a bouquet of white and blush peonies wrapped in silk ribbon, which were absolutely gorgeous and in season in May. There were so many gorgeous elements to Mary and Galen’s ceremony, it is hard for us to pick a favorite! The end of the aisle was decorated with a stunning wedding arch made of eucalyptus, fern, Italian ruscus and lemon leaf and accented with beautiful pops of white blooms, including hydrangea, peonies, Tibet roses, vendela roses, and spray roses. The whimsical and natural design of the arch was perfect for their intimate ceremony. Over 2000 blooms made a breathtaking canopy over the top of the ceremony terrace. We suspended 600 blush stock flowers and 1800 blush carnations with Italian ruscus from the ceiling, creating a magical and enchanting floralscape that guests could enjoy on the beautiful spring evening.  

 

At the reception, the guests were greeted by a beautiful manzanita tree adorned with lush cream and blush roses, white peonies, cascading greenery and hanging terrarium bubble votives. The base of the card table arrangement was decorated with a lush mixture of white hydrangea, blush and cream roses, blush dahlias, green moss, seeded eucalyptus and fern accents.

 

Guests were all able to see each other by configuring the reception tables into a U shape, with the dance floor in the center. We love lush greenery garlands for rectangular table decor, because it allows the guests to really see each other and the happy couple. Using Italian ruscus, seeded and silver dollar eucalyptus ivy and asparagus fern, we created the greenery garland base. We then weaved in peonies, quicksand and vendela roses to bring color and lightness to the tables. The long tables were illuminated with simple glass votives and stemmed floating candles. Mary and Galen’s chairs were decorated with a sweetheart garland made from Italian ruscus, seeded eucalyptus, ivy, white spray roses, cream vendela roses and blush Cafe Au Lait dahlias.

 

During the reception, Mary changed into a gorgeous white lace dress embroidered with florals and greenery, that perfectly matched her wedding decor and her delicious floral wedding cake from A White Cake and A Simple Cake. It was the perfect sweet ending to a magical spring wedding!

 

Vendors

 

Venue: Hudson Hotel

Planner: Chancey Charm

Photographer: Jacquelyne Pierson Weddings

Gown: Vera Wang

Bride and Groom’s Shoes: Christian Louboutin

Music: Highline String Quartet

Invitations: Yao Cheng Design

Cake: A White Cake and A Simple Cake

Hair and Makeup: Vicky C5

Rentals: Broadway Party Rentals

Pink and White Tulip Bouquets - via A Lacey Perspective

Planning & Inspiration

Springtime Flowers Feature

by

For those of us not fortunate enough to live in eternal warmth, spring often signifies the much-welcomed peeling off restrictive layers, heavy woolen wraps and full length casings that double as winter coats. We’ve traded our cumbersome snow gear for the tailored sophistication of a trench coat and kitten heels. We breathe again and our world is filled with the budding optimism of sunlight.

Spring weddings are much like the light that breaks through the dense, grey haze of winter. They are flirty and fresh, bringing the first pops of bright color after the long departed summer hues have faded. They conjure images of lush rolling hills just beginning to sprout with green carpets and cobblestones wet from a light spring rain. Flowers, just like fashion, change for the season, and springtime flowers are some of the most beloved around the world. They are colorful, fun and bring sunshine into your days. Here at Bride and Blossom, we have a few of our favorite flowers that we love to work with during springtime weddings.
Read More

Plaza Hotel Glam

by

Marianna and Jason celebrated their love in New York’s most famous wedding venue, the Grand Ballroom at the storied Plaza Hotel. With significance in every detail of their decor, their wedding was a true ode to the love this beautiful couple shares with one another.

 

 

Marianna and Jason grew up around the block from each other in Manhattan, but had never met before. Fate had met its match, as they reunited over a decade ago during a bad snowstorm. Jason and his friend were driving in a bad snowstorm, and offered Marianna a ride home. She refused! A few years after that, they met again at a party, and have been inseparable ever since! Jason proposed on a romantic vacation in Hawaii, and Marianna said yes!

 

When Marianna came to Bride & Blossom for the wedding flowers, she had a distinctive point of view and specific vision of what she wanted her wedding to look like. She and Jason, who did not use a wedding planner to pull off their grand wedding, wanted a timeless and elegant look that they would look back on and love for years to come. In fact, the couple opted to keep their wedding details to themselves and really enjoy the planning process as a couple. We’re sure their friends and family were awestruck by how beautiful the ceremony was!

 

The Plaza Hotel’s is absolutely iconic. Overlooking the famed intersection of Fifth Avenue and Central Park, it’s ornate crystal chandeliers, dramatic archways and gilded finishings is a look to behold. Guests entered to flowing champagne and delectable hors d’oeuvres by CPS Catering before descending into the Terrace Room for Marianna and Jason’s romantic ceremony. Marianna stunned guests in a custom Ines Di Santo gown and carried a romantic pastel bouquet featuring cream garden roses, taupe quicksand roses, blush tea roses and ranunculus. The bouquet was made more formal by wrapping the stems entirely in lace and accenting it with beautiful pearls. When Jason saw Marianna come down the aisle, he couldn’t help but get emotional seeing his beautiful bride approach him.

 

The ceremony was enchanting. With a romantic aisle lined in pillar candles and rose petals and an white chuppah made of hydrangea, stock, Phalaenopsis and dendrobium orchids, cream vendela roses and white tea roses, the scale and size of the chuppah perfectly matched the grandeur of the ballroom. Beautifully draped in chiffon and lace, the chuppah was romantic, classic, and perfect for this luxurious wedding venue.

 

The opulence continued when it was time for the wedding reception. Bride & Blossom decorated the Grand Ballroom with over 10,000 roses, Marianna’s favorite flower. Marianna chose the classic wedding flower because she felt that it represented love more than any other bloom. The March reception was lavishly decorated in shades of white, cream, blush, mauve and lavender.

 

The escort card table was made with whimsical gold manzanita branch trees, which had hand-strung ivory tea roses and pearls suspended from it, along with quicksand, amnesia and mondial rose pomander balls.

 

Their Russian heritage was honored with vodka and caviar awaiting guests when they sat down at their tables! Marianna chose ornate high centerpieces featuring 360 roses white, blush and lavender roses arranged with an ombre effect to signify a full circle, like their wedding rings. Suspended from these lush rose arrangements were romantic and whimsical bubble terrarium tea lights and crystal beaded votive holders. A bed of champagne roses covered the base of the centerpieces, creating texture, height and dimension across the room. The sweetheart table where the bride and groom sat featured a beautiful, low and lush arrangement of hydrangea, Phalaenopsis and dendrobium orchids, blush Keira garden roses and amnesia and quicksand roses in shades of lavender and taupe. There wasn’t a dry eye in the house when Jason’s brother Esmond, a singer-songwriter, performed his wedding speech for his dear brother and his bride!

 

Marianna and Jason ended the night on the dance floor. It was certainly a night and a wedding to remember! With classical touches of romance, elegance and opulence, this Plaza wedding was timelessly decorated and will be cherished for years to come.

 

Vendors

 

Venue: The Plaza Hotel

Photographer & Videographer: Fred Marcus

Catering: CPS Events at the Plaza

Cake: Sylvia Weinstock

Bridal Gown: Ines di Santo

Wedding Rings: Tiffany and Co. and Graff