Calling All Wes Anderson Fans—This Quirky Wedding at The Cracker Factory in Geneva, New York, Is for You
Jenny and Steve Manganaro’s love story began with a serendipitous introduction by the bride’s cousin and his wife. What started as a simple friendship became a romance transcending geographical barriers. The pair remained committed despite Steve’s relocation to Los Angeles to pursue his career in set dressing. After a year and a half of long-distance, Jenny graduated from her Nurse Practitioner program and took a leap of faith by moving to Los Angeles to be closer to her beloved. When the pandemic hit, they found comfort in each other’s company and grew closer. Then, during a road trip up north for a family wedding, Steve decided to take the next step and propose to Jenny.
The couple had planned to spend a few nights in Yosemite, a place they both loved to explore. As they hiked the Mist Trail next to a beautiful waterfall, Steve got down on one knee and surprised her with a ring he had designed himself. The stunning location was the perfect setting for this magical moment. “Everything about it was beautiful!” exclaims the bride. With hearts full of love and excitement, they started planning their dream wedding.
The couple knew that they wanted the aesthetic of their wedding to be inspired by the quirky aesthetic of filmmaker Wes Anderson. “We are big fans of his style in his films, and it took us no time at all to decide that we wanted our wedding to have a very ‘Wes Anderson’ vibe,” Jenny said. The couple brought this vision to life through do-it-yourself projects and bold, vintage rentals like a green velvet couch and a brass side table. One of the grandest DIY projects was the photo booth, which Steve and his father built themselves. Jenny said, “We had a custom neon sign made, and we printed photos and hung them in frames we found at thrift stores.” In addition, they rented vintage suitcases to use as props to add more personality to the photo booth.
The couple’s ceremony was a highlight of their wedding day. Jenny said, “We put so much time and effort into planning the reception that I thought that would be my favorite part, but the ceremony snuck up on me and blew me away. It was so beautiful!” The pair wanted their ceremony to have a bohemian feel, so they laid vintage rugs down the aisle and hung macrame from a copper arch. Blooms added various colors, bringing their Wes Anderson vision into the decor. It was the perfect setting for their vows. Jenny wore the embroidered illusion mock neck dress, while Steve opted for a caramel-notch lapel suit.
“Bouquets were peach and orange tones with large peonies, ranunculus and roses,” Jenny said. They incorporated lilacs into their macrame ceremony backdrop as well. Jenny and Steve put a lot of thought into the small details of their wedding, such as the guestbook and card table. Jenny said, “The typewriters also gave me a lot of joy.” They placed a vintage typewriter next to their seating chart and used another Lego typewriter in the lounge area. “My brother Nick, a graphic designer in Buffalo, designed our menus that contained another little Wes Anderson easter egg, and they tied our place settings together so well,” Jenny said.
Reflecting on the wedding planning process, Jenny had some valuable advice for future couples. “My advice for future couples planning their wedding is to just always have in the back of your mind that no matter how detailed you are or how much time and effort you put into planning your wedding, there are always things that are not going to go as planned,” she said.
The bride also recommends getting a videographer and a coordinator. “Do not let anyone talk you out of it for any reason,” she said of the videographer. And of the coordinator, she added, “Even if you just go for a same-day coordinator package, it will be well worth it. I don’t know what we would have done without ours. We hired them as our same-day coordinators, but they really went above and beyond. They held our hands through the logistics and remained in constant contact with us.”