A Classic Wedding at Essex House in New York, New York

From start to finish, Lindsay Nicolai (28 and a school psychologist) and William Lawlor’s (31 and a lawyer) wedding exuded modern glamour and feminine elegance. “We didn’t design the wedding around a specific theme, but we definitely loved blush tones and gold,” Lindsay says. “Everything was centered on that.” Hosting the ceremony and reception at the Church of St. Monica and Essex House in New York, New York, two stunning examples of opulent old-world architecture, set the tone for the rest of the decor, leading Lindsay and William to choose florals, lighting and subtle design details that played up the features of each. Dramatic cascading arrangements of hydrangeas, roses and orchids added a soft, feminine flair to the church’s awe-inspiring marble altar, while simple ivory pillar candles lining the aisle helped create a sense of intimacy despite the vast space. 

After their traditional Catholic ceremony, Lindsay and William whisked their families and friends off to Essex House for a lively night of celebrating. The pair totally transformed the stately Grand Salon into a modern pink paradise with vivid pink uplighting and bunches of hydrangeas, roses and orchids piled high atop curvaceous glass vases trimmed in twinkling crystal embellishments. One of the couple’s favorite bourbon cocktails—a raspberry bourbon smash—made the rounds during cocktail hour, and at the end of the night guests took home boxes of freshly baked pink macarons. “I spent all summer learning how to make and freeze 300 pink macarons, but it ended up being a major fail,” Lindsay says. “After hearing about the catastrophe, our wonderful wedding coordinator at Essex House offered to have its chefs whip them up for us,” Lindsay says. “They did it in one day! They were beautiful and delicious too.” After dinner, Current Affair Music got guests in the mood to bust a move with an upbeat mix of past and current hits. “We love Stevie Wonder, and they did an excellent job of playing all our favorites,” Lindsay says. A tip from Lindsay and William: “Don’t take this process too seriously. You get only one day, so you have to enjoy it. Don’t sweat the small stuff, and laugh at the inevitable mess-ups.” —Libby MacCarthy