1. Real Weddings

Lori & Daniel: An Outdoor Wedding in Rhinebeck, NY

Lori and Daniel's Hudson Valley wedding style was chic and artistically inspired -- as was Daniel's unique proposal. THE BRIDE Lori Leckliter, a sen

Lori and Daniel's Hudson Valley wedding style was chic and artistically inspired -- as was Daniel's unique proposal. THE BRIDE Lori Leckliter, a senior designer for The Limited THE GROOM Daniel Slotkin, a financial portfolio manager THE DATE September 28 For a hip Chelsea art gallery, it was a most unusual exhibit: Displayed in the back room was just one framed photograph, titled Unity, hung there by Daniel Slotkin. The photo was part of Daniel's plot when he invited his then-girlfriend, Lori Leckliter, to attend a friend's art opening at the gallery. The couple wandered through the empty space until they came to the back room, where Lori was shocked to see this photo of the two of them, accompanied by a very touching plaque. He then got on his knee and asked me to marry him, she says. Afterward, they met up with friends (naturally, all of them were in on the plan) for champagne.

The Music
The Cake
The couple, who live in New York City, took 10 months to put together their wedding, choosing to set the scene at Belvedere Mansion in bucolic Rhinebeck. Says Lori, We had spent summers in the area and love the beauty of the outdoors. Lori was inspired by the colors of the sunset when she chose shades of deep orange, red, and gold for the wedding details.
The Escort Cards
The Bridesmaid Looks
The celebration was full of surprises for the bride. Her sister --who was, according to Lori, nine-and-a-half-months pregnant and therefore unable to travel from Los Angeles -- sent a videotaped message that was played on a movie screen at the reception. The bride and groom were tickled when they exchanged gifts to find that they had purchased engraved watches for each other. And when the end of the night came, Daniel surprised Lori with a blowout karaoke party inside the mansion. Says Lori, People later told me it was the most fun they ever had at a wedding.