Mary Beth and Jon’s Wythe Hotel Wedding

I wish you could have been there last night for Mary Beth and Jon’s Wythe Hotel wedding. This was my first big wedding of the season, and it set the bar high for all events to come this year. It was a day filled with love, laughter, and a laidback bride and groom who truly enjoyed their wedding day. Here are all the details.

The day started with a few quick ‘getting ready’ photos in Mary Beth’s hotel room, which just happened to have a great view of the New York City skyline. Like all brides, the nervous jitters were there, but with her mother and sister at her side, Mary Beth got ready and out the door in no time flat.

Jon, of course, was ready and waiting so we put together an impromptu ‘first look’ on the street outside the hotel. With time being of the essence we couldn’t go very far, but there was plenty of graffiti and Brooklyn ambiance nearby to suffice. All of the portraits you see of Mary Beth and Jon were taken literally within ten steps from the hotel entrance. The only caveat is that family had a way of always finding us for the photos, but if you ask me, family added to the value of the portraits. Having mom and dad in the corner of the frame with their iPhone/iPad snapping away is priceless. This is the photo that tells the story of Mary Beth and Jon’s wedding day and how much their family loves them both.

With just a few minutes before Mary Beth and Jon were scheduled to say their vows, we – meaning me, bride, groom, entire family, and a few friends – piled in the elevator for the rooftop ceremony. We had originally been scared that rain was going to be an unwanted guest. Never fear – the clouds parted for a beautiful sunset ceremony. The wind was brisk, but didn’t cause too much of a problem. And while I am personally terrified of heights, even I have to say the view from the top was spectacular.

After the ceremony, we went downstairs one floor to quickly sign the marriage license. Mary Beth and Jon were clearly thrilled to be married and both were playing with their rings. With the signatures complete, we headed back up to the roof for a few family portraits, and then down into the cellar for the reception.

‘Down into the cellar’ sounds so ominous, but the private event space in the Wyeth Hotel is actually quite cozy and inviting. Surrounded by exposed brick, I was initially worried about lighting the space. The low ceilings plus the mirrors on one side of the room, however, proved to be advantageous, and the room lit up like a dream. The reception itself was a low-key affair with lots of Brazilian music and cheers all around. While there was no schedule of events, during the evening the couple broke out into a spontaneous ‘first dance’ – to an 80s pop song, no less (I seem to remember it was George Michael?) – followed by cutting the sweetest little cake. Oh, and do you notice a trend of couples kissing? Early in the reception, guests started clamoring for the couple to kiss with the universal wedding signal of clanging silverware against a glass. What started with the bride and groom kissing, quickly moved on to the bride’s parents, then the groom’s parents, and finally the godparents. Kissing soon gave way to an eruption of salsa (samba?) dancing to end the evening. This was truly a celebration to remember.

With so much love in the air, of course you must be wondering how these two met. Mary Beth and Jon were introduced by a mutual friend – who was present at the wedding – on a trip to Machu Picchu. Perhaps it was the altitude, but whatever the cause, these two quickly fell in love. After living abroad from each other for quite a while, Jon decided to ask Mary Beth to marry him with a grand romantic gesture. The couple were visiting an historical hotel in Lisbon, Portugal, Jon’s home country. During the visit, Jon broke out his guitar and sang Mary Beth a love song he wrote himself. He ended the song with the question, ‘will you marry me?’ Who could say no to that?

Enjoy the photos, and I will have more news later this week about the venue checks I did in preparation for Mary Beth and Jon’s Wythe Hotel wedding.

Ceremony & reception venue – Wythe Hotel

Catering and wedding cake – Wythe Hotel

Ceremony musicians – Sterling Strings

Wedding dress – Sarah Seven designer, purchased at the Lovely Bride dress shop

Officiant – Deborah Roth

Hair stylist – Robbie from Damian West Salon

If you would like to see more images from my portfolio, then please visit my website – KellyWilliamsPhotographer.com