Photo: John Dolan1/44Our wedding suite was a collaboration between Happy Menocal and Bernard Maisner. We wanted to incorporate our favorite things: blue, hydrangeas (what Ryan proposed to me with), and lovebirds—what everyone calls us because we are inseparable. Happy designed two crests—the first, which was used for the save the date—shows the birds holding up a sign with the wedding date on it. For the wedding invitation, Bernard Maisner beautifully painted the lovebirds on top of the crest—a theme that would be carried over into the wedding.
Photo: Allan Zepeda2/44My dress was Oscar de la Renta. I fell in love with the embroidery and the classic shape. We had the dress made in cream—instead of a traditional white—with cream embroidery that gave it a softer look. My best friend, who is also my stylist and one of my bridesmaids, Carly [Schuster], worked with me on all my looks for the weekend—including finding these Charlotte Olympia cream pumps that matched the dress perfectly.
Photo: Allan Zepeda3/44I knew I wanted to have my shoulders covered since I was getting married in a temple. I was so inspired by the dress and top Emilia Wickstead designed and wore on her own wedding that I knew I wanted something similar. I worked with Miriam Shay and Henry Tosca to design this sheer bodysuit with the embroidery from my dress, which we placed around the neckline and up my sleeves. My “something new” was my beaded Oscar de la Renta clutch, a gift from my maid of honor, my sister Alex [Tritsch].
Photo: John Dolan4/44True to Lauder style, there was no shortage of incredible makeup for the wedding day. Getting ready with my bridesmaids; Ashley Rubell, who did my hair; and Victor Henao, who did my makeup, was one of my favorite parts of the weekend.
Photo: John Dolan5/44Victor [Henao] is a true genius, and has become like a member of our family. I trusted him completely, and he came up with my look on the day of. The result was me feeling like my most beautiful self with Katharine Ross à la The Graduate eyelashes.
Photo: Allan Zepeda6/44Our rings were custom designed by Monique Péan. Here is my engagement ring and Ryan’s wedding band. We had “Only Ever We” inscribed in our rings, something we say to each other all the time.
Photo: Allan Zepeda7/44I was in love with my bouquet. When David [Stark], our event designer, showed it to me, I almost fell off my chair mid-makeup.
Photo: Meredith Heuer8/44Ryan getting ready with one of his best men, David Cogut. Both David and Ryan’s other best man, Johnny Sirulnick, were friends he’s known since grade school. They have both become like brothers to me.
Photo: Meredith Heuer9/44Ryan and I were so grateful to have our wedding party members all with us that weekend—we had 25 in total—our siblings, cousins, and best friends from every facet of our lives. My gift to my bridesmaids was their blue silk-crepe Delphine Manivet bridesmaids’ dresses and chokers, and Ryan gave his groomsmen gray silk bow ties from Turnbull & Asser. The end result was a very coordinated wedding party, and gifts we hoped they could use forever.
Photo: John Dolan10/44My bridesmaids were my “something blue.” They started the day in blue Eberjeys before they changed into their dresses. I started the day in blue with them in an Olivia von Halle silk robe, a gift from one of my best friends and bridesmaids, Maressa [Criscito]. Here I am with Ryan’s sister, Jamie [Chesner], my now big sister!
Photo: John Dolan11/44Me and my bridesmaids having a little Champagne after Rachel [Lauder] and Danielle [Lauder], made the most heartwarming toast.
Photo: Meredith Heuer12/44Ryan and his groomsmen doing the same, except they opted for scotch instead of Champagne!
Photo: John Dolan13/44One of my last moments before getting to see Ryan for the first time. I was so calm and happy.
Photo: Allan Zepeda14/44This is one of my favorite views of the dress. The embroidery around the waist had an asymmetrical drop that was so beautiful and unique.
Photo: John Dolan15/44After the ketubah signing, my amazing wedding planner, Jennifer [Zabinski], who doesn’t let a second go to waste, marched me straight into the elevator where I watched everyone walk down the aisle from behind before it was my turn. It was one of the most emotional moments of the day.
Photo: John Dolan16/44My last breath before walking down the aisle. I was so lucky to have William [Lauder], who is like a father to me, by my side.
Photo: Allan Zepeda17/44David [Stark] and my mom came up with the most beautiful floral scheme for the temple, which is already so naturally beautiful on its own. We decided that we wanted the colors of the flowers to blend in to the already bold and bright colors of the synagogue, and the result was breathtaking.
Photo: Allan Zepeda18/44Ryan walking down the aisle with his parents, Lisa and James [Fuld], to “Adventure of a Lifetime” by Coldplay, one of our favorite songs. I love the smile on his face.
Photo: Meredith Heuer19/44Me heading down the aisle with my mom and William. I know most brides are supposed to look very serious when making this walk, but I couldn’t help my excitement in seeing all the people we love there to witness this moment. I mouthed “hi” probably one too many times!
