Mary & John chose their venue - a private golf course - before making any other design decisions and this helped direct their wedding style. The couple tell us, "The ballroom and grounds where we had the ceremony and reception have a simple elegance that we loved and we tried to carry that through our choice in design and our own looks. We wanted our flowers and decor to be clean and classic." New York wedding photographer TANYA ISAEVA captured their wedding in a classic style which perfectly matched the aesthetic.

WHY DID YOU CHOOSE THIS LOCATION? The golf club where we had our ceremony and reception was near and dear to John's family. His grandparents had been members for decades so when it came time to select a wedding location it was an easy choice. We loved that there was a beautiful location for both an outdoor and indoor ceremony. 

HOW DID YOU MEET? We met in our freshmen dorm in 2013 on our first day at Marist College as we traded stories and found our places in a new social circle. We were fast friends and spent three years forging a bond that would serve as the foundation to our relationship when we began dating our senior year. Though we met when we were young, we have grown up and grown together through all of life’s hurdles. When we graduated from Marist College in 2013, we began our life and careers in New York City. We were engaged in July of 2022.

TELL US ABOUT YOUR PROPOSAL: We live on the Upper East Side in New York City so Central Park is our backyard. It is common for us to spend our Saturday with a coffee and a book on a bench near the model sailboat pond in the park. On a warm Saturday in July of 2022 we did just that but as we got up to leave, John asked me to marry him. In true New York fashion a tourist from Sweden took our picture and a stranger who was hosting a micro-wedding nearby ran over to give us a bouquet. When the commotion died down, we sat in the park for a few quiet moments and reflected together on the life we had built and the pride we felt in continuing to do that together. As we left the park John told me that we would be checking into the historic Carlyle hotel for a classic New York evening. We had dinner at Daniel and spent the rest of the evening at Bemelmans Bar celebrating our next chapter. 

TELL US ABOUT FINDING YOUR WEDDING DRESS: I went to many different bridal shops in New York City, but I knew when I went to JENNY YOO'S showroom they had exactly what I was looking for. The staff was amazing and welcoming. All of her designs are simple, yet stunning. I didn’t want my dress to overpower me and the silhouette I chose was so comfortable for the entire day. I loved that I could detach the shoulder sleeves after our ceremony for dancing with and hugging our guests.

DID YOU HAVE ANY DIY ELEMENTS? Over the past few years, I’ve grown to appreciate needlework and embroidery. Getting into needlepoint myself I knew I wanted to incorporate a personalised element to our wedding day. I stitched a handkerchief as my “something blue” with our wedding date in blue thread. I also stitched a personalised handkerchief for my mom as a gift to her that day.

DESCRIBE YOUR WEDDING FLOWERS: Simple, white, and elegant. 

WHAT ADVICE WOULD YOU GIVE OUT TO A COUPLE PLANNING THEIR WEDDING? #1) Take the time to connect with each other throughout the process. #2) We did dance lessons for our first dance with Lexi Greenberg (The Wedding Dance Whisperer) and we enjoyed taking an hour each week leading up to our wedding to practice. #3) We would set aside date nights where wedding planning was an off-limits topic. This allowed us to stay connected with each other and focus on our goals and dreams for our marriage rather than just our wedding day. 

MOST MEMORABLE MOMENT: We did a first look, so after all our portraits and family pictures were complete we were waiting in the bridal suite taking a quick breather with the bridal party. Right before we all went downstairs as a big group, John turned to me from across the bridal suite. He gave me a look I will never forget and a huge smile. It was such a small moment but through the chaos of the day we found each other before our very special ceremony.

WHAT ASPECT OF THE WEDDING WAS THE MOST IMPORTANT TO YOU BOTH? That our guests had a great time on the dance floor. We completely trusted our DJ, Jared West from Mystical Entertainment. We told him we wanted a killer dance party and he delivered. The best compliment I got about our wedding was that the DJ played too many hits and that there were no songs that made you want to leave the dance floor and take a break!

ANY OTHER DETAILS THAT HELP TELL THE STORY OF YOUR DAY? It poured during our ceremony. We had an amazing plan to move the ceremony inside, but as our guests arrived and the ceremony began the thunder and lightning grew into a strong late summer storm. As we said our vows under the sweet breeze of the air conditioning inside (and away from the humidity) there was a huge crack of thunder that I will never forget. Now I’ll always associate thunder with our wedding ceremony! As cocktail hour began the skies cleared and we were able to get beautiful sunset pictures after the rain with our awesome photographer, TANYA ISAEVA.. 

TELL US A LITTLE ABOUT YOUR HONEYMOON: We went on a mini-moon to upstate New York immediately after the wedding. Upstate New York holds a special place in our hearts because it is where we met in college. In May of 2024 we visited Spain and Portugal for a two week trip. 

IS THERE ANYTHING YOU WOULD CHANGE OR DO DIFFERENTLY? Not a single thing. I married the person that completes me surrounded by our closest friends and family and it was perfect.

A huge thank you to New York wedding photographer TANYA ISAEVA for sharing this beautiful wedding with us. Tanya's style is clean, romantic, and editorial, and she captures weddings on a hybrid of film and digital telling us, "The moment dictates and influences the medium I choose. I'm tireless when it comes to capturing the moment, and tireless in making sure the entire process of hiring me to photograph your wedding is seamless for you: from the time we first talk about your celebration through the delivery of your heirloom items." Head over to her portfolio to view more of her work and you should check out this New York City wedding inspiration.