1. Real Weddings

A Vibrant Summer Wedding at 501 Union in Brooklyn, New York

With the help of Ashley Chamblin of Starling on Bond, Sarah Dougan (32 and senior assistant director of undergraduate admissions at Fordham University

With the help of Ashley Chamblin of Starling on Bond, Sarah Dougan (32 and senior assistant director of undergraduate admissions at Fordham University) and Rebecca Sklaren (31 and a doctor of physical therapy graduate student) planned an elegant, whimsical wedding with a palette of bright cheerful colors and plenty of playful details. Having grown up in Brooklyn, New York, saying “I do” in her hometown was a must for Rebecca, and 501 Union proved to be the ultimate backdrop for the summer affair. “We saw it before it was finished, and it was really nice,” Rebecca says. “We would compare it with every venue we saw and nothing else could stand up to it. Finished, it was even more beautiful than we could have imagined.” August, Sage and Violet and Ashley Chamblin combined forces to take the venue to the next level with vibrant arrangements of pink, purple and orange blooms, bold striped table linens and shimmery, gilded touches that added a luxe edge to the decor. The day started with Sarah and Rebecca exchanging vows in 501 Union’s open-air ceremony space against a lush curtain of flowers, ferns and vines. The newlyweds then invited guests inside for signature cocktails like the GTL (grapefruit, tequila and Luxardo) and course after course of decadent eats. Because the Night took guests on a trip through the decades, playing music from old standards to today’s hits, which kept the dance floor packed all night. A tip from Sarah and Rebecca: “Don’t overwhelm yourself. Leave yourself enough time to be able to do a little bit each day and not stress out. Everything will get done and everything will be okay. Enjoy this time with each other. Watch cheesy wedding shows—we did!”

Ashley Chamblin directed Rebecca and Sarah in the direction of August, Sage and Violet for all their floral needs, and the pair were anything but disappointed by the result. For Sarah’s bouquet, the team of talented florists designed an eye-catching arrangement of dahlias, garden roses, lilies, sweet peas, ferns and jasmine vines in brilliant shades of pink and peach. As a finishing touch, the bouquet was wrapped in black-and-white-striped ribbon that really made the fresh blooms pop.
To infuse 501 Union’s open-air ceremony space with bright, vibrant color, August, Sage and Violet created small bouquets of dahlias, sweet peas and ferns in shades of peach, pink and green for the ceremony aisles. Gold ribbons tied to each arrangement added a polished finish and a hint of whimsy to the room’s overall aesthetic.
The ceremony took place on 501 Union’s open-air ceremony space. August, Sage and Violet filled the simple, modern space with understated details to bring the room to life, like ivy, fern and purple floral garlands displayed along the back white brick wall and bouquets of dahlias, sweet peas and ferns arranged along the aisle.
Coming from different faiths (Sarah is Catholic and Becca is Jewish), the couple incorporated traditions from each, including the breaking of the glass and unity candlelighting, to create a ceremony that reflected their backgrounds and also made all their guests feel included in the proceedings.
August, Sage and Violet created an array of different arrangements for the cocktail hour and reception, maintaining a feeling of cohesion with bright, colorful blooms. Paired with a scattering of ivory candles to emit a warm glow over the modern space, rectangular glass vases topped the cocktail tables and were filled with bold yellow and pink florals arranged in a terrarium-inspired fashion.
Sarah and Rebecca’s planner, Ashley Chamblin, got in touch with her creative side to create the couple’s whimsical escort cards. Guest names and seating assignments were printed in a calligraphy-inspired font and accented with a silver flourish, then displayed on spray-painted gold animal holders to represent the evening’s entree choices: a cow for beef, a dolphin for fish and a carrot for vegetarian.
After the ceremony, Rebecca and Sarah kicked off a night filled with dinner and dancing. Guests mixed and mingled during cocktail hour while sipping on signature cocktails and nibbling on fish tacos and deviled quail eggs, then enjoyed a sit-down dinner of wood-roasted arctic char, short ribs in red wine sauce and truffled risotto cakes. Dessert was a big hit with guests, with sticky toffee pudding bites, seasonal fruit tarts and panna cotta.
Modern and bright were the guiding principles for the reception decor, with the tables dressed with black-and-white-striped table runners, as well as pink and white linens. August, Sage and Violet created bold centerpieces with black cylindrical vessels and a summery mix of fuchsia and orange flowers, including dahlias, garden roses, zinnias, celosias, ranunculus, sweet peas, lilies, pincushion flowers and proteas.
To ensure a few private moments during the reception at 501 Union in Brooklyn, New York, Rebecca and Sarah opted for a sweetheart table. To set the table apart from the rest, Ashley Chamblin created a striking gold sequin backdrop for the pair, accented with a lush green garland and bright orange, pink and red blooms.
In addition to an assortment of standout desserts, including sticky toffee pudding bites, seasonal fruit tarts and panna cotta, guests were treated to a decadent piece of Momofuku Milk Bar’s signature naked cake. “The cake was a statement in and of itself,” Sarah says. “The only adornment we added were some fresh flowers.”
Since Rebecca and Sarah are big fans of pickles and met through their close friend and seasoned pickler Charlotte, they sent guests home with an assortment of homemade pickles, including cucumbers, beets and carrots. Rebecca and Charlotte made each batch themselves, then displayed the colorful jars in the bar area for guests to take home.