Marianna & Peter: A Classic New York Affair at the Mandarin Oriental

We always look forward to the fresh start that comes with a new year! We’ve decided to take a new approach to presenting you with our weddings on our blog. Each month, we’ll feature a new Bride & Blossom bride, and take you through her wedding journey from start to finish over a series of posts. Our hope is that our dear readers will get to know our beautiful brides more and see what makes each Bride & Blossom wedding so special and unique from the next!

 

We our excited to introduce Marianna, the Bride & Blossom Featured Bride for January (and first of 2018!). Marianna and Peter said “I do” on a lovely autumn day in a stunning ceremony and reception at the Mandarin Oriental in Manhattan, New York. Here’s the beginning of their wedding story.

 

Part 1: Engagement & Planning

 

When asked about her engagement, Bride & Blossom bride Marianna didn’t miss a beat. “Our engagement anniversary was actually yesterday. Peter proposed exactly 1 year and 1 day ago on January 7, 2017. A snowstorm had just hit the city and we were stuck in our apartment. I had a sense that it was coming, but Peter still managed to take me by complete surprise!”

 

 

The couple married later that year in mid-September. Eight months to plan a wedding is short by any standard. But to pull together an ultra stylish wedding at the Mandarin Oriental in such a short period of time sounds near impossible! Marianna recalls, “I had an idea, but I wasn’t planning my wedding for my entire life. I knew I wanted to get married during fall. And I knew I wanted to incorporate my favorite color, red.”

 

 

Perhaps the ease that Marianna approached her wedding planning process can be traced back to the seamless way the couple’s relationship blossomed. “We were set up and have been inseparable ever since,” says Marianna. “I fell in love with Peter because he makes me laugh.”

 

 

They didn’t have to think twice about where they were going to get married. “I’m from New York City, born and raised. Peter is also from here and we met here. To me, this is the greatest city in the world. New York is home and I didn’t want to get married anywhere else.”

 

 

When it came time to choose a venue, the Manhattanite couple wanted a place with a view overlooking the city that had played such an important role in their lives together. Marianna and Peter looked at a list of venues, but none had the picturesque views they wished for. That is until they walked through the Mandarin Oriental. The luxury hotel offers one of the most beautiful settings for a wedding in New York. Located on the 36^th floor, the event space is marked by floor-to-ceiling windows that look out to Central Park. Marianna remembers, “The Mandarin was the last venue we visited. We just looked at each other and said, ‘this is it, this is the place.’ And we had our second date in Columbus Circle where the hotel is located. For the first time, everything just felt right.”

 

 

 

With the venue set, Marianna’s wedding vision began to take shape. “I really wanted our wedding to symbolize us and be a reflection of our personalities,” she recalls. The bride’s Jewish heritage was honored during the ceremony with a jaw-dropping floating chuppah. “For my chuppah, I wanted to do something that was new, yet simple and classy. I’d seen suspended chuppahs before, but nothing like this. It was more beautiful than I could have ever imagined!”

 

 

 

Marianna’s wedding colors evolved into a gorgeous palette of deep red, burgundy, and Bordeaux. Evoking the mood of the season, these shades were expressed in stunning floral décor that adorned the tablescape at the reception. Centerpiece arrangements were illuminated by crystal candelabras. “I wanted the look to be classy, but sexy,” Marianna says.

Don’t worry, we’ll go into more detail about the bride’s floral décor and styling choices in later posts! Stay tuned for Part 2: Gown and Personals where Marianna talks about her stunning Vera Wang dress and the meaningful touches that she incorporated in to the big day.

Couple’s Vendor List

Venue: Mandarin Oriental
Photography: Fred Marcus Studio
Videographer: Frank Ahn Films
Bride’s Gown: Vera Wang
Bride’s Shoes: Manolo Blahnik
Jewelry: Mikimoto
Groom’s Tux: Tom Ford
Groom’s Shoes: Salvatore Ferragamo
Lighting: Fusion Lighting
Cake: Master Sweets
Stationery: RSVP Today
Music – DJ Gio