Tell us a little about yourselves!
Alex was born and raised on the Upper West Side. He works in commercial real estate where he co-founded a multi family redevelopment business. Samantha works in the fashion industry where she works in wholesale for Theory.
We met at 12 Chairs in Soho through a mutual friend. We bonded over Alex having gone to the University of Michigan, while Samantha (from Michigan) went to Michigan State University. A little rivalry solidified the deal.
Why did you decide to get married where you did?
It was really important to us to have an authentic NYC wedding. We wanted Manhattan to be the main character. As Alex grew up in the area, he always knew of Shun Lee and how iconic it is. The space was everything we could have asked for and fit the non-traditional wedding vibe we wanted.
It was important for me to capture a certain aesthetic with my background in fashion. Between the boldness of the red, gold, black, and white color pallet and the old school Manhattan flair, our wedding felt city chic, party forward, and offered some of the best food in town!
It was the cherry on top that we happen to have a Sunday night tradition of eating Chinese food which we do every Sunday!
How many guests did you have?
200. Kristin Piteo captured our day.
Tell us about your outfits.
Samantha wore a Danielle Frankel set, pant and bustier top. The choice to wear pants over a dress was not the plan, but couldn’t have been an easier decision. I am more of a pant girl. I wanted something non-traditional, gave “cool girl” and “city chic” vibes, and fit the venue. I only went to Danielle Frankel’s studio, nowhere else. I love that she is a NYC designer, and her pieces embody that “effortlessly cool while still classic” look I wanted to achieve. I felt comfortable and my absolute best. And I loved incorporating the neck scarf for the pop of editorial.
The shoes were pointed toe slingback Dior. They had this beautiful ribbing texture that in a way, picked up the texture on the Danielle Frankel top. It was fun for me to not just incorporate fashion into the wedding and my looks, but to really have it be a pillar of the wedding.
The second look was a red sequin Rodarte gown. I loved the idea something totally different and even shocking. I knew the red sequins would look stellar against the Shun Lee venue. We also had a red dance floor built in and disco balls hanging from the ceiling of the dance floor. The reflection of the red dance floor, and the Rodarte dress all worked so well together.
Alex wore an Isaia suit, shirt, and tie. He wanted something he could wear again, but was truly the epitome of Italian luxury designer. The handcrafted tailoring, and the highest quality fabric aside – the pop of red is something that made it so special. Isaia, known for their signature red coral lapel pin was the perfect (unintentional) pop of red that tied back to the venue as well as Samantha’s second look, her red sequin Rodarte gown.
Alex wore YSL loafers for a more modern and editorial look.
What was the most important aspect for you, in terms of planning your wedding?
The primary focus for our wedding was really to just have a great party! We have so many friends and family, and just wanted everyone to have the best night celebrating! We loved knowing the food would be spectacular, and we were able to share an iconic NYC restaurant with everyone.
Were there any elements that were important for you to incorporate?
We wrote our own vows. The ceremony was short and sweet, but our vows had each of our own personalities and love for each other completely engrained.
NYC was really the theme! We also had a cookie tricycle from Levain Bakery. Another special, New York City specific culinary experience we could share with our guests.
We also love our city date nights out on the town. We love to go to a cigar bar after dinner some weekends, so we had custom cigar rollers to tie in that theme as well!
Any tips for couples getting married?
Embrace your identity as a couple and find unique ways to tie that into your wedding.
Photographer: Kristin Piteo @kristinpiteophoto | Day of Coordinator: Monique Banks
@moniquebanksparty | Wedding Bouquet: Everwild Blooms @everwild_blooms | Videographer:
Prime Focus Media | Ceremony & Reception Location: Shun Lee West @shunleenyc | Rentals: Fabrico Productions @fabricoproductions | Makeup Artist: Meredith Baraf @meredithbaraf | Hair Stylist: Regina Hencoski at Beautini @beautini | Catering + Beverages: Shun Lee West @shunleenyc | Cake: Empire @empirecakenyc | Stationery: Art Scroll Print | Entertainment: Ireserve Music - Angelo The Kiid @angelothekiid | Ceremony Dress & Veil: Danielle Frankel @daniellefrankelstudio | Party Dress: Rodarte @rodarte | Suit: Isaia @isaia | Shoes: Dior @dior & Yves Saint Laurent @ysl | Necklace: borrowed from bride’s mother