Photo: John Dolan20/44I chose a cathedral-length veil. I wanted the drama of the length but also something sheer enough so you could see the embroidery on my dress. This was such a special moment.
Photo: John Dolan21/44When we first met with our rabbi, Angela Warnick Buchdahl of Central Synagogue, she gave us a book and told us to pick out the traditions that resonated with us to incorporate into the wedding ceremony. The walking chuppah, a tradition from ancient Jerusalem, which we had cousins from both of our families walk down the aisle, symbolizing our first home together, meant something to us. It was beautiful to stand underneath it as we got married.
Photo: John Dolan22/44Our first kiss as husband and wife. One wasn’t enough so Ryan pulled me back in for a second!
Photo: John Dolan23/44Me with my mom and William. My family, including my sister Alex [Tritsch], Danielle [Lauder], and Rachel [Lauder], made the weekend so insanely special.
Photo: John Dolan24/44We were so happy to be married; the only fitting thing to do was dance about it on our ride over to the library.
Photo: John Dolan25/44It was a very New York night, and I love this shot of us on the streets.
Photo: John Dolan26/44We lined the library’s iconic steps with topiaries and lanterns. It made for the most beautiful entrance and gave guests a sneak peek into what they would be walking in to. This is us enjoying the view from the top.
Photo: John Dolan27/44Our first kiss atop the steps.
Photo: Meredith Heuer28/44The topiaries on the steps led up to a cocktail hour that was inspired by our garden theme. I had originally wanted to get married in Waccabuc, New York, where we spend our summers. But once we decided on Manhattan, the library was the first and last venue we looked at. My mom’s brilliant idea was to make the cocktail hour feel like a garden. We had boxwood bars and black-and-white striped tablecloths giving the feeling of being in a gazebo. The best part of all, and David Stark’s stroke of genius, was the 6-foot topiary lovebirds that were the centerpiece of Astor Hall.
Photo: Ahmet Ze29/44Another view of cocktail hour.
Photo: Meredith Heuer30/44While we loved our garden theme, we also wanted to accentuate the natural beauty that exists in the architecture and design of the library itself. We lined the walk from cocktail hour to the main ballroom with silver balls and hurricanes, which looked stunning against the limestone hallways—and made for a perfect Instagram moment for our guests!
Photo: Meredith Heuer31/44We incorporated pinks and greens, in fall hues, in the cocktail hour floral arrangements. They looked beautiful against the library’s incredible gray archways.
Photo: Meredith Heuer32/44Ryan and I making the walk down the hallway to the ballroom for the first time. I removed the top so people could see the dress in its natural state.
Photo: Allan Zepeda33/44My mom, who is a brilliant architect, came up with the floor plan for the main ballroom. The exterior of the room was lined with rectangular tables and then we had circular tables that lined the dance floor. It was an amazing way to create a great energy throughout the room. We kept the decor on the rectangular tables low and sexy, and on the circular tables, higher and more dramatic.
Photo: Allan Zepeda34/44Since dating, Ryan has called me his “Little Star” because he says I produce my own energy. It was critical that we created the ballroom to feel as if we were dancing under the stars all night, as if we were in our own backyard. My mom, David [Stark], and Jennifer [Zabinski] found LED star drop fabric to line the entire ballroom with and it was incredible—the whole room twinkled all night.
Photo: John Dolan35/44Here we are ready to make our grand entrance for our first dance, which, of course, was to “Dancing in the Moonlight.”
Photo: Allan Zepeda36/44The most extraordinary view of the ballroom. We created the backdrop of the stage to look like an extension of the glass dome ceiling, again, finding ways to create beauty with what was already there.
Photo: Allan Zepeda37/44The look of love. With our starry background behind us. This shot takes my breath away.
Photo: Meredith Heuer38/44The speeches were some of the most special parts of the evening. This is me hysterically laughing at my sister’s incredible nine-minute speech. Once the real party started, I changed into this Reem Acra number that was much more suitable for dancing. Carly [Schuster] found it off the Spring runway collectsion and though we had to rush to order it, it was perfect—beady, romantic, and blush.
Photo: Allan Zepeda39/44Ryan and I took center stage on the dance floor all night.
Photo: John Dolan40/44Blue is our favorite color, and aside from it being the main color selection for most aspects of the wedding, we were also intent on having a blue cake with chocolate inside. Cheryl Kleinman made our cake and the Stark team decorated it with fresh white flowers.
Photo: John Dolan41/44Ryan’s thank-you speech had everyone laughing. He looked especially good on our marbleized black-and-white dance floor.
Photo: Meredith Heuer42/44A big kiss before we got a little messy cutting and taking our first bite of our wedding cake.
Photo: Meredith Heuer43/44My bridesmaids were the life of the party, and actually stormed the stage at one point in the evening and got me up there with them. We did not stop dancing for a second.
Photo: Ahmet Ze44/44Ryan and me dancing like crazy and being surrounded by all the people we love most in the world—this went on until 2:00 a.m. I can confidently say that our wedding night was one for the books!
