Wedding Date: September 19, 2021

Captured by Allison Hammond Creative

What was your wedding venue (ceremony & reception) and why did you choose there?

We wanted somewhere accessible from NYC and the east coast for our friends and family. After a few scouting trips to upstate New York last summer, we got lucky with this place. We loved that it was the perfect balance of mountain meets modern, with some Woodstock ’69 references peppered in.

Being a graphic designer & creative director, I get very picky about aesthetics. The reception space was newly renovated and had a ton of Noguchi-style round lights and huge vaulted ceilings. It was the perfect backdrop for the vision we had, and the clash of our aesthetics with this place made it stand out even more.

Did you have a wedding theme/style? If so, tell me about it please.

Tropical Disco. It was the theme of the moodboard since day 1. Probably because I love disco, the colors, the sparkle, the fashion. But the fact that we met in Costa Rica, so I always pictured that influencing the vibe.

It came together so well with the perfect sculptural flowers, weird Italian face chairs I had shipped from the city, and rotating pedestals that were like a glam infomercial .. the perfect weird touch.

How did you and your now Husband meet?

We met on a big group surf trip to Costa Rica. I only knew about 2 other people, so it felt like being on the Real World. We both lived in Brooklyn but met on this trip. I definitely didn’t see it lasting, so it’s an even better story!

What is your proposal story?

We were in Australia a few years ago in Byron Bay. We both were obsessed with this place as it reminded us of a blend of Montauk and Vermont back stateside. We surfed every day, bouncing around between a longboard break for me and bigger waves for him.

One eve, just as sun was setting, he suggested taking some photos. After setting up the GoPro perfectly in the dunes, he ran back and started posing with me. Next thing he’s on his knee, which I awkwardly thought was another pose and started to mimic, but it obviously wasn’t and he popped the question!

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How did you hear about Prea James Bridal?

I was doing a ton of research and finding that I wasn’t vibing with most wedding dress brands.

I wanted something that felt more fashion, more cool and modern.

I finally came across Lovely Bride in NYC. They advertised a trunk show from you guys and the looks caught my eye. I had been envisioning something minimal and fun so had a good feeling it would be a match, and it was!

From where did you purchase your gown?

Lovely Bride in NYC

What do you love most about the gown?

I love how it’s minimal and super flattering. It has an equally timeless, yet edgy quality to it that was just the right vibe for me. It also let me have more fun with my shoes and flowers.

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Are there any special details about your wedding that you would like to share? (A particular reason you chose the venue, or the date, or did you have a special ritual in your day that was important to you?)

It was really important to me that my bridesmaids felt really cool and sexy, and be a big part of the wedding theme. So, instead of going for actual bridesmaid dresses, I found a designer that had these hot disco babe looks in all different colors. They looked like Charlie’s Angels and literally were like a walking disco party.

Were there any details that you (and friends and family) made yourselves?

I designed the invite, wedding website, and the acrylic welcome & seating signs. It was super fun doing that all myself.

Finally, Do you have any words of wisdom for couples planning their big day? This can be to do with any part of the wedding – eg, planning, budget, or the day itself.

Make sure there’s a few details that truly bring your own personality into it, and don’t get too caught up in ‘tradition’ or what you think you’re supposed to do. This is your party so you can do things your way!