New York Magazine: Summer 08 Weddings Issue

Table of Contents

Summer 08 Weddings

Cover Story
Support more than 50 years of award-winning journalism.

Features

  • Gown Town

    The greatest city in the world is the best backdrop for a bevy of gorgeous dresses.

  • From the Runway

    The spring collections included revamped classics, perennials, and wonderfully unusual choices in between.

  • Graphic Material

    Wedding stationery that’ll jump out of the mailbox.

  • Quite A Handful

    Bouquets so beautiful you won’t want to toss them.

  • Top These

    Cakes, cookies, and confections to end the night with a wow.

  • Dressing Up

    Pretty, sexy frocks that’ll live beyond the last toast.

The Registry

  • Shiny Newlywed Things

    Wedding presents (most registerable), arranged by couples’ aesthetic and guests’ gift budgets.

  • Thoughts That Count

    Not everyone has infinitely deep pockets, and not every guest should have to pony up for sterling.

The Honeymoon

  • Saving the Best for Last

    The cake’s been eaten, the Champagne’s been drunk. Now it’s escape time.

From the Archives

  • It Makes the World Go Round

    From our vantage point, weddings seemed so … counter to the counterculture in the late sixties.

The Album

  • Vintage Reception on the East River

    Ben proposed to Julie at Top of the Rock: The two have a penchant for all things classic-New York.

  • Lakeside Shindig in the Mountains

    The pair, who met at boarding school, wanted a casual, summer wedding on her family’s private camp.

  • Wintry Fête Uptown

    Arden and Walter were set up. Her first impression was, “That guy is what all the fuss is about?”

  • Big Jazzy Bash in Tribeca

    James proposed on the Seine in Paris, with the help of Shakespeare’s Sonnet 116.

  • Over-the-Top Beachfront Bender

    Ondine knew that when it came time to design her wedding reception, she would do it herself.

  • Groovy Dinner Party in Chelsea

    Trent and Jeremy went from being a four-day-a-week couple to a seven-day-a-week couple.

  • Surprise Multi-Venue Soirée

    In New York City, it is a considerable feat to book your first-choice venue on your first-choice date.

  • Recessional

    “We planned our wedding in a weekend, and it all took place on one block.”

Ask the Experts

  • Ask the Experts: The Gown Designer

    “The dress should fit like a glove. So, no bra! If you must, sew a bustier into it.”

  • Ask the Experts: The Stationers

    “Unless you’re going particularly over-the-top and need more type exuberance, three typefaces is pushing it.”

  • Ask the Experts: The Planner

    “Be wary of planners who work on a commission basis with vendors. In essence, they get paid twice.”

  • Ask the Experts: The Caterer

    “A raw bar with an ice sculpture of a giant clamshell is appropriate, but stay away from dolphins.”

  • Ask the Experts: The Beauticians

    “Hair extensions are great, but lash extensions? No. They bend, clump, and wear down the natural lash.”

  • Ask the Experts: The Photographer

    “Any place that’s small and dark is hard to shoot in. And venues with too many mirrors are a nightmare, frankly.”

  • Ask the Experts: The Etiquette Expert

    “Marriage is a public gesture toward society. Now is not the time to let it all hang out.”

The Reception

  • 15 Standout Reception Ideas

    How to have an unforgettable wedding, from ceremony’s end to the wee hours of the after-party.

  • I Love It, I Love It Not

    A quick cost-benefit analysis of four wedding venue types to help you narrow down your quest.

  • Pray For Good Weather

    A nuts-and-bolts mini-guide to pulling off a wedding reception outdoors.

  • Outward Bound

    Great spots for a wedding en pleine air beyond central Manhattan.

  • Top Tents

    Area vendors for tent rentals.

  • Etiquette Quandaries Solved

    How to troubleshoot the guest list; arrange the floor plan; and accommodate everyone at the reception.

  • Remedies for Hazardous Guests

    From the freeloading crasher to the drunk friend, tips for handling the clique of trouble.

  • Straight From the Source

    Behind-the-scenes with a New York bride and her five bridesmaids.

  • A Drink for All Seasons

    Seasonal concoctions, created by Brian Miller and Philip Ward of Death & Co.

  • Chicken or Beef? Neither, Thank You

    Seasonal dream menus to inspire you to think beyond the usual wedding-food suspects.

  • The Standing Dinner Reception

    How to pull off a moveable feast? Jean Christophe Le Picart of Feast & Fêtes explains.

  • Wedding Sound Machines

    Jazz trio or string quartet? Here, options arranged by cost and musical proclivity.

  • My Big Fat ___Wedding

    Musical nods to heritage, whichever yours may be.

  • Fancy Footwork

    A selection of uncommon first dance songs.

  • Keep This Page and Save a Fortune

    Cost-cutting guidelines to plan by.

  • Decisions, Decisions

    One hundred married couples on the wedding choices they made.