I have met clients in all sorts of ways. Some have been referred by past clients or venues I have worked with. Others have found me from ordering a copy of Getting Groomed or finding my storefront on the Knot. A few have simply googled. I was a bit surprised the day my father in Florida called me to say one of his golf buddies had a daughter who was getting married, and it was going to be in New York. I am so glad that he did, because that’s how I met Katie and Max.

Upon our first meeting, two things were made very clear to me. One was that Katie, a fellow Floridian turned New Yorker, had grown up with dreams of getting married on the beach. Two was that she was definitely marrying her best friend. Katie and Max’s love for each other was so clear from the moment I met them. In over a year of planning, which included tastings and floral samples, to name a few, I never witnessed a single disagreement between them.

The venue selected was the Coveleigh Club in Rye, New York. While it wouldn’t literally translate to a ceremony on the sand, the picturesque backdrop was close enough. This historic country club not only provided three distinct spaces for ceremony, cocktail hour and the reception, but it also had a grand staircase for the first look and bride’s entrance.

We selected a local florist, and House of Flowers did not disappoint. The chuppah was lush and survived the sweltering heat during set up and the alternating high and low arrangements in the ballroom created dramatic effect. I will never forget Katie’s reaction when she first saw the bouquet she would carry down the aisle.

To compliment the in-house offerings provided by the Coveleigh Club, we tasked Sweet Lisa’s to create the cake. Silver Arrow band provided the music, and all of the stationery was done by Minted & Type and Love Paperie.

There were beautiful personal touches that allowed Katie and Max to really shine. This was the first time I got to witness a progressive bride also opting to smash a glass during the ceremony to represent gender equality. To honor Max’s work in the beverage industry and love of a good cocktail, the favor table was a “Pick Your Poison” for guests to take home. But perhaps the biggest impact was their first dance. Their favorite song had been made popular once again as Moulin Rouge opened on Broadway. Thankfully one of the show’s stars, Robyn Hurder, also choreographs first dances with her husband, Clyde Alves. We were all proud that Katie and Max nailed their steps, but seeing the way they looked at each other while performing it made everyone’s hearts smile.

“And you can tell everybody this is your song

It may be quite simple but now that it's done

I hope you don't mind

That I put down in words

How wonderful life is while you're in the world”