Positively flooded with nostalgia looking at these photos of by our friend Mary Costa, of a sweet, outdoor micro-wedding in NYC last summer. This couple planned an intimate summertime al fresco celebration with their closest family and friends, which as things begin to open up, looks like a real possibility for small weddings this summer. Fingers crossed!
Backyard NYC Micro Wedding
What was your most memorable moment?
One of my favorite memories from our wedding day was our dog Oreo barking as soon as we shared our first kiss- he is very protective of both of us and gets anxious even when we hug, but I like to think it was a celebratory bark!
Any advice for other couples?
Yes, lots! I would recommend really thinking about which vendors are most important for you. I knew I wanted to have an amazing and reputable photographer that could capture all of the colorful elements of our big day, which is why I reached out to Mary very early on in the planning process after following her work for quite some time. Our next priority was catering, as we are both vegan and wanted to have a memorable vegan meal that was enjoyable for our non-vegan friends & family. We were able to spend more money on these priorities by finding a non-traditional venue and also by not buying into the idea that we had to do things we didn’t want to do.
There are lots of easy ways to trim down the budget if you’re willing to get clear on what you and your partner REALLY want. Some people would be willing to opt for a less extravagant meal if it meant they could have a large bridal party- that’s great! There is no one-size-fits-all answer and everyone has different priorities- get a clear understanding of what yours are!
Another tip is to do extensive research on potential vendors- not just on their website or a wedding website, but also on public platforms such as Yelp! I ruled out several talented florists because of reviews mentioning their tardiness for wedding day installs! Aesthetic is important but (especially on your wedding day), so is professionalism! I also utilized Instagram to find smaller vendors that might not be featured on wedding websites. These are almost guaranteed to be a fraction of an industry veteran vendor’s quote and they’re usually eager to make a good impression and be able to gain real experience and create work to feature in their portfolios.
My last piece of advice is to truly savor your big day and not to allow the strict timeline of the day to take away from your experience- if you have to skip or omit an event to be truly present with your partner and your friends & family, just do it!
Such a gorgeous emerald ring!
Was there anything you would have done differently?
Our wedding really was perfect for us. Many elements of it may have seemed non-traditional to some but we were both so happy with our big day and our guests seemed to enjoy the celebration! Our team was top notch and they really took care of all of the details so we could be as stress-free as possible. In hindsight, the only thing I would do differently is to slow down and soak it in because between the day’s timeline, the photoshoots, and greeting our guests, it really was over in the blink of an eye!
Love us a pink wedding cake!
What a beautiful and cheerful micro wedding! Congrats to the happy couple!
Photographer: Mary Costa / Event coordinator/planner: Greta Poretsky of Nova Events / Florist: Kate Hinish of Flowerwitch / Hair & Makeup Artist: April Kensington of Be Pure / Cake: Sweet Maresa’s / Catering: Divya’s Kitchen / Invitation designer: Paper Culture / Rentals: Party Rental LTD / Dress designer: Anais Anette / Suit designer:Theory
