When photographer Farnaz, of Farnaz K Studio, reached out to me to feature Rachel & Jared's wedding, I was immediately drawn into the couple's timeless elegance. They held their wedding at historical The New York Palace in New York City. The gorgeous architecture dating back to 1800's, displaying the beauty of a bygone era, and this couple's sleek and modern style, with a splash of old Hollywood glamour, makes a stunning combination.
We are pleased to also share the couple's love story, their planning process and the details of their beautiful day! Please enjoy Rachel & Jared's New York Palace Wedding, beautifully captured by Farnaz K Studio.
How we met:
We met on JDate but realized once we met that we had two mutual friends in common. The first was one of Jared's best friend's from college/fraternity brother who was my good friend from high school. Another was Jared's fraternity brother who was my co-worker at the time.
Engagement:
Jared took me to one of our favorite restaurants, Tamarind, for dinner. I had already cancelled on him the week before (we had been trying to do date nights during the week) so did not think anything of it. After dinner when Jared told me we had a reservation for dessert down in the lower east side, I proceeded to tell him all I wanted to do was go home and put on elastic waist pants and hang out with our cat, Little Man. Little did I know Jared "walking me down the street to grab a cab to the LES" was actually him walking me to the spot of our first date, Rose Bar where he would propose.
The Bridal Gown:
I had tried my dress on in my first dress shopping experience, but was not ready to commit. I DID commit in my second shopping experience when I tried it on at Kleinfeld. It was a David Fielden sheath dress (he is a wedding dress designer based in London.) It was an ivory satin and featured an exposed back with lace and bow detail.
The Bridal Party:
We decided to have a small wedding party to keep things intimate. My bridesmaids were a combination of dear friends from all walks of life - childhood, teenage years, years post college and included Jared's sister. We did a mix and match for bridesmaid dresses with the only stipulations being (1) dresses had to be champagne and (2) feature a romantic detail whether that be in the form of beading, sequins or both.
The Venue:
We knew we wanted something in NYC and liked the idea of a venue with history. We were married at The New York Palace on 50th and Madison and chose the rooms of the Palace that were some of the oldest in the hotel to have our ceremony and reception
Wedding Day Vision:
I did not have a specific theme/vision in mind for our wedding day which proved challenging! Once we booked our venue and I found my dress, everything started to fall into place. It was going to be a combination of old Hollywood glamour, New York City cool, drama and romance. I did not have a color palette, but opted for metallic neutrals for the bridesmaids, champagne specifically, and built the flower arrangements on mood.
The Ceremony:
Jewish ceremony complete with chuppah. We used Jared's tallit (prayer shawl) from childhood/what he was bar mitzvah'd in. The rabbi was Rachel's rabbi from childhood who bat mitzvah'd her.
Family is very important to both of us so we were both walked down the aisle by our parents. We had family and loved ones participate in the blessings over the wine and bread.
For the ceremony we wanted to create a woodland wonderland. Jared is big on the outdoors and grew up in New England, so it was important to create the feel of the outdoors with greenery like ferns, dogwood branches and berries; the chuppah was made of white birch. We made it soft and romantic with additions like orchid, cotton, varying textures and draping/cascading flowers. Candles lined the isle in clusters and hanging votives were also incorporated.
Ceremony Music:
For ceremony to complement the romantic theme, we opted for strings that played modern day music. For the wedding party processional, our wedding party walked down to "I'm Kissing You" by Des'ree (it's from the Romeo + Juliet soundtrack - film by Baz Luhrmann.) I walked down to "Young and Beautiful" by Lana Del Rey. The recessional was "Sweet Disposition" by Temper Trap.
The Reception:
For the ornate reception room, we wanted to keep the mood soft but unpredictable, with flowers in creams, white and pops of green and pink. The centerpieces were antique class containers in varying shapes and heights.
Reception Music:
We walked out to "You Got the Love" by Florence + the Machine and our first dance was to "La Vie En Rose" by Louis Armstrong.
We also made a point of having our parents (my father, his mother) choose the song they wanted to dance to when it came to daughter/son dances.
Additional notes from the bride....
The Planning Process:
The help of both sets of parents as well as Jared's sister, Hayley were crucial. Hayley is an event coordinator for J.P. Morgan Private Bank and interned at the event planning group, Fete, so her experience and recommendations with vendors and coordination were a MASSIVE help. Her creativity paired with her mother's creativity and organization were a huge support. My mom is an interior decorator so her opinions and guidance with color choices and design were key in having our vision come to life.
Advice for future brides:
Do not sweat the small stuff and remember - this is a celebration of your love and the joining of two families. Have FUN and do not lose sight of how important this moment is in your lives and the lives of all around you.
Such a beautiful couple, and lovely wedding. Our many thanks to Rachel for sharing the details of your day with us, and to Farnaz K Studio for submitting your work our way!
Vendors:
Photographer: Farnaz K Studio//Venue: The New York Palace