Garden Rooftop Wedding

Sharing some Brooklyn rooftop wedding goodness captured by Everly Studios! Celia and Dave had a clear vision — an elegant yet fun urban garden rooftop wedding — and boy did they nail it! You will love Celia’s stunning vintage styled Jenny Packham gown!

How did you meet?

Dave and I met and a Fourth of July barbecue about 11 years before we got married. The mutual friend who brought me to the party, Zehra, was actually our wedding officiant! She was perfect for the part because she introduced us, but also because she is hilarious and warm.

What is your proposal story?

Dave proposed when we were on vacation in the Amalfi coast. He had a whole plan that I accidentally botched.

Tell us a little a bit about your wedding (your vision, color, style, and location choices).

We’re both from and live in New York, so we wanted a wedding that reflected that. We really wanted a rooftop wedding and found the perfect option at the Box House Hotel. We felt that there wasn’t better decor than the Manhattan skyline, so we didn’t want to do too much to detract from that.

Tell us about your attire choices.

I have always loved capes and knew I wanted one for my wedding dress. I had several appointments in New York, but when I couldn’t find anything I googled “wedding dressed with capes” and one from my favorite bridal designer, Jenny Packham, popped up. I knew it was perfect and when it arrived it was even more ideal in person. Dave wanted a classic tux with a twist, which is exactly what he wore.

What was the most important to the two of you while planning? Was there anything that you chose to splurge on or skip?

Music was one of the most important elements of our wedding. I went to high school in Santa Fe, New Mexico, and would often go see my favorite local band, Vanilla Pop. I have always loved their energy and style–they dress up like a quirky Vegas Lounge act–and they also happen to be amazing musicians. We flew them in to play the reception. A string quartet provided the music during the ceremony and Dave’s cousin, Rob, who is a pianist, played my piece when I walked down the aisle, which was very meaningful to us.

What were your favorite parts of the day? (memories and stories)

It’s truly incredible to see friends and family from all parts of your life–high school, college, work, etc.–all come together just for you. We are so grateful that people came from near and very far to celebrate with us. Looking out at all of our guests was very touching.

Tell us about your wedding flowers.

Since we were mindful of our carbon footprint, it was important to us to use local flowers. Rosehip did just that and created gorgeous arrangements with flowers from upstate New York. I wanted the centerpieces to be table runners, since I have found it frustrating when you attend a wedding and the centerpiece makes it impossible to talk to the person across from you. The floral runners were adorned with candles. Rosehip also created a beautiful floral chupa for the ceremony, which then stood over our sweetheart table during the reception. They also created my bouquet and the maid of honor’s bouquet.

What did you do for favors?

We changed our mind about the favors at the last minute, since we were so over budget, and opted to go the DIY route. Those favors ended up being more personal and fun, so I’m glad we made the switch.

Please describe any DIY, handmade, or personal details.

We changed our mind about the favors at the last minute, since we were so over budget, and opted to go the DIY route. Those favors ended up being more personal and fun, so I’m glad we made the switch.

Did you include any family heirlooms or special traditions?

I’m Jewish, so we incorporated several Jewish traditions into our wedding, particularly during the ceremony. We also did the hora and had our beautiful and unique ketubah displayed.

Do you have any advice for couples planning their weddings now?

There is a lot of compromise that goes into planning a wedding, but ultimately it’s your day. You have to know when to give in a little but also when to draw the line.

Event Credits

PhotographyEverly Studios
Ceremony VenueThe Box House Hotel
VideographyMesh Films
DessertsCoolhaus
Wedding DressJenny Packham
Groom’s AttireForesto
Bride’s ShoesMalone Souliers