This Downtown Manhattan Wedding Felt Like a Love Letter to New York

One major decision the bride had to make was what to wear to say “I do.” Originally, Margot was planning on going on a shopping trip with her mother, who had booked a trip to NYC in October. “Around July, I had friends say that was way too late, and my dear friend Ellie booked us an appointment. I had no idea what I was looking for, so we went to a boutique that carried lots of designers and tried everything,” she remembers. While the bride thought she found a winner, she took her friends’ advice to first go look at Danielle Frankel’s showroom before making a purchase. “I wore the first thing I tried on: a two-piece that mixed structure and soft, contemporary and classic, and made me feel amazing,” says Margot. “I’d never seen anything like it—so different, but it also didn’t feel like it was trying to make a point.”

Once the dress was ordered, the rest of the ensemble easily fell into place. “The old saying of ‘something borrowed’ was very real for me—I was really drawn to the idea of things that belong to people I love,” says the bride. “I wanted to wear my mother’s wedding earrings and my grandmother’s garter, which my mum and my sister also wore.” To accessorize further, Margot received her shoes as a gift from two friends ahead of the wedding. One fun, sentimental touch? They were the same brand her mother wore for her walk down the aisle.

Margot kept the nostalgic wardrobe going by choosing to wear her mother’s wedding suit to the courthouse on Friday. That evening, the bride would don a dress created by her friend, bridal designer Meredith Stoecklein of Lein. “I had loved the idea of wearing something really glam while we’re all drinking beers,” says Margot. “Meredith has the most beautiful dog in the world, Moses, and he was there for all of our fittings and was immaculately behaved while we were playing with the beautiful lace.” She accessorized the look with jewelry borrowed from her friend Ali and a vintage coat that belonged to her friend Jennifer’s mother. “It felt so right,” she says of her “something borrowed” pieces.

For the groom’s wedding day look, he donned a bespoke evening suit by J. Mueser. “I originally met him at People’s and loved his style—classically elegant through a modern lens,” describes Jack. “The creative process, from the first appointment in his beautiful atelier through to collectsing the final suit (during yet another snowstorm), was perfect. Entirely relaxed but really memorable.” He says of the finished product: “It’s something I’ll wear for the rest of my life.”

The bride and groom spent the beginning of their wedding day morning together before separating to get ready. Margot had her hair and makeup done by Willow House Beauty, who gave her a fresh, natural beauty look and a clean chignon that would pair easily with her veil. The pair found each other again as Margot walked down the aisle on the arm of her father. “Humanist and deeply personal, the ceremony was a true highlight for us,” share the couple, who wrote the script from scratch with their friend Justin. Family and friends joined to do readings, and all the guests even sang at one point in the ceremony. The couple describes feeling “present and happy” throughout the proceedings. “Feeling so calm and present was a surprise to us,” they say. “We were nervous about being nervous, but it felt so natural and joyful and fun.”

After sealing their vows with a kiss, the newlyweds went off for an intentional pause and moment alone with their photographer Ally Rabon in tow. “We didn’t want to take ourselves or our guests away for photographs for too long, and Ally was amazing at incorporating throughout the day so we didn’t have to miss out on anything,” says Margot. They returned to cocktail hour at the rooftop greenhouse, where guests mixed and mingled indoors and out. “After seeing the city shut down with snow on Monday, it was especially special to have the sun come out and such a perfect New York winter sunset,” shares the bride. The party headed downstairs, where everyone enjoyed a dinner of “unfussy and perfect” steak frites and speeches that had people laughing and crying. The couple and their guests returned to the roof for dancing and dessert. “In place of a traditional cake, we had a croquembouche,” says Margot. “Which, based on friends’ photos from the next day, actually made it all the way to People’s.”

The after-party was filled with mini hot dogs, fries, and plenty of beverages as the night went on. “Seeing our friends and family filling the space—all lit by candelabra—was unforgettable,” the couple says. “The whole weekend felt like a love letter to each other and New York.”