1. Real Weddings

Melissa & Sean: A Winter Wedding in Lake Success, NY

The fresh blanket of snow outside Melissa and Sean’s winter celebration seemed like just another planned detail. Melissa and Sean both grew up in Cold

The fresh blanket of snow outside Melissa and Sean’s winter celebration seemed like just another planned detail. Melissa and Sean both grew up in Cold Spring Harbor, New York, but didn’t start dating until Melissa moved in with Sean’s sister after college. She started spending more time with Sean, and soon the two realized they made a perfect match. The Bride Melissa Bauer, 29, director of public relations at The Knot The Groom Sean Dowling, 32, works in finance The Date December 20 Surrounded by twinkling lights, Sean proposed on December 22 on the roof of the Gramercy Park Hotel in Manhattan. Melissa and Sean got married the next December and let the season influence their wedding style.

Though the seven girls wore matching silver chiffon dresses by Jim Hjelm, their snow boots weren’t a part of the required attire -- they were just prepared for the elements!
The long tables were covered with gold linens and moss-green velvet runners. Winter-white blooms, evergreen boughs, birch logs, lanterns, silver candlesticks and glass ornaments ran down the center of every table.
The Hair
The Reception Decor
Melissa’s wintry white bouquet set the romantic tone for the entire day. The lush arrangement included peonies, nerine lilies, roses, silver brunia and miniature pinecones.
To match Melissa’s bouquet, Sean wore silver brunia with dusty miller leaves. The groomsman bouts, wreaths of Norway spruce with berries, played up the holiday theme.
Couples Shots
After the ceremony, guests lit the couple’s path to their limo with sparklers.
Not even a wedding gown could keep Melissa from lacing up her Michael Kors boots and hitting the snow for some photos.
The Escort Cards
Swiss dots and slim ribbon accents dressed up the classic white cake.