What was so memorable about Jacquelyn TerHar and Eric Pharis’ first date? “I stood him up!” admits Jacquelyn. But it wasn’t intentional, as she goes on to explain: “I fell ill, and he didn't get my message, so he was sitting in Astor Square waiting for me to arrive.” All was certainly forgiven, and the two New Yorkers went on to date and fall in love. They eventually went ring shopping together, and Eric made a special dinner reservation for the night he planned to propose. But he had the antique ring in his possession several days before the big date, and he was too excited to wait for the dramatically timed reveal he had planned to stage at the restaurant. “He just handed it to me in the little box and smiled,” remembers Jacquelyn. The couple knew that they wanted a destination wedding, but they did not see eye-to-eye at first when it came to location. “Las Vegas was Eric’s suggestion, and my response was ‘Absolutely not! I can’t get married in Vegas!’” says Jacquelyn. But twenty-four hours later, the bride had a drastic change of heart about the idea, and she and Eric were en route to Sin City for a whirlwind planning session with the coordinators at Wynn Las Vegas. In fact, Jacquelyn and Eric needed just four of the five months they were engaged to completely plan their affair. The bride’s background as a corporate event planner helped ensure their efficiency, as did her “wonderfully generous” father. On the top of Jacquelyn and Eric’s wish list was to make sure the celebration focused on the two of them, not just the bride, which they felt could easily become the case as it does in many weddings. They also wanted their guests to feel relaxed and pampered by luxurious surroundings and gourmet food that aren’t always associated with a Las Vegas wedding. No Elvis impersonators or casino-themed décor for this event; just sleek, elegant styling that took advantage of the city’s more refined offerings. Before the ceremony took place, guests were invited to initiate the celebration by enjoying a glass of champagne with the groom. As the sun made its slow decent toward the horizon, a relaxed tone was set for the intimate ceremony, which took place on the hotel’s expansive terrace. Without the presence of a wedding party or elaborate décor, Jacquelyn and Eric recited their vows with the surround of their loved ones as the only backdrop. When they exchanged rings, Jacquelyn used her great-grandmother’s wedding band, which represented her “something old.” Two “borrowed” lucky pennies from her mother’s and sister’s wedding days were also tucked away in her shoe. A touching moment came when the officiant (cousin-to-the-bride Beau Smith) acknowledged the many people in Jacquelyn and Eric’s lives whose long-term marriages set wonderful examples for the bride and groom. Between parents and grandparents, Beau noted, Jacquelyn and Eric are fortunate to have 172 years of marital experience and support to draw from for their own future as husband and wife. Using rich colors and unique floral elements, the design team created an unexpected enclave for the reception. The walls of the ballroom were draped in iridescent fabric and illuminated to an aubergine hue while the tables and chairs were covered in deep chocolate brown textures. Forgoing such traditional wedding flowers as roses and hydrangea, the bride requested that the centerpieces instead be comprised of more unusual ingredients like artichoke blossoms, cabbage heads, sunflower centers, and mushroom tops in shades of deep purple, green, and brown. The couple’s seventy-one guests enjoyed an equally inventive sit-down dinner that included lobster bisque with dry sherry, foie gras ravioli, and truffle skin chicken. So as not to interrupt the flow of the evening with a ritual cake cutting, Jacquelyn and Eric chose to offer a decadent selection of pastries, cookies, and petit fours on a table decorated with green succulent plants and stunning purple-throated orchids. And just in case there might be a need for a late-night snack after the party, each guest was given a gift of chocolates filled with passion fruit ganache upon their departure. Each individual confection featured the silhouetted design of a young couple kissing. After hitting the jackpot in Vegas, the newlyweds continued the celebration on their own while enjoying a romantic honeymoon in Siem Reap, Cambodia.