Photo: Brett Matthews Photography
Planning a wedding is a great opportunity for a couple to express their sense of style. But what happens when the bride isn’t just stylish, but is also New York City fashion blogger Marni Reisender, the creative mind behind Style on the Rise? Well, let’s just say you’re in for a treat.
Marni first met her now husband, Brett Harvey, at Brett’s birthday party in 2010. “I had never met Brett, but was invited by a mutual friend of ours. I walked over to say happy birthday and buy him a birthday drink but, being the gentleman he is, Brett denied and bought me a drink instead. The rest is history!” Marni says. The duo’s love blossomed in the city, and in August of 2014, Brett brought Marni to the Hamptons for one of their annual summer weekends. After putting their name down for dinner at one of Sag Harbor’s hotspots, they headed down to the dock to watch the sunset. “Brett was talking about anything he could think of,” says Marni. Eventually, he worked up the courage to propose, and got down on one knee. “Everyone at the restaurant was cheering and clapping, it was like a scene out of a movie!” But that wasn’t their final stop. Instead, they headed over to a nearby restaurant where their families were waiting to celebrate.
With a love story so entrenched in the Big Apple, the couple knew they couldn’t wed anywhere else. They chose Cipriani Wall Street for its edgy, cool, and romantic vibe — and the stunning columns and vaulted ceiling — and skipped color in favor of a super-chic all-white palette. “It was so classic, and I knew we’d look back in 10 years and still love what we chose,” says the bride. What’s more New York than that? The couple also loved that there was ample space for their 300-person guest list! They covered the space with flowers and candlelight, and capped off the elegant evening with an after-party worthy of the downtown location. See the details of their August 22, 2015, wedding for yourself, photographed by Brett Matthews Photography!
A good fashion blogger knows the outfit is really all in the accessories, and Marni was no exception. She picked t-strap Rene Caovilla pumps — with the brand’s signature glitter soles — and a personalized Edie Parker clutch featuring her new last name.
Though she spent almost three months shopping for gowns all over the city, Marni returned to one of the first looks she ever tried: An ivory mermaid wedding dress with a sheer back and beaded lace by Inbal Dror. “I knew I wanted a gown with wow-factor and show-stopping details, and this was it,” she says. “I tried it on during a trunk show, and almost ended up flying to Florida to find the sample and try it on one more time!” Thankfully, a local salon was able to get the dress for her and she placed her order with just six months to spare.
In keeping with the classic New York City theme, Brett wore a custom tuxedo with a white bow tie. Says Marni of their dream team, which included Pat Glenn Productions and the Bobby Attiko Band, “Planning a wedding is no easy task, but with lots of help from amazing professionals and even more love from family and friends, the night was a dream come true.”
Their wedding party (a grand total of 24 friends!) looked totally chic, with the men in tuxedos and the women in rose gold sequin Badgley Mischka gowns. Marni’s maid of honor wore a silver dress by Jovani. “I didn’t want them in typical bridesmaid dresses,” says the style-minded bride.
Inside Cipriani Wall Street, a floral chuppah was surrounded by curved rows of chivari chairs. The four posts of the chuppah were covered in white and ivory hydrangeas, roses, and orchids, and clusters of pillar candles lit the aisle.
Marni made her grand entrance alone, then met her parents halfway down the aisle. Instead of writing their own vows, she and Brett wed in a traditional Jewish ceremony. “We wrote letters to one another and shared them before the ceremony so we could have that moment in private,” she says.
In the main room, tables were covered with white linens and decked out with lush floral arrangements. Four different centerpieces topped the tables, each combining hydrangeas, orchids, lisianthus, and lots of candlelight. The bride and groom sat at a sweetheart table flanked by urns overflowing with orchids. “We didn’t sit much since we were on the dance floor most of the night, but that white sofa was one of my favorite accents,” Marni says.
After sipping “Dirty Harveys” (a twist on the dirty martini) and snacking on baked tagliolini, mini hot dogs, and shrimp skewers, guests sat down to a dinner of tuna tartar with avocado, prime roast filet of beef, miso Chilean sea bass, and a chocolate soufflé with Chantilly cream. If that weren’t enough, there were also plates of sweets including cannolis, tiramisu, brownies, and chocolate covered strawberries on each table, and cake pops and mini profiteroles served on the dance floor!
When Brett and Marni were introduced for their first dance, the guests had a surprise for the newlyweds: confetti poppers! “The air was filled with bright confetti, it was so magical,” says Marni.
Photo: Brett Matthews Photography
The pair served a six-tier vanilla wedding cake, filled with chocolate ganache and decorated with swirls, dots, and a cascade of sugar orchids.
When the band was done, a DJ came out to get the after party started — no change of venue required. Marni changed into a lace mini dress, and guests donned sunglasses that read “Harvey Ever After.” “I remember looking out into the crowd when we were on stage and thinking how lucky we were to be surrounded by everyone we love. It was an indescribable feeling I wish I could relive over and over again,” says the bride.
With a honeymoon in Mykonos on the horizon, the bride and groom have a little advice for couples planning weddings of their own: “Don’t let the little things bother you. You’re marrying the person of your dreams, and that’s all that really matters. The memories will last forever!”
Venue & Catering: Cipriani Wall Street || Bride’s Wedding Dress: Inbal Dror || Shoes: Rene Caovilla || Jewelry: Gabriel & Co. || Hair: Yossi Ivgi || Makeup: Anne DeMarco || Bridesmaids’ Dresses: Jovani, Badgley Mischka || Floral Design: Pat Glenn Productions || Invitations & Paper Goods: Robin’s Writes; Perfect Run Printing || Music: Hank Lane Music || Cake: La Bonne Boulangerie || Photographer & Videographer: Brett Matthews Photography
Want more classic New York City wedding inspiration? Then check out another couple’s Big Apple bash in the video below.