city love story
Sam & Gabe
With their New York love story already a decade in the making, Sam and Gabe stayed in the city for their ceremony. They held their romantic old-world wedding at the iconic Bowery Hotel, curating a celebration replete with signature details. Read on for Sam’s secrets behind her dream day now.
Photography by Rachel Leiner
"Because I had never really imagined my own wedding, dress shopping was very difficult at first. I tried on about 40 gowns before finding my dress. While they were all beautiful, none of them truly felt like me — I struggled to find something that reflected my personal style while still making me feel like a bride. I visited a few stores in NYC before deciding to stop by LOHO Bride during a trip to LA. LOHO is truly the perfect boutique for brides like me who are looking for unique, non-traditional, and fashion-forward dresses. When I tried on my Wed Studio dress for the first time, I felt something different—I could actually picture myself on my wedding day, and that’s how I knew it was the one.
"I had been eyeing the Staud mini for my second look long before I even chose my wedding dress. After a lot of online stalking, I eventually found it on sale and decided to finally pull the trigger. I loved that it was completely different from my wedding dress—and it was perfect for dancing the night away!"
"I actually wore the Mikel heels during my bachelorette party in New Orleans and ended up walking nearly 10,000 steps through the French Quarter in them. The fact that my feet survived that night convinced me I needed a pair of Loeffler Randall shoes for the wedding too!
"Since my dress had pickups on the sides that showed off my shoes, I wanted something with a pop of color. The moment I tried on the blue Dahlia heels, I knew they were the ones — they perfectly complemented the uniqueness of my wedding dress. For my second look, I brought the Mikel heels back out, which was a fun full-circle moment after wearing them during such a memorable weekend."
"My husband and I met in New York City almost ten years ago and we’ve lived here ever since, so it only felt right to get married in the city. We didn’t start the wedding planning process with a clear vision, but when we toured the Bowery Hotel, we instantly fell in love with its moody atmosphere. The brick walls, green-tiled fireplace, and gorgeous tapestries helped us begin to imagine what our wedding could look like. After touring many other venues, nothing else compared. Looking back, we spent so many of the early days of our relationship in the neighborhoods surrounding the Bowery Hotel, which makes it even more special that we got married there."
"One of our closest friends officiated our ceremony, which made it incredibly special and personal. They’ve spent so much quality time with us—both individually and as a couple — so it meant a lot to hear them speak about us in front of our family and closest friends. We also wrote our own vows, which we shared during the ceremony.
"Our reception was an absolute blast. Having live music at our wedding was really important to us since so much of our relationship has revolved around going to concerts together, so we had an amazing band called Hudson Horns perform during the reception. My husband had this idea to turn the Bowery Hotel into our own version of the Bowery Ballroom with a mini concert set. So towards the end of the night, the band played some of our favorite ’90s and 2000s rock songs while our planning team handed out concert-style merch that I designed. So many people ended up wearing their t-shirts for the rest of the night. It was such a fun and unforgettable moment that our guests are still talking about it to this day!"
"We let our taste and personalities shine through in every detail."
"My husband and I didn’t have a clear vision going into wedding planning, so it was really fun to discover what we wanted together. We approached the entire process as a partnership. One of my biggest pieces of advice is to stay true to what feels most authentic to you and your partner. Try not to get swept up in what you see on social media — focus on what feels right for you as a couple. My favorite compliment we received was that our wedding felt so us, and I think that’s because we let our taste and personalities shine through in every detail."
"I lost my dad two years ago, which made planning especially challenging at times. He was always the life of the party, so it was really important to incorporate some special yet fun moments to honor him. I designed a ceremony pamphlet with a short dedication to him, but instead of the typical memorial, it was a call to bring his lively energy to the party (and our guests definitely delivered!). We also dedicated one of our specialty cocktails to his famous margarita recipe, which he always made for anyone who came to his house. Since my dad is no longer with us, it was an honor to have my mom and brother walk me down the aisle. That moment was incredibly special for all three of us."
