Tell us a little about yourselves!
Erica is a producer from Chicago and Max is an architect from Quebec. We met thanks to the Hinge algorithms, and Erica’s decision to only go on dates with people who lived in Bed-Stuy. Fast forward 3 years later, 2 apartments (in Bed-Stuy), 1 dog, and a pandemic spent driving around the country in their old Volvo, and they decided to get married. The decision to wed was made on the ground floor of their kitchen, which seems fitting since that is their favorite place to be.
Why did you decide to get married where you did?
We got married in a building that’s very special to me, as it was my dad’s photo studio. The building has been a part of my family for 35 years, and it truly is the place that feels most like home to all of us. After my dad passed away, one of the spaces was rented to an agency as their office, but they kindly let us borrow it for our party. While it had tons of sentimental value, it definitely required quite a bit of work than we realized. We had to hire movers to remove all of the existing furniture which is no small task for a large space, and then brought in our own furniture since we have very picky taste! While it was more work, it definitely paid off to be somewhere so dear to our hearts. We did all of the furniture sourcing and event layout ourselves – since Max is an architect, he wouldn’t have it any other way.
How many guests did you have?
We had less than 15 guests for our actual ceremony and then just under 100 for the party. We loved doing our vows with only our immediate family by our sides.
Tell us about your outfits.
Max knew he wanted to wear a brown Dries van Noten suit and with just one trip to our favorite store Ssense in Montreal, he had found his suit.
Erica on the other had no idea what she wanted to wear and tried on at least 30 options which ranged from traditional dresses, to funky colors, and suits. In the end she found her dress on Happy Isles. She is glad it worked out, because she had to purchase it without knowing it would fit - which was a bit scary!
What was the most important aspect for you, in terms of planning your wedding?
The most important aspect was that it felt true to us. We wanted the night to feel more like a dinner party than a wedding, so we were quite precious about the food and drinks we served. We love seafood and natural wine, so those were both priorities. We’re also known for our cheese plates, and Max had a really specific vision for the charcuterie table which included 50 lbs of cheese he flew back from Switzerland with.
Were there any elements that were important for you to incorporate?
Our only requirement was good vibes and a party that felt like Max and Erica!
Any tips for couples getting married?
So cliché but it really does all come together no matter what! Everyone told me that but I wish I listened.
Are there any vendors that you would like to tell us a little more about?
Erica is the daughter of two photographers and a producer so finding the right photographer was a daunting task! Originally we wanted to hire a fashion or editorial photographer since we didn’t want traditional photos. On a whim we reached out to Alisha Tova and by some miracle she had availability even though we only reached out two months in advance, and this year she has already stopped taking bookings for the rest of the year in January. My mom (the photographer) is hard to impress but she was so happy with the photos that she even got family portraits done by Alisha the month after our wedding!
Photographer : Alisha Tova @alishatova | Ceremony + Reception Location : Morgan Street Studio | DJ: DJ Tess @thedjtess | Entertainment : Paul Giallorenzo | Wedding Planner : Linda Norgaila | Rentals : Relic Rentals @relicsrentals | Flora : Loose Leaft @looseleaft | Makeup : Karen Brody @chicagomakeupartists | Hair : Jamie Tannenbaum @jamiet_makeupartist | Catering + Beverages : Shaw’s @shawscrabhouse | Cake : Alliance Bakery @alliancebakery | Wine + Champagne : Thirst @thirstmerchants | Erica's Ceremony Dress : Vintage 1979 Carolina Herrera from Happy Isles @happyisles_salon | Erica's Reception Dress : 16 Arlington @16arlington | Max's Suit : Dries van Noten @driesvannoten | Engagement Ring : Erie Basin @eriebasin Red Hook, Brooklyn | Erica's Shoes : Altuzarra @altuzarra | Max's Shoes : Marsèll @marsell.official