This Boston Couple Rang in the New Year with a Glamorous Black Tie Ball

Cinderella isn’t the only person who has fallen in love with a handsome stranger on the dance floor at midnight. In February of 2012, Amalie Keerl was flying solo at The Boston Winter Ball, an annual fundraiser full of 20-something professionals. “As the clock struck 12, I forced myself onto the dance floor, jacket in hand and looking completely unapproachable,” she remembers. And there was Richard Masucci. “He told me I looked pretty, and asked me to dance. The rest is history!” A year-and-a-half later, in the privacy of their kitchen, Rick asked Amalie to marry him, and the pair quickly began planning an extravagant black tie wedding, a nod to the night they met and a celebration of their future.

Amalie and Rick planned a formal affair for 210 guests at the Boston Harbor Hotel on December 31, 2015. Their vision? Gatsby glam with plenty of black, white, champagne, and gold details. “It was a New Year’s wedding, but we wanted to keep it more subtle. Less noise makers and resolutions, more glitter and romance!” says Amalie. The bride took the reigns on the elegant design, from the formalwear the couple wore in their engagement photos to the gold foil cards in the invitation suite to what the bride calls “a tasteful amount of glitter in the air.” We can’t think of a better way to ring in the New Year — and to kick off the next chapter in Amalie and Rick’s lives! Take a peek at their chic, elegant bash — with some sparkle, of course! — photographed by Carly Michelle Photography.

The classic invitation suite included gold calligraphy, formal letterpress details, and a sketch of the Boston Harbor Hotel’s iconic rotunda.

Every New Year’s bride needs a fabulous pair of festive shoes! Amalie chose Christian Louboutin sling-backs, accented with gold glitter heels and laser cut lace appliqués on the toes.

Pre-wedding gifts are always a sweet surprise, and Rick raised the bar when he presented Amalie with a Cartier love bracelet in the brand’s iconic red leather jewelry box.

The petite bride slipped into a gorgeous form-fitting Rivini wedding dress, with lace appliqué on the bodice and straps. She topped it off with a fur collar to fend off the winter chill — though she barely needed it on the unseasonably warm December day!

“I knew we were having a winter wedding, and while I loved a lot of the dresses I tried, none of them were screaming ‘classic winter wedding’ to me,” Amalie remembers. “This dress was the perfect combination of classy, Gatsby-era chic and a winter feel.” Rick’s Hugo Boss tuxedo was just the thing to complement his bride’s gown.

We’re loving Amalie’s all-white bouquet, which combined roses, ranunculus, and anemones with olive branches and seeded eucalyptus.

Even the tiniest members of the wedding party, the couple’s two ring bearers, donned formalwear for their trip down the aisle. “They looked so grown up!” Amalie gushes.

Instead of choosing a single gown for her ‘maids to wear, Amalie’s bridesmaids were instructed to choose their own floor-length dresses in gold and champagne hues. “They all looked gorgeous, and I think it’s because they all felt beautiful and comfortable in what they’d chosen. They were literally glowing!” the bride says. The ladies carried smaller bouquets of white roses to match Amalie’s, and the groomsmen matched Rick in classic tuxes.

The ceremony was officiated by one of Rick’s childhood best friends, former NHL player Rick DiPietro. The simple altar was a wooden table covered with a lush display of white blooms and glowing votive candles.

Simple ceremony programs echoed the classic style of the pair’s invitation suite.

When it was Amalie’s turn to walk down the aisle with her parents, she surprised Rick by having a soloist (with a striking resemblance to John Legend!) perform “All of Me.” “It’s our favorite song, and I knew Rick would love it,” says the bride.

After the ceremony, Amalie took a moment to freshen up her lipgloss — and to swap her stilettos for a pair of all-white Nikes so she could dance all night!

In honor of their New Year’s Eve wedding date, the pair purchased over 200 champagne corks and used them as escort card holders. Amalie also collected antique gold desk clocks and set them all to go off just before midnight. “It was the perfect way to ring in the new year!” she says.

A formal wedding overlooking Boston Harbor wouldn’t be complete without an indulgent menu! Guests dined on Maine lobster and sweet shrimp risotto, then chose between filet mignon with caramelized onions and spinach-stuffed chicken breast.

In the ballroom, which boasts waterfront views, champagne-hued linens were topped with mirrored displays that featured vases of single varieties of blooms, like roses, hydrangeas, and ranunculus, and floating candles in tall candle holders.

When not sipping celebratory champagne, guests chose between The Blushing Bride (a mix of sparkling rosé and pomegranate seeds) and The Dirty Sooch-ini (a vodka martini with a blue cheese olive).

The dessert spread included a wedding cake wrapped in gold ribbon, decorated with white ranunculus and olive leaves, and chocolate-covered strawberries and other miniature desserts alongside a hot chocolate bar with all the fixings.

The “2016” marquee numbers, which graced the table that also served as the altar during the ceremony, were hand-made by the bride.

“We danced the night away overlooking the glimmering lights of the city,” Amalie remembers. “There was a beautiful energy in the room.” And after the countdown was over and 2016 arrived, the couple ended the night as every winter ball should: With fireworks over Boston Harbor!

“The best choice we made was to greet our guests during cocktail hour,” says Amalie, who honeymooned with Rick in St. Lucia. “That way we could enjoy the rest of the reception without worrying about anyone else!”

Venue & Catering: Boston Harbor Hotel || Bride’s Wedding Dress: Rivini || Shoes: Christian Louboutin; Nike || Hair: Jana Rago || Makeup: Dani Wagener Beauty || Groom’s Attire: Hugo Boss || Groomsmen’s Attire: The Black Tux || Florist: Winston Flowers || Invitations: Inviting Company || Additional Paper Goods: Wedding Paper Divas || Music: Nightshift Entertainment || Videographer: Brighter Lights Media || Photographer: Carly Michelle Photography

Can’t get enough of this couple’s wedding? Then get inspired by another Massachusetts bash, seen below.