Sunday, August 30th marked Jon’s and mine’s one year anniversary. Our wedding day was even more amazing than I could have ever imagined. I was never a ‘wedding’ girl. I never saw the point in getting married, having a wedding, any of it. However, once we got engaged, I threw myself head first into the wedding planning process and to my much to my surprise, I loved it. I loved looking at pictures of pretty things. I loved trying on pretty dresses. I loved putting all of my ideas into motion and watching them become a reality. And the icing on the cake…I got to marry the best guy ever.

There is so much planning and preparation that goes into planning your wedding day and when it comes down to it…it’s only a day. And that day will fly by. Our wedding day was a beautiful whirlwind of a day, filled with our best friends, family and so much love (and Fireball, but that’s an entirely different story). I wouldn’t consider myself an overly emotional person but the outpouring of love and joy that I felt that day caused me to tear up at things that I usually wouldn’t think twice about.

When planning our wedding, I wanted it to really reflect mine and Jon’s style and I have to say that our vendors brought our ideas to life even better than I could have imagined. I wanted something nautical but with a bohemian vibe. We found the setting for our day in Bridgeview Yacht Club in Island Park, NY. All I can possibly say is the staff at Bridgeview went way above and beyond for our wedding and I will never be able to thank them enough for giving us such a perfect day. Bridgeview has sweeping water views, with a gorgeously elegant tented ballroom that took my breath away the first time I set foot in it. I knew it was the perfect venue for our coastal inspired nuptials.

Remember back when I said I against this wedding thing? Well I secretly might have found a dress on Pinterest that I said to myself “well maybe if I change my mind, this would be the dress”. Flash forward to us getting engaged in June 2013. As fate would have it, the LA based designer of the dress was having a trunk show in Tribeca the weekend I started doing dress research at Lovely Bride (best bridal shop ever. Seriously, if you need a dress check them out). I was lucky enough to get an appointment. I went with my mom and maid of honor. The Poipu by Katie May was the fourth dress I tried on and it was THE dress! It was unlike any other dress I had seen before. It was fitted in all the right places, lace and had a showstopping back (or lack thereof). It is still my most favorite dress ever.

Whimsical probably sums up our wedding look best. The main color scheme was navy and coral. I didn’t want flowers as centerpieces since they tend to run up the bill and we were working with a fairly strict budget. I wanted something tangible, useful and something our loved ones can take home and use. We ended up choosing copper lanterns filled with sea glass and candles, which sat on top of a bed of coral rose petals, surrounded by mercury glass votives, all on top of a navy and white striped tablecloth. The ballroom was bathed in candlelight, giving it a soft, romantic look.

The day began with a Taylor Swift-90s hip hop dance party in the bridal suite, led to pictures with my mom and my best girlfriends around Bridgeview, then we headed to meet the boys at the beach where Jon and I would have our first look. Our insanely talented photographer orchestrated the beach we would meet on and how the first look would happen. We met in nearby Lido Beach. His back was to me and as I walked over the dunes, my heart was beating out of my chest. When I tapped him on the shoulder, we had the biggest smiles on our faces and he gave me the biggest kiss and hug. It was really happening! The day was finally here. Finally real. We continued taking more photos on the beach, eventually heading back to Bridgeview to prepare for the ceremony. Walking down the aisle was one of the most surreal, indescribable experiences I have ever had. It was the most nervous, terrified, happy, excited and overjoyed I have ever felt. I was so nervous I forgot I had a veil in front of my face. Twice. I may have tried to kiss him with my veil on. Oops.

The rest of the night went by in a blur. From our first dance, to the speeches, to the cake cutting, to the last song where we danced in a flurry of bubbles and rose petals to our song (“Mr. Brightside” by The Killers. Hence the title of this blog.) it was literally the best day of my life and I would relive it everyday if I could.

 

 

Photographer: Martina Micko Photo

Venue: Bridgeview Yacht Club

Florist: C. Santos Florals & Events

Makeup: Glam Me Up

Hair: Dream Hair by Cynthia

Dress: Poipu by Katie May

Dress Shop: Lovely Bride

Shoes: Lambent Knot Shoes by Something Bleu (Coral)

Shoe Shop: BHLDN

Hair Piece: Wildflower Couture

Dress Alterations: The Wedding Dresser

Bridesmaid Dress: Adrianna Papell Boatneck Lace Sheath Dress in Guava

Ribbon Curtain: Oh My Charley

Cake: The Sweet Peace

Please feel free to Pin or email me if you have any questions about our wedding!