One evening while Barbara “Bobbie” Zeltman was visiting New York City, she found herself face-to-face with her future husband. When Matt Suroff greeted her at his apartment, Bobbie claims, “It was love at first sight upon opening the door!” A whirlwind romance later, Matt proposed to her on the beach in Fort Lauderdale, and the two decided the best way to honor their relationship was to give the wedding a decidedly Manhattan-esque theme. With its impressive views of the city, Bobbie and Matt considered the Tribeca Loft and Rooftop the perfect location, and its clean, modern design was an alluring canvas on which to paint a highly personalized affair.

The Big Apple may have been the principal player in the production, but the couple decided to cast an Old Hollywood feel as its co-star. They established the wedding’s mixed mood with a DVD invitation that Matt, a photographer and owner of his own production company, created himself. Vignettes of Bobbie and Matt “dating through the decades” in Manhattan were segmented by excerpts from the paper invitation that accompanied the DVD. The packaging was illustrated with old movie and Broadway show posters remade to feature Bobbie and Matt, and even the response card was designed as a movie ticket.

The bride, wearing the crystal crown her mother wore at her own wedding, and groom were married outdoors on the rooftop. They chose to face the audience during the ceremony so they could enjoy the reactions of friends and family. The rabbi spoke of the couple’s wish to carry on the rare and wonderful family legacy of long, happy marriages and paid homage to both sets of parents, grandparents and great-grandparents whose lifetime commitments clearly inspired them.

Downstairs, the newlyweds brought the reception to its feet when they made a grand entrance to a techno remix of “The Phantom of the Opera.” A friend and well-known percussionist, Frank Colon, played a special set with his band, and the rousing music kept the crowd posing for paparazzi-like photographers all night. “Our wedding was very theatrical and over-the-top, something which reflected both our personalities,” concedes Bobbie.

On each table, all-white centerpieces were surrounded by a scattering of crystals that reacted to the room’s colorful lighting and the flickering tea lights that hung from the ceiling. Once again, Matt showcased his talents by creating place cards from Polaroid pictures he took of New York City landmarks. As a thank you gift, each guest received a limited edition black and white photograph, signed and dated by the artist—aka the groom.

While the thrill of being at the center of such a magical day was hard to beat, reminiscing about the wedding with guests in the days that followed was equally as fun. It’s something Bobbie recommends to other couples, too. “Don’t plan on going on your honeymoon right away. One of the best parts of having a wedding is talking about it with family and friends for days after!”