Our wedding day story - Episode 20
Believe it or not we’re coming up on our one year wedding anniversary! Today I wanted to share all of the details from our big day from the night before to the wee hours of the morning after.
I’m also sharing the wild story of the unexpected weather hurdles and all of the vendors who made our vision come to life!
Create & consume
What Austen is creating this week: getting back into short-form content, more conversational TikTok videos
What Austen is consuming this week: all of the updates announced at Made on YouTube this past week!
In this episode:
Overall vibes
When we set out to plan our wedding, we knew we wanted something unique—something that would feel like us.
A fall wedding in New York City sounded perfect, and we envisioned a colorful, festive atmosphere in a venue that wasn’t your typical banquet hall. Instead, we gravitated toward industrial, urban spaces that reflected the city’s vibrant, edgy energy.
We decided on formal attire to keep it elegant but wanted to infuse every detail with a sense of fun.
Rehearsal dinner at Aurora Williamsburg
We kicked off the wedding celebrations with an incredible rehearsal dinner at Aurora in Williamsburg.
It was a family-style meal that felt warm and intimate. I’m still dreaming about the prosciutto and burrata, and the pasta…just beyond words!
My father-in-law gave the sweetest speech that left a lasting impression: "Do one nice thing for your spouse every day." It was a beautiful sentiment that set the tone for the weekend.
The morning of: torrential downpours, but lots of love
The morning of the wedding brought an unexpected twist—torrential downpours and even a state of emergency!
It became clear that the phrase of the day would be “through hell or high water,” and we certainly lived up to it. While the weather tried to get in our way, it didn’t stop us from enjoying every moment.
We spent the morning getting ready with the dream team from Beauty Icon NYC and Elena.
Breakfast, hair, makeup, and plenty of laughs filled the day. We wore matching pajamas from Draper James, and I later changed into a robe from Etsy with silk PJs and slippers from Amazon before slipping into my wedding dress.
Speaking of dresses, my bridesmaids wore Azazie, and my dress was an Etsy find, while the tuxes came from The Menguin.
Capturing the day:
We took tons of photos while getting ready, and our photographer Kate Edwards made sure every shot looked amazing, even in the rain.
Eddie from Hitches & Unions gave us a camcorder to record personal moments in the days leading up to the wedding and the morning of, which added an extra layer of nostalgia to our videos.
To make sure we could fully enjoy the day, we hired a wedding content creator, Lauren from Plan With Laur, and she was incredible.
It meant I didn’t have to worry about capturing every little moment because she had it covered.
The ceremony:
We held our ceremony at 74 Wythe, a stunning NYC rooftop venue with a retractable roof (thank goodness!).
Our florist, Isabel from A Lily Among Thorns, created breathtaking freestanding pillars that added so much beauty to the ceremony and later transitioned to the reception.
Celine from Honeybreak Officiants led our short and sweet ceremony, and we submitted our love story ahead of time and wrote our own vows, which made everything feel personal and intimate.
As a fun twist, we passed out Prosecco to guests to enjoy during the ceremony.
For the music, we worked with WeddinGigs, a cello and guitar duo, who played “Can’t Help Falling in Love” by Elvis Presley for the bridal party, “Your Song” by Elton John as I walked down the aisle with my dad, and “Halo” by Beyoncé for the recessional.
As we exited, everyone tossed petals, which made for the most magical moment.
Cocktail hour:
Our cocktail hour was everything we’d dreamed of, thanks to Bartleby & Sage catering.
We repurposed the bridesmaids' bouquets as décor and kept the ceremony musicians around for an extra hour to provide the perfect background music.
As for the food, there was a taco station and oyster shuckers, which our guests raved about.
For drinks, we had two signature cocktails: mine was a Paloma, and Andrew’s was an Old Fashioned. It was the perfect way to start the evening festivities.
The reception:
For our first dance, we chose Timeless by Taylor Swift, which felt perfectly us. Andrew and his mom danced to Forever Young by Rod Stewart, and my dad and I danced to Times of Your Life by Paul Anka.
My dad, Andrew’s brother, and my best friend Taylor all delivered speeches that left us wiping away tears and laughing through the sobs.
The tablescapes were a standout part of the reception, with rentals from Broadway Party Rentals that included pink plates, vintage-inspired water glasses, and long, slender silver flatware.
We used bud vases and stunning centerpieces to add to the beauty of the space.
Tim Martell, our DJ, kept the energy high all night. The night ended with an epic singalong to New York, New York by Frank Sinatra and Mr. Brightside by The Killers, which had everyone on their feet.
The after party:
To keep the celebration going, we walked over to Mugs Ale House in Brooklyn for an informal after-party.
It was the perfect way to wind down and spend a few more hours with our closest friends before calling it a night.
Summary
Overall, our wedding day was a whirlwind of love, color, and joy. Even with the unexpected rain, it couldn’t have been more perfect.
We’ll cherish the memories forever, and I’m so grateful to everyone who helped bring our vision to life including our families, friends and vendors.
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