Nicole & Matt: A New Year’s Eve Fête at Houston Hall

 

It’s practically unheard of these days for a couple to meet without the help of a dating app. Nicole and Matt were introduced the old-fashioned way. “When I started at my company’s New York office, they sat me next to him,” Nicole says. “We would get coffee. Overtime, we began flirting a little, but nothing really happened.” Well, nothing really happened immediately.

We are excited to introduce Nicole, our Bride & Blossom Featured Bride for December. Nicole and Matt said ‘I Do’ on New Year’s Eve at Houston Hall. Here, she shares the first chapter of their love story.

Part 1: Proposal & Planning

After many cups of coffee with a text message here and there, Nicole and Matt had their first date. By now, they knew each other very well. Taking their relationship to a romantic level felt effortless and right. They only grew closer with time and the talk of marriage eventually came up conversation.

One early afternoon, the couple planned to go to a restaurant for a bite to eat. It was not just any restaurant though. They were going to the spot where Matt had first asked Nicole to be his girlfriend. When questioned if the proposal took her by surprise, Nicole looks back and says, “I knew a proposal would be happening at some point… I had gone with my girlfriend to pick out a ring about four months before.” She continues, “But I had no idea a proposal was coming that day. And Matt completely surprised me with how he did it.” Just after she said “yes,” Matt and Nicole’s parents appeared, and everyone enjoyed an engagement lunch together. Then it was off to a nearby bar to meet friends for celebratory drinks.

 

 

Admittedly, Nicole didn’t have a strong idea of the type of wedding she wanted going in. In fact, the decision to have a New Year’s Eve wedding just sort of happened. “I started stressing about how everything had to go right,” Nicole explains. “Then I thought, ‘Why not make our wedding all the more special by having it on New Year’s Eve?’ There’s always a sort of magic in the air that night… a lot of pressure was lifted after making the decision.”

 

 

As the couple started looking at venues, Nicole was drawn to the spaces that had a rustic and intimate feel. Their search took them to Houston Hall in Manhattan’s West Village neighborhood. A former FBI parking garage built in 1907, the building was reconstructed as a vintage beer hall and brewery with soaring ceilings and five skylights. “We fell in love with Houston Hall’s atmosphere – the exposed brick, original wood beams, and warm amber lighting. After a walk through, Matt and I knew that this was the place we wanted to get married.”

 

 

 

With the venue picked out, Nicole’s wedding vision was beginning to take shape. “I had an idea of colors, but Rachel and everyone at Bride & Blossom were a tremendous help with flower selection and styling. They read my mind!” Floral décor captured the spirit of the season, expressed through romantic tones of burgundy, blush, peach, pink, and white with greenery and sparkling gold accents.

 

 

 

Stay tuned next week for Part 2: Wedding Dress & Personals when Nicole talks about her stunning Berta gown.

Couple’s Vendor List
Venue: Houston Hall
Photographer: Jay Lim Studio
Bride’s Dress: Berta
Bride’s Shoes: Jimmy Choo
Groom’s Tux: Saks Fifth Avenue
Groom’s Shoes: Salvatore Ferragamo 
Groomsmen’s Tuxes: The Black Tux
Hair + Makeup: Ashimoto 
Planner: Daniela Grafman of Vision Event Company
Dessert: Doughnut Plant
Rings: XIV Karats
Music: Alix & Amir
Invitations: Minted + Bella Figura