What Dana remembers most about her wedding day is walking through the doors of the ceremony space and seeing Jimmy for the first time. “I waited for this moment for years and it finally came true,” describes the bride.

That amorous feeling wasn’t much different from their initial introduction. “I used to work with Dana’s sister and we, along with other colleagues, decided to have after-work drinks to watch the NFL season kickoff,” explains Jimmy. “Staci invited Dana, and little did I know that by the end of the night, I wouldn’t care about the NFL, my Fantasy Football team, or the bet I lost on the game. The moment I laid eyes on Dana, a different feeling came over me, different than anything before.” Dana remembers their meeting much the same way: “Everything about that night was memorable.”

The bride prepared herself for an arduous – but fun – planning process. “It really does take up a lot of time; however, it is important to enjoy each task,” she shares. Since Dana’s family resides in New Jersey and Jimmy’s family is from Westchester, New York, the duo decided that a middle point in locations would work well for the nuptials. They settled on a grand hotel situated in New York City. “We were able to incorporate the NYC theme in the save-the-date cards,” explains Dana. “They were super cool!”

Dana wanted the celebration to reflect an elegant ambience, "but with touches of glitz.” With that idea in mind, she also opted to carry the same color scheme throughout the entire event. The ceremony space was decorated in classic hues: blush, rose gold, ivory, and pale yellow. A gorgeous chuppah draped in fabric had just a hint of metallic shimmer, while the floor was covered in blush-colored carpet, and the structure itself was bedecked with lush roses. Rows of candles set upon a glass étagère cast a romantic glow.

Fourteen bridesmaids wearing pale pink gowns preceded the bride. Dana, wearing a stunning strapless gown embellished with lace and beaded detail, walked down the aisle to her parents’ wedding song. The bride carried an abundant arrangement of dreamy white and cream English garden roses, peonies, and fragrant sweet peas wrapped with a silk ribbon and fastened with crystals. The groom admits watching his bride walk down the aisle was one of his favorite scenes of the day. “To think that she was about to officially be my wife was the best,” Jimmy shares. “She looked absolutely beautiful and everything about that moment was absolutely perfect.”

For the reception, guests found their escort cards at a round table with an impressive floral arrangement of blooms in pale yellow, blush, and cream complemented by lush greenery. Round and rectangular tables were decorated with gorgeous blends of flowers in muted tones and soft candlelight. Place settings included fine china atop silver charger plates, crystal glassware, custom napkins, and personalized menu cards. The focal point of the room was the dramatic floral display suspended from the ceiling. “There were so many small details in the room that all together made the place so spectacular,” describes the bride. “It was like a magical, elegant garden.” Jimmy could not agree more: “Our reception room was the most beautiful room I have ever seen in my life.” 

After a scrumptious sit-down dinner service and slices of vanilla cake with fillings of raspberry, vanilla, and hazelnut (“which was fantastic!”), the couple was ready to hit the dance floor. “We love to dance and enjoy ourselves, so it was a must that everyone was on the dance floor!” says Dana. The band was so terrific, in fact, that Dana and Jimmy even got on stage a couple of times. “They do not just play music, they play it perfectly,” says the groom. “The dance floor was so occupied and guests were thoroughly entertained.” 

Before guests were shuffled into the after-party area, they were gifted with personalized rosé wine bottles and boxes of bagels from a new hit eatery that offers bagel balls with a variety of custom cream-cheese fillings. “They are absolutely delicious!” confirms the bride.

 

The couple agrees that their wedding planning – and big day – couldn’t have gone any smoother. The bride advises others to consider the little things: “Our guests loved all of the minor elements and how all of the details matched perfectly with our wedding invitations, which brought together the whole design.” Concludes Dana of the magical celebration, “It was a dream come true for Jimmy and me, and I definitely would have not wanted it any other way.”