When a couple weaves cultural traditions with bold, modern style, the result is a wedding that’s completely their own.
When Stephanie and Adam decided to take the plunge into marriage, there was little doubt it would be a grand affair. Both the bride and groom came from large families with extended circles of close family friends. “We knew we wanted to celebrate with the people who meant the most to us,” says the bride. “But when we added that up, it was 480 people!”
But Stephanie didn’t want to sacrifice on intimacy, fun, and unique touches for her Big Day. She knew that larger weddings could often feel overwhelming and impersonal, exactly what she didn’t want. The couple longed for a celebration that reflected their shared culture, honored their families, and was memorable.
Just how does one craft a meaningful and personal wedding on a super-sized scale? Big, bold style, playful twists on tradition, and lots of love made Stephanie and Adam’s dream day come true.
Originally, the couple had different ideas – Adam wanted a big celebration surrounded by lots of family and friends, and Stephanie had hoped for a smaller, more intimate affair. But when the guest list was settled, it topped out at nearly 500 people! “Even though we knew the wedding was going to be big, we didn’t want it be impersonal,” says Stephanie. “And I really didn’t want it to feel like any other wedding. I wanted it to be different; I wanted to make it my own.”
For the reception, they booked a large hall which offered the grand scale they needed and the blank canvas that Stephanie desired in order to create her own signature style. Stephanie began her design process with a bold color combination of black, white, and apple green. She envisioned a spacious dance floor with a strong pattern of oversized black and white checkers as the centerpiece of her reception room. Over the dance floor, to create height, levity, and a sense of fun, Stephanie clustered round Chinese lanterns in shades of white and cheery apple green. Next, the bride added pipe and drape of white fabric to soften the large room’s edges and give it an intimate feel. White fabric was draped overhead to bring the room in toward the guests, adding to a cozy, but entirely modern ambiance.
To keep her many guest tables from looking like a massive convention, Stephanie employed a clever visual trick. “I mixed round tables with square tables; it really broke up the room,” she says. Stephanie topped the tables with black overlay linens and added elegant Chiavari chairs with black chair covers. For place settings, a simple silver beaded charger was topped with a black satin napkin and a menu card. Sophisticated crystal and modern floral arrangements in shades of white and apple green provided a pop of color. For the final touch, Stephanie added a sprig of rosemary to each place setting.
“Traditionally, rosemary is symbolic. It’s given to the guests so that they can wish the couple fertility and lasting happiness,” Stephanie explains. “But in the old days it also served another purpose, to distinguish invited guests from non-invited guests at a wedding.” The sprig of rosemary was the first of many traditional cultural touches that Stephanie and Adam incorporated into their day. The contrast between Stephanie’s modern, sophisticated aesthetic and traditions steeped in generations of family history combined to give her a wedding a unique and deeply personal feel.
Because Stephanie and Adam wanted to have more time to spend with their many guests, they opted to meet for photographs before the ceremony. After a private moment, they and their wedding party piled into a limo to travel to their photo spot downtown. “Our photographer found this great old building with lots of brick. We also took photos at our favorite restaurant downtown, where we went a lot when we were first dating.”
Then, at half past four, the traditional Orthodox ceremony began. Because there were more guests than could be seated in the small church, Stephanie and Adam set up overflow seating in the foyer next door with a large video screen displaying the ceremony. Stephanie wanted the room to simply feel like an extension of the main church, so she decorated the chairs with modern, sculptural floral bouquets that echoed the pew decorations of the church. At the head of the room, she added two dramatic white floral arrangements that were nearly identical to the ones flanking the church altar.
With her father at her side, Stephanie walked down the aisle in an elegant, sleek white wedding gown, topped with a birdcage veil. For a spunky nod to tradition, Stephanie donned a pair of vibrant blue high heels for her “something blue”. When it came to her bouquet, Stephanie again turned tradition on its head. She carried a vibrant bouquet of green cymbidium orchids, while her bridesmaids had elegant, all-white bouquets.
Stephanie and Adam opted for a beautiful ceremony that reflected their shared heritage. First, upon reaching the altar, the couple’s hands were immediately bound with a white silk scarf. Then, Stephanie’s Maid of Honor and Adam’s Best Man each lit a candle and stood behind the couple for their vows, symbolizing that they are the main witnesses to their union and also the godmother and godfather of their marriage.
Both Stephanie and Adam’s childhood priests officiated over the ceremony, which began with a blessing of rings and traditional prayers. Then, the couple was crowned with beautiful, ornate crowns – symbolizing that they are the king and queen of their own kingdom, which is their marriage and their home.
After saying their vows, the newlyweds were ready to switch into party mode! The bridal party piled back into their limo for more photographs around town before their reception began.
At six o’clock, guests began filing into the grand hall for the reception. For her cocktail hour, Stephanie had designed a sophisticated style. She draped the cocktail area in black, with a white gauze curtain separating the cocktail area from the reception seating. The affect was a cloudy, almost heavenly feel that gave the guests a sense of intrigue and excitement about the coming reception.
For the cocktail hour, Stephanie again combined tradition with a twist of modern elegance. Her guests were treated to a traditional appetizer table, filled with foods that reflected the couple’s heritage, such as stuffed grape leaves and phyllo dough filled with cheese. To accommodate the large crowds, the bar was designed in a square shape so that bartenders could serve from all sides. Above it hung a dramatic, modern chandelier, while tall vases with inverted floral arrangements added to the swanky vibe.
Next, guests made their way into the jaw-dropping reception room. Cool-toned uplighting of blues and purples accented Stephanie’s black, white, and apple green color combination. After being announced, the newlyweds and their bridal party took their seats at an elevated head table overlooking the black and white dance floor. Moss covered kissing balls hung from the ceiling while vibrant green and white floral arrangements danced down the long, candlelit table.
Because so many family toasts were inevitable, they decided to forgo the traditional champagne toast and allow family and friends to speak during the dinner service. Guests dined on a first course of butter leaf salad with Gorgonzola and cranberries, followed by bacon-wrapped filets of beef, asparagus spears, and scalloped potatoes. In between toasts, the band played softly.
For dessert, guests were treated to a spectacular cake. Stephanie and Adam selected a three-tiered, white butter cream cake. As a nod to her contrasting color scheme, Stephanie had her baker add deep chocolate paneling to each layer; her florist decorated the top with green cymbidium orchids.
After the cake was cut and the ceremonial first dances were complete, the newlyweds and their guests hit the dance floor for an evening filled with fun, laughter, and lots of music. A live band played traditional big band and dance favorites. Then, as the evening transitioned into night, Stephanie and Adam had a DJ play more contemporary music to keep the crowd lively and the party going.
“It was important to us that this was a party and that everyone had fun,” explains Stephanie. “That’s why I made the huge dance floor the centerpiece of the room. It was amazing; just as I wanted it to be. We danced until well after midnight and we could have gone longer!”
Looking back on her wedding day, Stephanie wouldn’t change a thing. She managed to create her dream day – a combination of culture, tradition, and out-of-the-box, modern touches. And, she did it all while having fun!
“That’s the most important thing to remember, is not to get caught up in the perfection of it all,” advises Stephanie. “There’s no way that every little thing will go exactly as you plan. When you let that go and just enjoy the moment, it all ends up perfectly and it means so much more…At the end of the day, I married by best friend and I get to share my life with him….That’s the greatest thing ever.”
