A Glamorous, Formal Wedding at Cipriani 42nd Street in New York, New York

Riki Meris (26 and a business coordinator for CNN and CNN Sports) and George Koulouroudis’s (29 and a project manager for ProMetal Construction) wedding was an unforgettable blowout affair with plenty of glitz and glamour. Both coming from large Greek families, a traditional Greek Orthodox ceremony was a must. The couple kicked off the day with a ceremony at Holy Cross Greek Orthodox church before whisking their guests off to Cipriani 42nd street for a night of celebrating. “I had always wanted a quintessential Manhattan wedding,” says Riki. “We had a list of about five venues in Manhattan that could hold our volume of guests, but venue after venue there was always something holding me back. That is until we visited Cipriani 42nd Street.” The couple was totally blown away by the venue’s impressive ceilings, architectural details and unique history. Beautiful and Blessed Events helped Riki and George make the space their own, enlisting the help of Henry’s Florist to create impressive skyward-reaching arrangements of fresh white blooms and shimmery gold branches. Star Group Productions set a romantic, festive tone for the evening using moody red and blue uplighting to highlight the building’s unique architectural details. A color palette of ivory, gold, graphite and blush tied in seamlessly with the elegant, refined feel of the historic venue and imparted a timeless quality to the decor. Good music and good food were equally as, if not more, important to the couple as the stunning decor, and extra attention was given to each. During cocktail hour a trio of musicians from the New York Philharmonic played soft classic tunes, while guests noshed on inspired eats like sushi, caviar and freshly made pasta from one the eight different food stations on show. After dinner, Riki and George made sure that every guest was out on the dance floor, bringing in George Rabos, a traditional 10-piece Greek band and Bravo Sounds to pump out Greek and American music all night long. While the couple decided to make a donation to the National Parkinson Foundation and National Pancreatic Cancer Foundation in honor of their grandparents in lieu of favors, Riki and George surprised guests with a truly one-of-a-kind treat. The couple’s koumbaras, or wedding sponsors in the Greek tradition, were able to secure the licensing rights for the New York Rangers logo (both Riki and George are big fans) and had Bouchon Bakery make New York Rangers puck cakes — Mallomar-shaped hockey pucks — for guests to take home at the end of the night. “The only other time Bouchon Bakery ever made them was when the New York Rangers made it to the Stanley Cup in 2014!” says Riki. A tip for the taking from Riki: “My piece of advice to future couples is start planning early, stay calm and be decisive! No one likes a bridezilla, so try not to be a complete control freak. Everything works out perfectly if you just exude some positive energy.”