Wedding | Molly & Oliver

The Anti-Bride
2 hours ago
4 min read

Tell us a little about yourselves!

Oliver and I met on Winterline in 2015, a nine-month experiential education program that spanned ten countries across Central America, Southeast Asia, Western Europe, and parts of the U.S. There were sixteen students, ages 18 to 23, and two field advisors (one of which was Beth, our officiant!). Everyone grew close quickly, but something shifted for Oliver and me while we were getting scuba certified in Bocas del Toro. As people paired off as diving partners, we found ourselves the last ones standing. We joke that we were the last-round draft picks---and it was the best "coming in last" moment of my life.

Ten years later, after three years of long distance, a move to the Virgin Islands, countless road trips, and even more flights, we landed in Brooklyn, New York, where one might say we've "settled" (for now). As with most things in our life together, the move to NYC was serendipitous, unexpected, and experimental. What we found gave us every reason to stay: good jobs, a beautiful home, delicious food, and a growing community.

Why did you decide to get married where you did?

We considered every possibility - a large wedding, a small wedding, a destination wedding, a backyard wedding - but nothing felt quite right. That changed when we thought of reaching out to our favorite neighborhood restaurant, just a four-minute walk from our apartment. It felt like kismet how everything fell into place after our first call with Place des Fêtes; we didn't look at a single other venue. It became clear that we wanted an intimate celebration, anchored by food that would truly blow everyone's minds, in our own neighborhood---so our friends and family, many of whom don't live in New York City, could understand why we fell in love with this place.

How many guests did you have?

47 guests.

What was your budget?

$60k. This includes both our welcome party at Radegast and our ceremony and reception dinner at Place des Fêtes, as well as all wedding attire and vendors---photography, flowers, hair and makeup, and ceremony music. It also includes stationery, which we designed and printed ourselves.

Tell us about your outfits.

Welcome party: Pike satin dress from Reformation, Tony Bianco black slingbacks, Ralph Lauren bag from The RealReal.

Wedding dress: Clara Corset, Louise Skirt, & Signature Veil from Alexandra Grecco, Stuart Rose Slingback 35 from Stuart Weitzman, Serilda Pearl handbag from Dolce Vita, pearl earrings & necklace from sellers on Etsy.

Second Look: Eleanor Red Jumpsuit from Nadine Merabi, Talasia Pointed Toe Kitten Heels from Badgley Mischka.

Oliver had his suit custom made from Alan David, which incorporated a fun surprise on the lining: an ode to his love for the game of chess!

What was the most important aspect for you, in terms of planning your wedding?

Planning the wedding was an unexpected joy for me. I fell in love with the visualization, and then with watching it come to life. Oliver and I were in sync about how we wanted the day to feel and look, which isn't always and doesn't need to be the case, but made the process far more seamless. For me, it was important to feel present and intentional throughout the planning.

Were there any elements that were important for you to incorporate?

Oliver and I love games of all kinds, so we knew that was an important element to incorporate. We landed on custom Bicycle card decks, which were fun to create and turned out beautifully. An unintentional but happy result of placing them at each seat was that our friends actually started playing cards during dinner.

Any tips for couples getting married?

Find time to just sit on the couch in your cozies, light some candles, open a bottle of wine, and talk about what you both want this day to feel like.

Are there any vendors that you would like to tell us a little more about?

There's nothing quite like working with people you trust, those who can hold your vision while bringing their own expertise and taste to create something unforgettable. Emma, our photographer, was a joy to work with: an undeniable presence when she needed to be, and otherwise able to blend seamlessly into the day. Amy from Sunkissed Stems brought the floral vision to life and then some. Her ceremony installation and tablescapes completely blew us away. Rachel and Jo, who took care of me in the hair and makeup chair, made the morning of getting ready calm and breezy.