Wedding | Jenny & Ryan

Tell us a little about yourselves!

We met 6 years ago in New York on a lucky little dating app called Hinge. I came back from our first date and told my roommate that Ryan and I were going to be married one day. It took Ryan a little longer to realize.

I ended up being right—we got engaged in 2023 in Mexico City, one of our favorite cities in the world, and then got married a year later right in our beloved neighborhood where we had our many early dates.

Why did you decide to get married where you did?

A couple of things we wanted to prioritize were good, restaurant-quality food, an intimate environment, and a space that didn’t need much dressing up. Radio Star provided all three. The food was catered by Glasserie (Radio Star’s sister restaurant), and the space itself (split into outdoor and indoor areas) was lovely, with Murano glass chandeliers and a soft pink/green color scheme.

Radio Star unfortunately did not allow for a dancing reception so following the dinner, we migrated our guests a block away to Madeline’s—a two story bar that was perfect for having a DJ and celebrating late into the night.

How many guests did you have?

We had 120 guests at the ceremony and dinner with additional friends joining for the reception at Madeline’s. Hannah Jan Photography captured our day.

What was your budget? 

We wanted to keep our budget at $50K, but we did end up hitting about $70K with everything included.

Tell us about your outfits.

Jenny: I worked with a local designer named Delfina Balda for a bespoke dress. I wanted something simple that I could move around naturally in without taking up a ton of space (especially because our venue was so intimate). I still wanted the dress to have some sort of twist that held some drama and whimsy, and Delfina created a beautiful ankle length column dress with a handmade flower piece on the chest and a long cape to throw on in case the temperature dropped. The shoes were secondhand from TheRealReal from a brand called Le Silla—they are simple kitten heels but the detailing on the heel and the pointed toe made them feel elevated and perfect for the occasion.

Ryan: I wanted something a bit more non-traditional that also felt like “me”. I didn’t want to look like I was going to a black tie event, or a boardroom meeting. So, for me that meant going with a suit with a looser and more casual feel, as well as no dress shirt or tie. I went with dark brown as it felt seasonally correct for fall, but contrasted it with an ivory mesh tank to make it feel lighter.

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

It was important for the wedding to feel like us and reflect who we are both individually and as a couple. We made a great effort (budget allowing) to choose vendors, traditions, and details that we felt would not only properly represent us but also be things we genuinely enjoyed ourselves.

This felt particularly important because our friends were coming to celebrate our love, and we wanted the entire night to authentically capture it.

More concretely, we wanted to provide our guests with a properly delicious meal and wine (we worked with Radio Star to upgrade to natural wine selections that we chose) and a DJ who would keep everyone dancing. Our DJ, Davalz, absolutely crushed on the decks the entire night, and our friends still talk about how good the music was at our reception.

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

We have many skilled friends who generously lent their talents to the day. Our seat card and menu combo was designed by our dear friend Jane who is a wonderful illustrator and designer. Our other dear friend Brielle, a brilliant multidisciplinary artist, airbrushed our names into a gorgeous welcome sign that we hung up outside. For our first dance, our lovely friend Kush performed Tennessee Whiskey on his guitar, which is a memory we are lucky to cherish forever.

As a kind of love letter to our guests, we had a section in the name cards that read “You remind us of” and we wrote a response for each person by hand. It was a joy to watch our friends’ faces light up when they read their cards!

Another more playful element was the ice luge that we had made in the shape of our cat Miles. Because Miles couldn’t physically be there with us, it was sweet that he could show up in other ways (he was also immortalized on our dinner menus).

Any tips for couples getting married?

First off, we recommend handing your phone off to a good friend, or someone you trust, before any first looks and definitely through the first half of the night (at least). It helps you be 100% present and to ignore any notifications, social media updates, or calls and texts from family on logistical matters that they can figure out on their own or with the help of others. 

Lastly, the day will go by so fast and it will all feel like a blur. What helps is pulling your partner aside at some point(s) of the night, and having a moment between you two to observe, laugh, and love seeing all your best friends and loved ones enjoy the party.

Photographer: Hannah Jan Photography @hannahjanphoto | Flora: Sunmi Yim @snmi_y | Ceremony Location: Radio Star @glasserieeventsnyc | Reception Location: Radio Star  @glasserieeventsnyc

/ Madeline’s @madelinesnyc | Makeup Artist: Katie Wong Makeup @katiewongbridal | Hair Stylist: Farrah Kheiralla @isthatfarrah | Catering & Beverages: Radio Star  @glasserieeventsnyc | Stationery:  Designed by friend @ayesop | Entertainment: DJ Davalz @_davalz & Michael Kushner (first dance song) @michaelprestia | Dress: Delfina Balda @delfinabaldanyc | Suit: Todd Snyder @toddsnyder | Veil: Secondhand from Jenny’s sister-in-law | Bag: Sandy Liang @sandyliang | Shoes: Toga Virilis (Ryan) & Le Silla (Jenny) | Ice Luge: Okamoto Studio @okamotostudio