WEDDING BLOG

Modern New York Wedding at Studio 450 – Rachel and Brett

January 15, 2014 | Junebug Weddings

Rachel and Brett were married at the modern Studio 450 in a Jewish ceremony that was joyful and bright. The open studio space with floor to ceiling windows overlooking Manhattan was the perfect blank canvas for Rachel, an artist by day, to work her magic and transform it into a unique merging of tradition and whimsy. Thanks to Karen Hill Photography for capturing the day perfectly and sharing it with us!

The Couple: Rachel and Brett

The Wedding: 5.26.13 – Studio 450, New York, NY

The Goals: We wanted a NYC wedding with the ceremony and reception in the same venue. The location was a priority, as well as the feel of the space, and possibilities to make it our own.

The Design: Rachel is an artist, so she had a hand in everything related to the atmosphere and design of the wedding. She designed our invitations with a drawing of leaves and did hand gold-leafing on each one. She also designed the programs, menus and Ketubah with the same theme. Studio 450 in Manhattan was the perfect venue because it was a blank canvas with huge, wrap-around windows with stunning views of Manhattan, and a roof-top deck. We customized the space to our liking with square tables, gold chiavari chairs, and tall whimsical flowers. Instead of party favors, we decided to donate money to the Cancer Research Foundation. Rachel lost her father to cancer 6 years ago, and this is a cause close to our hearts.

The Look: Rachel got her wedding dress 70% off at a sample sale at Saks Fifth Avenue. The dress was an Ulla-Maija tulle ballgown, with a satin empire waist. She got all her wedding jewelry at an awesome vintage shop in NYC called Eye Candy. The guy there is a amazing and always searching for new, unique pieces. The bridesmaids wore different versions of a Jim Hjelm short dress that had layers of graphite and gold organza. The groomsmen wore black suits with black ties.

The Moments: The ceremony was the most special. The first dance was also a memorable moment, we remember looking around us seeing all of our guests, and then seeing these amazing views of the city surrounding us.

The Advice: The biggest success was that our family and friends had a great time. We spent a year planning for this one day, and to see everything come together perfectly in the end was priceless.

Thanks to Rachel and Brett for sharing their New York wedding with us!

The Wedding Team:

Photographer: Karen Hill Photography
Ceremony & Reception Venue: Studio 450
Officiant: Rabbi Jeffrey Segelman and Rabbi Mordechai Scharf (Bride’s Uncle)
Invitation Designer: Rachel Kohn (artist and bride)
Catering: Main Event
Florist: Columbia Florist, Bronx, NY
Cake: Strauss
Wedding Dress: Ulla-Maija Couture
Bridal Accessories: Eye Candy
Bridesmaids’ Apparel & Accessories: Jim Hjelm
Groom’s Apparel & Accessories: Jos. A Bank
Groomsmen’s Apparel & Accessories: Jos. A Bank
Hair: Sam and Nica Salon
Makeup: Karen A. Makeup Artist
Live Music: Joel Young Band of Hank Lane Music
Transportation: Sky Line Limousine
Favors: Donated money to Cancer Research Foundation
Rings: Mark Henry

Williams Sonoma Wedding Registry – Our Favorite Items for Foodies!

January 14, 2014 | Junebug Weddings

I absolutely love to cook, so naturally I think that one of the best ways to use a wedding registry is to really outfit your kitchen! Who’s with me? You can’t go wrong with high quality kitchen basics that will last for years and years, making each meal much more fun to prepare, serve and enjoy. Williams Sonoma’s Wedding Registry is ideal for foodies of all kinds, so today I’m sharing some of my favorite kitchen items from their fantastic selection…

Our favorite Williams Sonoma wedding registry items pictured above:
Monogrammed Stainless-Steel Cocktail Shaker | Le Creuset Heritage Stoneware Oval Covered Casserole | Hemstitched Linen Napkins | All-Clad Immersion Blender | Brasserie Blue-Banded Porcelain Dinner Plates | Wüsthof Gourmet 2-Piece Chef & Utility Knife Set | Classic Wine Decanter | Imperia Pasta Machine | Personalized Silicone Spatulas

Another great thing? All of these items are under $100, making your registry super accessible for all your guests, regardless of their budgets. Plus, with your registry you get 10% off all purchases for 6 months after your wedding to help fill in any missing items, a discount on their in-store cooking classes, and all gifts and gift-givers are tracked in your registry account to help make thank you note writing a breeze.

I also love Williams Sonoma’s new Open Kitchen collection, inspired by busy restaurants, that makes finding must-have basics super easy. My faves are these Open Kitchen Tumblers – their clean shape and great size make them perfect for everything from water to juice to wine to cocktails. And don’t get me started on solid kitchen tools – cooking is so much easier with the right tools! I personally can’t live in the kitchen without my stainless-steel tongs, an easy to use kitchen strainer and a couple of go-to fry pans.

Create your own Williams Sonoma wedding registry if you love kitchen essential as much as I do, and be sure to enter to win their Dream Registry Sweepstakes – the grand prize is a $5,000 gift card to purchase everything you’re dreaming of, plus weekly winners will receive other popular registry items. Nice!

This post is sponsored by Williams Sonoma and chosen for Junebug for its value to our readers –we think they have a great wedding registry for quality kitchen tools!

Best of the Best 2013 Honorable Mention – Wedding Reception Moments

January 10, 2014 | editorial team

Oh those magical wedding reception moments! Laughter, tears, first dances and photo booths, speeches and hugs, quiet moments and grandmas on the dance floor… the possibilities for unforgettable images are endless! These fantastic wedding reception photos submitted to our 2013 Best of the Best Wedding Photo Contest are getting Honorable Mention today – they’re photos we just didn’t want you to miss!

photo by Fiona Kelly Photography