Palm Springs is the colorful desert mecca of the West Coast, making it the perfect place for Alexa-Rae and Nathan’s playful engagement session. Flamingos, bold florals, and stylish California-inspired style all played a part in making this Palm Springs engagement one to remember, but it’s the look in the couple’s eyes when they see each other that really stole our hearts. Alexa-Rae and Nathan may not take themselves too seriously, but they are seriously cute throughout this whole shoot with Plum & Oak Photo!
Cherry blossoms are beginning to sprinkle the trees along busy streets in New York City, which means it’s time for spring wedding season in New York to begin! After months of cold, grey days, springtime in New York is unlike any other. From rooftop venues to lush gardens, New York is an ideal place to celebrate the new season and the next chapter of your life together. Today we are joined by expert wedding planner and designer Cristina Verger, whose New York weddings have wowed couples and guests for more than 25 years. If you’ve been dreaming of an NYC wedding in springtime, Cristina’s unparalleled wisdom is the best place to start.
Why New York in springtime?
New York City is always a special place every season, the energy of the city is intoxicating! With the Spring “new life” comes to the city and makes this season of fresh new starts a perfect time to start a new life as a couple. Cherry blossoms are in full bloom and places like Central Park and the Conservatory Gardens provide a fabulous backdrop for photos. The days are longer and sunsets are unique and perfect for early evening weddings, in one of the venues offering spectacular views. With so many new blooms, flower/decor can be magical and can be used to bring the joyous colors of spring indoors. New spring collections bring fresh new looks for both wedding gowns and bridesmaids dresses. Even food can be infused with the season’s produce that can wake up the palate and refresh the taste. In short, Spring is all about fresh and new, what better time for a wedding!
New York city offers a wealth of venues for every taste and style. For the spring it is always preferable to have a place that has a feeling of open and light. Some of my favorite are: Bryant Park Grill, I love this place which is located right in Bryant Park abutting the NY Public library, in the heart of the city yet in its own oasis of green. The Mandarin Oriental, is always one of my favorites, the views are phenomenal and the ballroom is a blank slate in which you can create any design. The Museum of the City of New York is another one of my favorites for the spring, directly across the street from the Conservatory Gardens, it makes for a quintessential New York City wedding.
Pastels are making a comeback, no complaints here. Brides can incorporate the calming colors into their big day, they look like romantic sunsets. Bridesmaids will love Rose Quartz and Serenity — the names alone are beautiful. Imagine saying, “My color is Serenity!”
I have always been a big fan of incorporating natural elements and in “marrying” the outside with the inside whenever possible, depending on the venue. In the spring the options for flowers are many, for weddings in March/April I LOVE cherry blossoms, both white and pink, as they create the most wonderful environments and truly bring a jolt of spring to any venue. For the latter part of May, peonies, a most romantic flower, are fabulous! Lots of green plants throughout and all natural fabrics such as 100% linen tablecloths and napkins. Depending on the look, vintage china is a great touch for a very unique design.
Invitations set the tone. Here is a great opportunity to “personalize” right from the start. Type of paper, weight of paper, gorgeous and unique calligraphy, colors, wording. A fabulous invitation will not be put aside so quickly and will stand out from the rest. The invitation will be an introduction to what’s to come. Music is another way to personalize your day. Recently we had a male and female duet learn and sing “Con te partirò’” at a wedding. This was the bride’s father’s favorite song, and the duet received a standing ovation from the 200+ guests. Of course, the decor is where the couple’s personality can be expressed, whether sleek and clean, or more romantic, baroque and colorful.
Have fun planning your wedding! Let the experts guide you into making this celebration one that will be forever treasured by you, your family, and friends. Spring is a beautiful time of the year (and my favorite)! Allow the season to participate in your festivities and you will have a fabulous start to your new life together.
A big thanks to Cristina Verger for sharing your lovely insight on planning an NYC wedding in spring! Interested in learning more about Cristina and her New York weddings? Check out her portfolio!
Dressed to the nines in custom-made fashions, Andrea and James’ wedding in Vermont was impossibly stylish. Andrea took cues from Valentino when designing her colorful embroidered tea-length gown and completed her look with a fur stole and delicate headband. The weather turned unexpectedly chilly for their outdoor ceremony at Mad River Barn, but the couple’s deep connection kept Andrea warm as she listened to James read his vows. With a focus on interacting with their loved ones and celebrating the next chapter in their lives together, every minute of Andrea and James’ wedding was filled with laughter and love.
Both of us had custom made garments for our wedding day. James used Michael Andrew’s Bespoke tailors and went with a casual 3-piece autumn suit made of Dormeuil wool and featuring personal details like monogramming in the lining. I was inspired by Valentino and knew I wanted some color; the silk organza fabric was woven & embroidered in Switzerland, and the self-designed dress was made in midtown Manhattan. My hair and makeup were inspired by the fresh faces of LV in the S/S’12 runway show, and I topped it off with ballet-inspired pumps.
Holding each other’s hands and saying our vows in front of our guests was incredible. There was so much love in the air, it was overwhelming. It was also much colder than we expected and by the middle of the ceremony, I was really freezing. It felt like James was saying vows to be my life long support, while literally holding me steady to keep me from shivering. It was such a beautiful parallel that no one else knew about.
We didn’t know that our guests would be tossing flower petals once we were announced as married, and that was such a magical moment!
It was important to us that the wedding represented who we are as a couple, and that it was structured in a way that enabled us to really spend time with and appreciate all of our friends and family that attended. We kept it small, intimate, and completely relaxed, and chose a space that made it easy for everyone to interact.
Try not to lose your vision along the way. Create a mission statement or mood board and refer to it if new ideas or decor for the wedding seem questionable. This will keep you on track. Also, focus on the things that you and guests care about: good food and music, amazing company, and a warm inviting environment. If you nail those things, you can’t go wrong–no matter how many or few DIY details you manage to throw in.
Congrats to Andrea and James on their barn wedding in Vermont! For more barn wedding inspiration, check out Carly and Cameron’s whitewashed barn wedding in Snohomish.
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