After matching on Tinder, Rachel and Adam met for a drink. It didn’t take long for sparks to fly. On their first date, they spent seven hours talking. “It was probably the longest first date I’ve ever been on,” says Rachel. “In that one date, we got to know each other so well and I knew that we had something different between us.” The feeling was mutual – after that first meeting, Adam felt as though he had known Rachel for years. “I felt comfortable talking to her like she was an old friend almost immediately,” he recalls. Rachel went home that night so moved by their immediate connection, she knew then that she had met a significant person in her life and wrote herself a note predicting that Adam was the man she would one day marry. Rachel kept the note, and on the morning of her wedding, presented it to Adam – the ultimate wedding gift.

Photographer: Joanna Toto

Location
Cipriani 42nd Street
Date held
Sat Oct 21st
Q1

What was the easiest wedding planning decision to make?

Rachel: My dress. I really don’t enjoy shopping at all, so I carved out just one day to go wedding dress shopping. I tried on dresses I thought I would like, but I didn’t totally love anything. Toward the end of my appointment, the stylist told me to try on a dress that wasn’t like anything I thought I would like. My first thought once I stepped into my wedding dress was, “Ma, it feels like sweatpants on the inside!” Fortunately I also really liked how it looked on the outside. I felt both beautiful and comfortable, which were both very important.

Another easy wedding planning decision was picking Cipriani for our wedding venue. I thought that I would pick a ballroom in New York City hotel for our wedding, however nothing compared to Cipriani! There is so much history and beautiful architecture present in the space; it is really one-of-a-kind. Somehow our rather large wedding seemed intimate in the space, and all parts of the evening worked so well.

Q2

What was the most difficult?

Rachel: Picking the food for our menu. I would have offered everything to our guests if we could, but I think we made some great choices as many told us how much they enjoyed the food.

Q3

What part of planning your wedding did you most enjoy?

Rachel: I most enjoyed picking the songs for our band with Adam. He played most of them on the piano at home for us to listen to and decide.

I felt both beautiful and comfortable, which were both very important.

Rachel

I thought that without question I would be bawling for our first look – but when Adam turned the corner to see me standing on 42nd Street, all I could do was smile and throw my arms up in a cheer.

Rachel

Q4

If forced to choose, what one moment from your day would you relive?

Adam: Seeing Rachel for the first time in her wedding dress.

Rachel: Walking into the ballroom for the first time during cocktail hour for the reveal of the reception space. When we entered the ballroom, we had our true first dance alone on the dance floor where we were able to take in the entire event space which would soon be filled with friends and family. We couldn’t stop smiling.

Q5

Is there a memory of each other that stands out most in your mind?

Rachel: Adam texted me on the morning of our wedding with a photo of the East River and wrote “Good morning, my love. It is the most perfect day to get married!” It really was. I am a crier during happy moments and I thought that without question I would be bawling for our first look – but when Adam turned the corner to see me standing on 42nd Street, all I could do was smile and throw my arms up in a cheer. I didn’t cry once the whole the whole night – I could not stop smiling.

Adam: Eating and drinking in the bridal suite after the ceremony. In the Jewish religion, right after the ceremony is supposed to be a time to “seal the deal.” However, we chose to take the time to taste every hors d’oeuvres before we headed to the cocktail hour to greet our guests. We didn’t want to miss any of the food!

Q6

If you could keep only one memento from your wedding day, what would it be? Why?

Rachel: An endless supply of our wedding cake. I was not a traditional bride in that I never dreamed of a white wedding cake with sugar flowers. I always imagined a big chocolate cake, and I was so happy with how ours both looked and tasted. I joked that I needed a wedding day reveal both with Adam and then with the cake. Hazelnutella buttercream, chocolate decadence cake and chocolate ganache – are you kidding me?? Music to my ears. The venue cut me a huge slice and I enjoyed every morsel.

Adam: The handwritten note from Rachel. It made me cry from happiness and made me feel special that she wanted to marry me from our first encounter.

There was really nothing at all that I would change.

Rachel

I didn’t cry once the whole night; I could not stop smiling.

Rachel

When we entered the ballroom, we had our true first dance alone on the dance floor... We couldn’t stop smiling.

Rachel

Q7

Would you do anything differently?

Rachel: I have to say that, as an event planner, without meaning to I always critique an event that I attend. With that said, our wedding day and night was so easy – nothing went awry. We had 75 degree weather in New York City toward the end of October which is crazy, so we had the perfect day for photos. Every vendor we picked was not only professional but also a pleasure to work with and there was really nothing at all that I would change.

Q8

What advice would you offer to a newly engaged couple?

Adam: Spend time early on planning the wedding, then stop talking and worrying about it. Do not delay the wedding date and get married sooner rather than later. Don’t let the wedding planning control your life.

Rachel: Pick your venue and individual vendors early. This is New York City – if you want a great vendor… move quickly! Once we picked the venue, band, photographer and videographer, I felt as if I could take a deep breath and handle all of the other details as the date grew closer. My second piece of advice is to do your research. If you attend a friend’s wedding and love the band, write down the name. Keep wedding invitations you like from weddings you attend for future reference. Just take mental notes on everything, so when the day comes that you are presented with some bling, you can hit the ground running. Also, take the recommendation from your venue – on basically everything. They know what works and what doesn’t.

There is so much history and beautiful architecture present in the space; it is really one-of-a-kind. Somehow our rather large wedding seemed intimate in the space, and all parts of the evening worked so well.

Rachel

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Credits

  • Photography

    Joanna Toto for The Day

The Day