Happy Wedding Wednesday everyone! When we receive real wedding submissions, we are always amazed by their diversity and the myriad of possibilities that New York City offers to couples to celebrate their love…
There are just so many ways you can tie the knot in the Big Apple: an Outdoor wedding in Central Park, a large classic ceremony in a sumptuous venue, or even a rooftop soiree…. Or you can just have a very intimate ceremony at the gloriously renovated lower Manhattan Marriage Bureau followed by pizza and Chinese like Megan and Derrick. Yes, a very intimate and informal wedding, which the bride likes to call their “mini wedding”, yet full of lovely details and emotion. Take a peek, this wedding is just too lovely! 
Megan and Derrick’s wedding took place only three weeks after their engagement. They wanted a small civil ceremony representing their NYC-style and their love for each other, with only their closest friends and family. Jesus, a friend of the bride, captured the best moments of this very special day along with some beautiful details shots of the very stylish accessories, all beautifully matched by the bride in record time.
The five very select guests and the couple started the celebration at 7.24 am {sharp!} on the Brooklyn Bridge for an amazing surprise shoot. Then the early birds walked to the Marriage Bureau to officially say “I do.” A few pictures later, the entire wedding party warmed up with a Chinatown dim sum tour. At the end of this day filled with love and smiles, the newlywed couple took off in their honeymoon Zipcar {with their cute Just Married sign} for a Hudson Valley Halloween honeymoon weekend.
Even though the couple chose a very intimate wedding walking and hailing cabs from place to place,they did an amazing job at styling their wedding through their choice of accessories. They followed a fall inspired color palette using seasonal flowers, fall leaves, peacock feathers and vintage jewelry. They wanted their wedding style to reflect a self-coined aesthetic, which they named “urban-meets-vintage-glamour.” 
We love all their stylish details such as the Bride’s Louboutin shoes with her asymmetrical matelassé cocktail-length dress by Lela Rose and her cute birdcage veil {Megan actually did her hair and makeup herself and looked amazing!}. Derrick didn’t look too shabby either; his 5-speed cufflinks showcased his inner car enthusiast in a fun and playful way.
Vendors:
Photography: Jesús Chapa-Malacara
Venue: Office of the City Clerk, Marriage Bureau
Dress: Lela Rose
Shoes: Christian Louboutin
Coat: Marc Jacobs
Birdcage veil: Rachel Larraine
Bridesmaids’ dresses: Gap and Laila Azhar
Suit: Barney’s New York
Groom’s own 5-speed cufflinks {similar style available at Cuff Daddy }
Vintage leaf brooches: Marvel Rouge , Penorus , and Hounddog Goodies
Rings: groom’s band from BravoRings ; bride’s 1920s band from Israel Rose Estate Jewelry
Flowers: Rose Red and Lavender , Williamsburg
Calligraphy and envelope seals: Crystal Kluge ; Envelope calligraphy by bride
Letterpress: Woodside Press , Brooklyn Navy Yard
From the bride
I’m a former art lawyer, now working at an auction house; Derrick is a car-loving San Francisco transplant who works as an IT manager for a New York trading company. We had our first date more than three years ago at Motor City, an automotive-themed bar in the Lower East Side. Two apartments later {and with two dogs in tow}, we now live in a converted glove factory in East Williamsburg.
Because Derrick’s family is Korean and based on the West Coast, and mine is Jewish and NJ-based, we wanted to have a non-religious civil ceremony here. Although the idea of eloping was tempting, at the end of the day I could never get married without my parents there {I am especially close to my dad}.
I think my pictures represent a different kind of day, and that New York brides — who have a range of traditional and non-traditional choices available to them — may still relate to my experience. Basically, I set out to show with my photos that not every bride needs a glamorous venue, elaborate invitation suite, or dessert bar {as fabulous as those things can be for some!} to represent her NYC style and the love she has for her groom. Hopefully the pictures resonate with you too!
All photos courtesy of Jesús Chapa-Malacara
