Like many tech-savvy Millennials, Stephanie and Matt’s love story started on OkCupid. Stephanie stole Matt’s heart the minute she walked into the bar for their first date. Her radiant smile lit up his heart immediately and the two lovebirds became inseparable.  Two years later, the couple got engaged and married shortly after. In an elegant and intimate wedding with relatives and close friends, Stephanie and Matt exchanged vows at the Metropolitan Building in Queens on October 2, 2015. In 1980, interior designer Eleanor Ambos bought the building for storage and as a space for skilled artisans to set up their studios. This remodeled and re-purposed industrial building’s high ceilings allow for plenty of overhead room. Its large windows allow ample soft day light to enter into the rooms, and its impressive collection of vintage eclectic props provide a unique creative environment.

Tatiana  and her team arrived early on site to capture the beautiful decorations and floral arrangements designed by industry friends Stacy Crowe and Joseph Ortiz from FLO NY Events. Tatiana’s recent trip to Florence, Italy has inspired her to build a museum inspired set-up to showcase the bouquets of gorgeous brides and bridesmaids.

Tatiana was very excited to discover that the Metropolitan Building was fully equipped for unleashing creativity at all ends. The possibilities of staging and styling unique shots were endless. Despite the rain, the bride and groom had a perfect indoor photo shoot location for portraits and family photos.

In her vision, the rustic green elevator door creates a perfect contrast for neatly arranged white columns that would display the elegant florals. With some extra time to spare before the bride &and groom’s arrival, Tatiana and her assistant retrieved seven display columns from the mountains of vintage props scattered around the building. After a few minutes, a “florentine” floral display was assembled and camera-ready.

The event floral designs provided by FLO NY team were remarkable. The company’s “day of” crew was headed by Stacy and her partner/lead designer Joseph They were joined by their events coordinator, Caroline, and their design assistant, Beto. The entire team was committed to creating the most extraordinary evening.

Stephanie met Tatiana and Stacy at Artvesta’s Wine & Cake Bridal Social a few years ago. The talented pair have worked on several projects together at venues across New York City. After cultivating a friendship aside from their professional relationship, Tatiana and Stacy were ecstatic to team up for Stephanie and Matt’s vintage-themed wedding.

The Victorian garden – inspired floral seamlessly matched the color scheme of classic whites and natural green elements with some soft blush hues as accent colors.

Overall, the wedding concept was developed by the bride. The venue coordinator’s insight and Stephanie’s experience in the industry (Stephanie is a professional event coordinator) equated to a fine -tuned design plan. FLO NY team advised the bride on what seasonal blooms would work best with her vision. The vintage books paired with past generation photos was the perfect touch. This was truly a collaborative creative effort.

One of the highlights of that magical day was when the the flower girl expressed second thoughts about walking down the aisle a few minutes before the ceremony. In a full-on protest, she plopped down on the floor and began her costume change. Everyone jumped in with various motivational tactics. These candid “behind the scenes” family moments are precious and illustrate how the big day can bring out the best energy.

It’s so rewarding to create memorable weddings with other skilled and dedicated professionals. While the atmosphere is usually intense, the outcome is always spectacular. There’s much effort that goes into wedding planning but it’s all well worth it.

Photographer: Tatiana Valerie, Artvesta Studio
Catering company: LCI Caterers
Floral design: FLO NY Events
Shoes: Betsey Johnson
Venue: The Metropolitan Building
Cake: Dee’s Desserts