Tell us a little about yourselves!
Brendon and I met at a concert in Brooklyn 7 years ago. We immediately connected over our love
of music and design. Our engagement happened over COVID when we realized that we weren’t sick of each other after a year of quarantine! We got married two years later in Red Hook, Brooklyn.
Why did you decide to get married where you did?
When we started thinking about our wedding, the most important factors to us were delicious food, good drinks, and accessibility to the venue. We thought about doing our wedding in Joshua Tree, but it ultimately didn’t make sense because most of our guests live in New York. So we chose a venue in Brooklyn, The Castle by Marlow Events. A local restaurant group operates The Castle, so we knew the food and hospitality would be excellent. Planning a wedding ceremony and reception felt daunting, so we were grateful to find a venue that covered 80% of the details. All we had left to do was find a DJ, florist, and photographer.
How many guests did you have?
70.
Tell us about your outfits.
Jess: After trying on what felt like a million bridal dresses, I realized I wanted to steer away from a structured gown towards something more ethereal. When I slipped on this Acne dress, it felt like a second skin, and I was in love. However, I felt self-conscious about wearing a more untraditional dress and didn’t commit to it until two weeks before the wedding. Finding the right shoe came more quickly. As soon as I saw Nodaleto’s bridal campaign, I knew I wanted a pair for the ceremony, and when it came time to dance, I slipped on my trusty Salomon's.
Brendon: I bought this suit from Theory a few years ago for my friend’s wedding. It was expensive, so I felt like I should wear it again. I bought a new shirt and belt (also from Theory) a few weeks before the wedding to make it feel a little fresher. For my shoes, I wanted something non-traditional, so I ended up getting some maroon Doc Martens. My socks were from Paul Smith.
What was the most important aspect for you, in terms of planning your wedding?
The most important aspects were that our friends had a good time and that the day wasn’t stressful for us. Throughout the night, our friend Ohni kept referring to our wedding as a “flow wedding,” which made us laugh, but I think it’s an apt description. We didn’t have a strict schedule or put too much weight on any specific moments. We even planned an exit, but when it came time, it felt too forced, so we decided to skip it.
Were there any elements that were important for you to incorporate?
It was meaningful for us to write and share our vows as surprises for the ceremony. Then, after the ceremony, we reread our vows in private, which was one of our favorite parts of the day. We also wanted our friend to officiate the wedding to bring a touch of his humor to the ceremony. Our favorite part of attending other weddings is usually the speeches. We love learning more about couples through their friends and family, and we wanted to ensure there was an opportunity for that at our wedding. Brendon and I are picky when it comes to music. We met Andrew Devlin from The Devlins through the Brooklyn dance community. He has excellent taste and runs a live events company, so we knew he’d be the perfect person to set the mood for the night. We designed our own invitations, menus, and website. Jess and I frequently collaborate on projects, so naturally, we had to do this for our wedding. It was fun instilling our essence as a couple in small ways before the big day.
Are there any vendors that you would like to tell us a little more about?
Molly Burke (Fleetwood Floral) designed our florals; she is absolutely amazing! Seeing the florals for the first time brought me to tears—they were more beautiful than I could’ve imagined and transformed the room. Also, all the glass vases she uses are hand blown by her, which is super cool. Our photographer Allison Hammond is so talented. We love that she uses a mix of digital and
film photography and vividly captures the in-between moments most people would miss. She is also a friendly, fun person to be around. When we didn’t know how to do some wedding thing, like putting on Brendon’s boutonniere, she would swoop in and save the day.
Photographer : Allison Hammond @allisonhammondcreative | Ceremony + Reception Location : The Castle by Marlow Events @marlowevents | Entertainment : The Devlins @devlins.nyc | Flora : Fleetwood Floral @fleetwoodfloral | Makeup : Ohni Lisle | Cake : The Castle by Marlow Events @marlowevent | Stationery : Designed by couple | Dress : Acne @acnestudios | Corset : Miista @miista | Suit + Shirt : Theory @theory__ | Engagement Ring : Shahla Karimi @shahlakarimi_jewelry | Wedding Rings : Shahla Karimi @shahlakarimi_jewelry (Brendon) Mociun @mociun (Jess) | Jess' Ceremony Shoes : Nodaleto @nodaleto | Jess' Reception Shoes : Salomon | Brendon's Shoes : Doc Martens | Other Rings : Made by Bride's Mother