Tell us a little about yourselves!
Brian is a lawyer, and Tyler works in marketing at a record label.
Originally, we planned to get married on Fire Island in September, but after the 2024 election, we felt like there was no reason to wait. Over drinks in late November, we realized a winter wedding in New York City at The Leopard at Des Artistes felt even more right—and decided to make that our plan.
We had our first date at El Mitote on the Upper West Side in 2017, so it felt right to make a stop there on our wedding day eight years later.
Why did you decide to get married where you did?
We wanted to keep the whole wedding within a close distance from our apartment on the Upper West Side. The day began at a suite at The Park Lane Hotel with champagne and photos with close friends, followed by a cab ride to El Mitote on Columbus Avenue, where we had our first date 8 years ago. We snapped a few photos out front and the bartender ran out with frozen margaritas and the restaurant erupted with applause (very New York moment). We walked one block south for photos on our front stoop before walking towards Central Park to our venue, The Leopard at Des Artistes.
How many guests did you have?
120.
Tell us about your outfits.
Tyler wore all Bode including an ivory tuxedo, paired with a lace silk shirt and custom silk bow. For shoes, he wore Manolo Blahnik velvet-bow patent leather loafers.
Brian wore a classic black tuxedo, paired with an oversized Tom Ford bowtie, and patent leather shoes from his EMT uniform from his days on the rescue squad of his NJ hometown, where he is still a lifelong member.
What was the most important aspect for you, in terms of planning your wedding?
We really wanted to trust our instincts and not feel pressured to do things the traditional way. For a lot of our guests, it was their first gay wedding, so it felt important to make it meaningful but also unique—something that broke the mold a little, but not in an obnoxious way.
Were there any elements that were important for you to incorporate?
Tyler wanted his favorite cake from New York—Claud NYC’s Double Chocolate Devil’s Food Cake—plus a more traditional wedding cake by the amazingLauren Schofield.
Brian loves the Grateful Dead, so the cocktail hour began with a live guitar and bass duo playing instrumental versions of their favorite songs. After the ceremony, DJ Amber Valentine transitioned the night into some of Brian and Tyler’s favorite disco tracks.
Later, there was dancing on tables to Madonna’s 'Vogue' and Robyn’s 'Dancing On My Own.' The stiletto punctures on the leather banquettes were a moment… (the restaurant was forgiving and was joining in on the fun.)
Any tips for couples getting married?
Consider planning things on a shorter timeline, if you can. We planned our wedding in just over 2 months, and it made the process feel really natural and spontaneous. Don’t give yourself time to overthink every little decision. Just choose chocolate cake vs vanilla! Just choose white flowers vs colored!
Are there any vendors that you would like to tell us a little more about?
We can’t say enough about our incredible photographer, Kelly Vahos. Not only did she make us feel at ease and capture the day perfectly, but she was also a highlight of the party for so many of our guests! I don’t think I’ve ever been to another wedding where, the next day, people were saying, ‘And we loved the photographer!!’ Kelly is the best.
We couldn’t have asked for better photos.
Photographer: Kelly Vahos @kellyvahosphotos | Planning: Jason Mitchell Kahn @mrjasonmitchell | Styling: Self styled | Flora: Justin Reis @justin_reis | Ceremony & Reception Location: The Leopard at Des Artistes | Celebrant: Andrew Tobias (Friend) | Cake: Claud NYC @claud_nyc & Lauren Schofield @_lauren_schofield | Stationery: Custom wedding poster & artworks by Mike Paré @easyjammer | DJ: Amber Valentine @ambervalentinenyc | Live Guitar/Bass Duo: Garrin Benfield @garrinbenfield & James Preston @jamesprestunes | Suits: Bode Tuxedo @bode (Tyler) & Suit Supply (Brian) @suitsupply | Brian's Bowtie: Tom Ford @tomford | Engagement & Wedding Rings: Tiffany & Co.@tiffanyandco | Shoes: Manolo Blahnik @manoloblahnik