Aerin & Steven: Modern Elegance at 26 Bridge in DUMBO, Brooklyn

We are excited to introduce Aerin, our Bride & Blossom featured bride for February! On an early summer day, Aerin and Steven exchanged vows in a beautiful ceremony at Holy Trinity Cathedral followed by a stylish reception at 26 Bridge in Brooklyn’s DUMBO neighborhood. Aerin did double-duty as both bride and planner. Here, she shares the first part of their love story.

 

 

Part 1: Proposal & Planning

Aerin and Steven share a passion for traveling to new places steeped with history and culture. Québec City was at the top of their must-travel list and the couple finally made the journey for a romantic winter weekend. Aerin recalls, “It was February, so we expected it to be cold. But Canada-cold is definitely a different kind of cold. The temperatures dropped to -40 degrees with the wind chill!”

Even with the brutal temps, Aerin and Steven managed to experience all the beauty Québec City has to offer. They sledded at the Village Vacances Valcartier, toured the famous Hôtel de Glace, and explored the city’s picturesque downtown and historic districts. The blustery cold made taking pictures difficult. “My iPhone battery died within seconds of trying to snap a photo of the famed Château Frontenac,” said Aerin. “Our eyelashes frosted over and some spilled coffee quickly formed stream of caramel colored icicles on Steven’s jacket.”

 

Luckily, the couple could enjoy breathtaking views of the city from the warmth and comfort of their hotel room. On the last morning while packing up to leave, they took a break to admire Québec City together for the last time. And at that perfect moment, Steven asked Aerin to marry him. Aerin looks back, “Despite the frigid temperatures, we created memories that will last a lifetime. And this was by far the best memory of all.”

 

 

Aerin and Steven’s love story starts years before when they met in 2010 through mutual friends. They both grew up playing soccer and formed an initial connection over the sport. “We come from soccer families. Even now, at every big get-together, there’s always a game going on. Our love of soccer is really what brought us together,” says Aerin. Their relationship was long distance in the beginning – Aerin was living in Connecticut and Steven was in New York City. She made the big move to NYC in 2012 and they became engaged four years later.

Aerin and Steven had no problem deciding where their wedding would take place. “New York literally is the city of dreams and we are extremely fortunate to call the Big Apple home,” says Aerin. “We knew we wanted to get married in this amazing city, and specifically looked for a historic venue that had its own built-in charm.” They planned for a Greek Orthodox ceremony at Holy Trinity Cathedral where the couple attends regularly. After looking at a handful of wedding reception sites in NYC, they walked through 26 Bridge in DUMBO, Brooklyn.

 

 

 

 

A fully renovated metal factory, the venue is marked by original brick walls, dramatic ceilings, soaring wooden doors, and metal fixtures. By this time, Aerin had decided to handle all of the wedding planning and couldn’t have been more excited about the venue’s raw, bare-bones character. “The open space served as a canvas, which we enhanced with a combination of industrial and modern style pieces. During that year of planning, I would peruse through antique stores for items that would fit nicely with our aesthetic. Our vision really started to come together,” she recalls.

 

 

Family is very important to Aerin and Steven. Having an intimate wedding that involved family and made everyone feel as comfortable as possible guided them through the wedding planning process. Immediate family members made up most of the wedding party with Aerin’s nieces serving as the flower girls. And for out-of-town guests nervous about the idea of coming into the big city, 26 Bridge in downtown Brooklyn offered a relaxed setting away from the hustle and bustle of Manhattan.

 

 

 

When asked how she would best describe her wedding style, Aerin didn’t hesitate with her reply, “simple.” This sentiment was reflected in everything from her approach to planning to floral décor and styling to catering. “ I loved having that big, open space of our venue to work with. We could create anything we wanted. And once you have that foundation, it’s really just like building a structure piece by piece until your realize your wedding vision.” For florals, the bride had her heart set on simple, elegant décor expressed through classic white blooms accented with olive branch greenery and candlelight.

 

 

Stay tuned for later posts where we go more in depth with Aerin’s décor and styling choices. Look forward for Part 2: Wedding Gown & Personals when the Aerin talks about finding the perfect dress and the personal touches that brought special meaning and beauty to her wedding day.

Couple’s Vendor List

Venue: 26 Bridge
Photographer: Susan Shek Photography
Videographer: WellSpun Weddings
Bride’s Dress: Pronovias
Bride’s Shoes: Adrianna Papell
Groom’s Tux: J.Crew
Invitations: Shine Wedding Invitations
Hair & Makeup: Beautini by Brittany Lo
Caterer: Real Food Catering (Yen Ngo)
Dessert Bar: Magnolia Bakery
Lighting: Universal Light & Sound
Music: Beat Train Productions
Day of Coordinator: Exquisite Affairs Productions