Wedding | Hannah & Grant

Tell us a little about yourselves! 

We’re two North Carolinians who serendipitously found each other in Manhattan. It really was “love at first sight,” and we became inseparable almost immediately. Our first date felt like the start of something real…we’ve considered it our anniversary ever since because we never looked back. 

We share a love for good wine, Italian food (and just food in general), travelling to new places, cooking at home, and complaining about New York while also loving it deeply. We live in the city with our dog, Annie, and feel incredibly lucky to have found each other here. We are both very close to our families back home, though we dream of moving to upstate NY one day. On the weekend you can find us trying new restaurants, running our dog in central park, or spending time with friends.

Why did you decide to get married where you did? 

New York is where everything began for us. It’s where we met, dated, moved in together, got our dog, and got engaged. Grant lived in the West Village for the first few years of our relationship, so the neighborhood holds so many special memories for us. 

Originally, we planned to elope and host a small dinner afterward. But after sitting down and really thinking about it, we realized how many people we truly considered family—and that our “intimate” dinner would actually be quite the gathering. A proper wedding just made sense. 

We chose St. Luke’s In The Fields because it’s a deeply welcoming church. Grant was raised Catholic, and I wasn’t raised religious, but the reverend at  St. Luke’s In The Fields welcomed us with open arms. We had such a meaningful experience working with them and felt truly part of that community. 

As for the reception, we knew we wanted it to feel like us. We love the West Village/Meatpacking, great food, and great wine…so a restaurant wedding was a no-brainer. We chose Barbuto because it’s one of our favorite spots and big enough for our group. The food is always amazing, and the views of the Hudson River & Westside Highway (where we walk our dog) sealed the deal. We chose Automatic Slims for our after-party as a nod to Grant and his closest friends. It’s been their favorite dive for years, and I even met a few of them there early on! 

Our vision was simple: a night out in New York with all our favorite people - featuring our wedding. We were just blocks away from where we had our first date, which made it feel all the more special. 

How many guests did you have? 

65 people in total.

Tell us about your outfits. 

If you asked my friends to describe my style, they’d probably say: oversized everything. The Olsen twins are my style icons in the normal day to day. I’m petite too, and I just love their effortlessly cool aesthetic. I decided I needed to go a little bit more tailored for my wedding and not super oversized - Carolyn Bessette-Kennedy was my wedding dress style icon. 

Comfort was my number one priority when choosing a wedding dress. I wanted to be able to get dressed and undressed on my own, move easily from venue to venue, and eat as much pasta and drink as much wine as I wanted. The Charlie Gown by Danielle Frankel was perfect. It felt very “New York bride”. It was a little casual, a little chic, and very me. 

I wore Dior slingbacks (a favorite of mine from my time working at Dior in their HR department right out of college), a David Yurman bracelet I gifted to myself and my mom for the wedding day, and pearl earrings my mom picked out for me from Tiffany and Co. 

For Grant, tux shopping was a bit tricky due to his height. After a frustrating experience at Bergdorf’s, we wandered into Zegna across the street and were helped by an associate who also happened to be from North Carolina. It felt like a sign. They fitted him into a tux that barely needed tailoring, made him a custom shirt, and the rest was history. He wore his favorite Cartier watch and the Gucci loafers he bought just for the day…and is now searching for any excuse to wear them again. 

Rehearsal Dinner Look: The entire outfit was Danielle Frankel. It was the one exception to my “comfort-first” rule. Our dinner was held at Union Square Café in the Park & Irving Room, and I wanted a dramatic contrast to my wedding dress…something modern and bold.

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

I planned the entire wedding myself while working full-time, so I knew from the start: this had to be easy, simple, and true to us. 

We wanted the day to feel authentic, not overly produced or traditional just for tradition’s sake. We skipped the formal first dance, bouquet toss and the big cake-cutting moment because they didn’t feel like us. We just wanted to be present and enjoy the night with people we love.

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

Yes! We focused on the things we care most about: good food, good wine, good music, and great people. 

We had a violinist and cellist play as guests arrived at the church, and a choir sang during the ceremony. I had a Love Actually-style vision that they brought to life beautifully. We walked out to “All You Need Is Love” by the Beatles as guests tossed petals. It felt like a movie. 

Wine was also really important to us. We worked closely with Barbuto’s team to get it just right. Our signature cocktails were named after Grant’s amazing dad, my wonderful mom, and the East Village apartment I shared with my best friends in college (96 St. Marks!). 

The weather was not what we’d hoped for…it poured all morning. But like magic, the rain stopped the moment we walked out of the church. Petal toss and all. 

One of the most special touches was a home video I created over six months, full of old family footage from the ‘90s. Instead of a slideshow of our relationship (which everyone’s already seen on Instagram), we played a looping video of childhood moments—something meaningful for our parents, grandparents, and siblings. It was a favorite detail from the whole weekend.

Any tips for couples getting married? 

Have fun! It’s so easy to get caught up in the stress of planning, but the heart of it all is bringing together the people who love you. Be present. Don’t do anything just because it’s “what you’re supposed to do.” 

The best advice I got was: if the couple is having fun, everyone will have fun. That really guided us.

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

Parker’s Pictures  - Parker is such a gem. She made us feel so comfortable, was intuitive, captured moments candidly, and is truly a girls' girl. She was the calm we needed and so fun to have around. 

Studio Hayat - Rabab is unbelievably talented. I was difficult with flowers…I had a vision in my head that I couldn’t explain. She created so many mood boards, stayed flexible, and totally nailed it. She even made my bouquet into a purse (a last-minute request!) so I didn’t have to carry it all day. It was so cool. 

Alexa Rae Make up & Andria Tobey  Alexa (makeup) and Andria (hair) are an incredible duo and are close friends in real life. I don’t wear much makeup and always do a simple slicked-back hairdo, so they were extra patient with me through multiple trials. On the rainy wedding morning, they stayed later to make sure everything was perfect for the reception. Their energy was exactly what I needed.

Photographer: Parkers Pictures @parkers.pictures | Second Shooter: Jack Dixon-Gunn for Parkers Pictures @parkers.pictures | Planning: by the Bride | Wedding Coordinator: Silk and Slate Co

 @silkandslateco | Flora: Studio Hayat @studio___hayat | Videographer: Forest Bound Films

 @forestboundfilms | Ceremony Location: The Church of St Luke in the Fields, West Village | Reception Location: Barbuto @barbutonyc | Celebrant: The Reverend Andrew J. Ancona | Photo Booth: 

Majestic @majesticbooths | Makeup: Alexa Rae Makeup @alexaraemakeup_ | Hair: Andria Tobey @andriatobey | Stationery: Volk @we.are.volk | Entertainment: NY Music Entertainment

@nymusicentertainment | Cake, Catering & Beverages: Barbuto @barbutonyc | Afterparty Location: Automatic Slims @automaticslimsnyc | Dress & Veil: Danielle Frankel @daniellefrankelstudio | Suits: Zegna @zegna | Watch: (Groom) Cartier @cartier | Engagement Ring: Marissa Perry 

@MarissaPerryAtelier | Wedding Rings: (Bride) Tiffany and Co @tiffanyandco & (Groom) Cartier @cartier | Shoes: (Bride)  Dior @dior & (Groom) Gucci @gucci | Earrings: Tiffany and Co @tiffanyandco Bracelet: David Yurman @davidyurman