A Sophisticated, Chic Wedding at Haven's Kitchen in New York, New York

When planning their wedding, Hitomi Ikeda (30 and a social worker) and Michael Stiller (30 and a capital markets adviser) were torn between a rustic celebration in suburban Westchester County, New York, and an urban affair in the heart of New York City, where they live. But after visiting Haven’s Kitchen, a recreational cooking school, cafe and event space, there was no question that the city was the place to be. “It really is a warm, elegant haven in the middle of the bustling city,” Hitomi says. Playing off the venue’s understated, elegant aesthetic and emphasizing seasonality, the pair chose a palette of purple, green and white and brought the space to life with arrangements of fresh spring blooms, including ranunculus, anemones, peonies and hydrangeas. The evening kicked off with a ceremony on the third floor of Haven’s Kitchen, where Hitomi and Michael exchanged vows under lush ivy garlands and playful paper lanterns. Fairy lights and candles filled the room with a warm, inviting glow, and industrial-inspired chairs added a modern, urban edge to the elegant space. Guests then moved to the second floor for cocktail hour, where they were treated to Moscow Mules and reimagined old-fashioneds and passed canapes like fluke crudo, ricotta crostini and beef short rib dumplings. “For our menu, we wanted to incorporate fresh, seasonal ingredients, which Haven’s Kitchen specializes in,” Hitomi says. “We also wanted to keep the menu light and offer selections that you wouldn’t expect from a wedding meal.” Momofuku Milk Bar’s infamous dulce de leche naked cake was a sweet finish to dinner and gave guests a boost before hitting the dance floor. A tip from Hitomi: “Even if you are not planning to make a speech together during the reception to thank your guests, have a general idea of what you may want to say, just in case. Mike and I kind of got up there spontaneously and became deer in headlights, even though there was so much that we would have wanted to express to our guests.”