PLANNING: Events by Jesse | VENUE: Prospect Park Boathouse | CATERING: Purslane | FLORAL: Rosehip Social Florist | STATIONERY: Ivory Isle Designs | VIDEO: Sasha Chou | DRESS: WONA bridal | MAKEUP: Ruthie Weems | HAIR: Ashley Pangione | DJ: 74Events | CAKE: Lulu Cake Boutique | TROLLEY: NY Trolley Co.
The chic couple
Zoe and Sam were a joy to work with. Due to the pandemic and a year-long postponement of their celebration, it truly feels like I know them for a long time, and I’m happy we remain in touch as life goes on. Their wedding at Prospect Park Boathouse was elegant and emotional and an absolute pleasure to document.
The wedding vision and details
Living in Brooklyn, the couple was super excited to have both of their out-of-town families experience the couple’s beloved borough with them. They held pre-wedding events at Domino Park and Brooklyn Crab in Red Hook and brunch at our lovely tree-lined brownstone AirBnb in Bed Stuy. Not to mention, of course, the actual wedding at the Boathouse in Prospect Park! It was important for Zoë and Sam to get married where they live and show all of their friends and family their favorite spots.
“We really wanted to ring in summer with our early June park wedding, so we opted for light peach, tangerine and green tones for flowers (by Rosehip Social Florist) and fresh dishes like watermelon salad as an appetizer to fit the summer vibe (by Purslane). Our ceremony was outside on the water (with picnickers at the park looking on!) and the weather couldn’t have been better. We loved that throughout the event the doors to the Boathouse stayed open, so summer breezes were floating in and out and guests spent a lot of time enjoying the evening air out on the deck”, – says Zoë.
The iconic venue
The Prospect Park Boathouse has it all – the natural greenery, the iconic lake and the historic building, a Beaux Arts landmark overlooking the Lullwater. With its Beaux-Arts style, white terra-cotta façade, and French doors opening out to a terrace overlooking the lake, the Boathouse enhances the natural beauty of the park. The west-facing location gives the best opportunity to capture sunsets over the lake.
The catering was done by the amazing Purslane, a Brooklyn-based zero-waste, carbon-neutral catering company. Purslane specializes in local, sustainable, and seasonal dishes and offer custom menus for wedding events.
The family-and-friends-oriented celebration
“It was important to us to involve our big families in the ceremony to represent the fusing of our two families. That’s why it was really special for us that Sam’s brother was a groomsman, Sam’s sister was a bridesmaid, and Zoë’s brothers officiated the wedding and gave readings during the ceremony. Sam danced with both his mom and his new mother-in-law and Zoë got a chance to dance with each of her four older brothers”.
The couple met in law school, and the entire wedding was a very lawyer-heavy affair (about half the guest list!). Both of their wedding party speeches were given by friends from law school who were each with Zoë and Sam the night they met and have been by their sides ever since. Everyone laughed and cried at the same time, and the 130-guest celebration felt indeed very intimate and sentimental.
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