Wedding Hits and Misses: The Cake(s)!

HIT:

For a number of reasons, we opted for cupcakes over the traditional wedding cake. First, because I like variety, but mostly because my venue tried to charge me $3 a head to cut and plate a cake, a fee that was waived if I brought in cupcakes. Decision made.

We went with my favorite cupcake place in the city, Sugar Sweet Sunshine, and they were great. I worked with Deb entirely via email and phone, and she was so responsive and helpful. The cupcakes were $1.50 each, which is nothing compared to the cake estimates I was getting elsewhere. We also got a cupcake tree, I thought about making one at first but I just decided I couldn't deal with that much DIY. We ordered 5 flavors - pistachio (my favorite!), red velvet, yellow cake with chocolate icing, yellow cake with buttercream icing, and chocolate cake with chocolate almond icing. Sugar Sweet Sunshine handled delivery, decoration of the tree, and setup.



Having cupcakes also meant that we did not have to do any cake cutting, which was an added bonus. Admittedly I thought about having a cake cutting just so Dude and I could have a cake fight, but when I decided to get my hair and makeup done, I certainly didn't want him messing that up with icing. Fake eyelashes smeared with cake? Not good.

MISS:

Because of the chaos of the night I did not have a cupcake. I didn't realize this until the day after brunch. I have to say, I almost cried.

Wedding Hits and Misses: The Photographer

HIT:

I love love love my photographer, Mariano Delgado. He was so laid back and easygoing, and wasn't up in everyone's face. I hate photographers like that. I barely noticed him the whole evening, and yet he captured so many great moments.

I personally do not like artsy photos. Neither Dude nor I look particularly good in them, we always end up looking awkward and uncomfortable. We are more inclined to smiling and making faces.

I didn't give Mariano any direction or list of photos, though I did hand him a tentative schedule for the day just so we didn't fall behind. I said I just want the feeling of the day captured, and I wanted New York City. As in, I want proof decades from now that at one point in my life I was cool and lived in Manhattan.

Here are a few highlights.







MISS:

I really, really should have given Mariano a list of photos I wanted. I really wanted a photo of the groomsmen in a pyramid and me on top, but I completely forgot and I'm so bummed we didn't do it.

I also wish I had a second photographer for an hour in the beginning, because I have a ton of photos of myself and the ladies getting ready, but none of the guys.

Wedding Hits and Misses: The Dress

HIT:

I bought the dress very soon after getting engaged and I was happy about it. If I was going to spend hundreds of dollars on a dress I was never going to wear again, at least the proceeds should go to a good cause, and since they were going to New York City public schools, it's like I'm giving back to the community. I never actually posted a photo of the dress I bought for fear of Dude seeing, so here are the originals.





The top lace piece comes off, which was great for a costume change mid-reception.

MISS:

Because the dress had to be taken in from a 14 to about a 4 or 6, and because there were two pieces, one of which was a really intricate lace applique thing, the alterations cost as much as the dress. Luckily, Pinpoint Bridal in Manhattan did a great job. Not the best in communication, but the final result was amazing.

Here it is in action:

Wedding Hits and Misses: The Reception

HIT:

The venue, Branch, a club in midtown Manhattan. This place was the first decision we made last year, and I have no regrets about them. They were fair in negotiating the price, their staff was friendly and attentive, the food was good, and it was a funky and fun place.



I did not want to ask people to come to New York just to have a hotel wedding. The fact that Branch is a nightclub really got some raised eyebrows over the last year, but I think that it made people rowdier. It was just the right vibe for the evening. And the events coordinator and the site manager were fantastic. I didn't need a day of coordinator with vendors like these! They really took great care of us and our guests.

MISS:

Nothing! Really. The only thing I can think of is that it was a bit cramped (115 people), but that was only for about 30 minutes during the seated dinner. After that everyone was mingling and dancing so there was plenty of room.

Also it was 10 blocks and 2 avenues away from the chapel, so it was a cold walk. Or short cab ride.

Wedding Hits and Misses: The Ceremony

HITS:
(There are several.)

First, we asked one of our very best friends to officiate for us, and he was fantastic. We got to work with him on every part of the ceremony, including very nitpicky things that were really important to me. For instance, I do not like the phrase "You may now kiss the bride." I perceive it to be sexist, because I am kissing the groom just as much as he is kissing me. I also wanted no mention of God or Jesus - to us, marriage is a legal contract. We also wanted NOTHING about a woman being subordinate to man. I don't care if that violates rules of traditional etiquette or chivalry, it's sexist.

Second, the chapel. We got married at the Tillman Chapel at the Church Center for the United Nations, across the street from all the flags. It was the perfect size, we had about 110 guests and it fit everybody, but I don't think we could have fit 10 more people. It was very intimate, and very affordable. It is also an interfaith chapel, so the altar looks like this



Third, the guitarist. I hired Scott Samuels off of Gigmasters, and he was so great. Very accommodating, and the single acoustic guitar was perfect for such an intimate space.


MISS:

The staff at the chapel was less than reassuring. Now, I'm not the kind of person who needs a lot of coddling, but I never felt like everything with the chapel was squared away until the rehearsal. The staff is just slightly disorganized and are slow to respond to emails. There also wasn't an off hours contact person, which was a little unnerving because our wedding was on a Saturday. Dude and I went to visit the chapel during February, and it was locked, so I was worried - what if it was locked on our wedding day? The only answer I got was, "I don't know why it was locked, it should have been open." Not reassuring, right?

Also, since the UN wasn't in session, there were no flags flying. I was pretty sad about that, I wanted them for pictures.

That said, everything worked out, and the chapel was wonderful. The man who worked the front desk, Hector, was so sweet to us. In the end, everything went great.