For Vanessa and Sanford, their NYC wedding was a celebration of their love, heritage, and the city that brought them together. Vanessa wore a custom blush-and-lace wedding dress by Edith Élan that embodied the romantic, whimsical, and colorful bridal look she wanted.
A Game of Life: Vanessa + Sanford’s NYC Love Story
In a city of over 8 million people, Vanessa and Sanford’s love story is one of a kind. The first time they met was before the 2020 COVID pandemic, when they sat down to play board games. However, it wasn’t until a future game night that the pieces fell into place when a friend reintroduced the couple to each other.
After their engagement, they began planning their late-September wedding in New York City. It would be the first stop of their international wedding celebrations—Australia (Vanessa’s home country) and Singapore would follow.
The Next Round: Creating a Custom Blush-and-Lace Wedding Dress
Before Vanessa began working with our designer, Lourdes, she had already gone to several boutiques in the city, but was not finding the wedding dress she envisioned. There were bits and pieces she liked from different designs, but no single dress had everything she wanted. About a year ago, Lourdes met with Vanessa for a virtual design consultation. During that first meeting, Vanessa explained what she liked and disliked about the wedding dresses she tried on, as well as what she also wanted in her wedding dress.
The silhouette was straightforward: a strapless, sweetheart corset bodice with an A-line skirt and a lace-up back. However, it was through the design details that Vanessa’s desire to look like a romantic forest fairy would become a reality.
For starters, a white wedding dress was not the game-winning move. The perfect wedding dress included color. Pink to be exact! After a little more discussion, Lourdes and Vanessa nailed down the final design details: the wedding dress would have an all-over lace overlay with pink accents, an element of sparkle, a sheer bodice, and an ombré pink underskirt.
From the Vision to Reality: Vanessa’s Blush-and-Lace Wedding Dress
Vanessa’s dream blush-and-lace wedding dress came to life over the course of nine months. The most important task was finding the right lace. It needed to be more ivory than white and have a pink accent. However, finding a lace in light ivory with pink accents was proving to be a hard quest.
Some laces lacked pink, some had the wrong pink color, and some were too white. In the end, Lourdes found a lace that would be toned to a light ivory color. And while the lace did not have sparkle—like beads or sequins, the lace’s embroidery had a beautiful sheen that glimmered in the light. One question remained: where were the pink accents? Lourdes had a solution for that as well. She would hand-paint a selection of the lace’s flowers pink.
For the ombré pink underskirt, Lourdes partnered with Renegade Dye Lab in Houston, TX, to create the ombré effect on the ivory skirt to match the pink Vanessa wanted. The results were stunning! The underskirt was ivory at the waist with a dark pink ombré at the hem to mirror the cascading vines of the floral lace. A matching pink lace-up for the corset back was also dyed to bring the pink from the hemline to the dress bodice.
At the final fittings, Lourdes and Vanessa decided on the bustle and whether or not to add straps to the original strapless neckline design. While the built-in corset structure provided all the support and prevented the bodice from falling, Vanessa felt more comfortable and secure in the dress by adding straps.
Let the Fun Begin: A Game-filled Wedding in New York City
Vanessa got ready at her in-laws’ family home in the Bronx with loved ones and her bridesmaids at her side. She accessorized her bridal look with a hair vine, a fingertip veil, and a gift set of earrings and necklaces from her parents. Her bridal bouquet was made from wood flowers in burgundy and pink to match the shades of red and black of the whole wedding party.
After she was ready, Sanford arrived with his groomsmen for the chuangmen. Chuangmen—or Chinese wedding door games—are fun, traditional challenges bridesmaids use to test the groom and his groomsmen before he can see his bride. Thus, proving his dedication to her and worthiness of her hand in marriage. For Sanford, the wedding door games included:
- “No Money, No Honey.” The groom and groomsmen arrive at the bride’s location with money-filled red envelopes to “bribe” the bridal party into releasing the bride.
- “The Four Flavors of Life.” Sanford and his groomsmen were given four flavors to eat, each representing the ups and downs of married life. They tasted sweet, sour, bitter, and spicy. In their case, this included a spoonful of wasabi.
- “Identify the Bride.” The last door game Sanford needed to complete was to correctly identify Vanessa through touch alone. He was blindfolded and taken to the room she was in. Vanessa and her bridesmaids each held out a hand for Sanford to touch. After a little bit of back and forth, Sanford decided on one hand. It was Vanessa’s.
Vanessa and Sanford had their wedding ceremony at Fordham University Church. Not only was it a beautiful venue, but Fordham University is also Sanford’s undergrad and master’s alma mater. It also happens to be where he works, so it was an easy and meaningful decision for the wedding ceremony location. After the wedding ceremony, the newlyweds and their wedding party took photos around the university’s grounds before heading to Queens for their cocktail hour.
The Fun and Games Continue
The cocktail hour and wedding reception were back over the bridge in Queens, at the Sheraton LaGuardia East hotel. Cocktail hour included “His and Hers” signature cocktails, and a game for the guests to play. Guests could play “Guest Bingo” as a way to get to know each other and pass the time. Bingo spaces included things like “holding two drinks at once” and “wearing something sparkly.”
For the reception, guests found their name on the animal-themed seating chart. The tables had different animals assigned—both real and fantasy—and on each table was a 3D-printed version of the corresponding animal. Once guests were seated, it was time for their grand entrance and a surprise! Each member of the wedding party entered one by one, with Sanford at the end. Why? He entered the reception donning a new, short hairdo. And as Vanessa put it, “people went off!”
After the first toasts, dinner, and cake cutting, the couple walked to each table to play “The Dice Game.” On each table, a card listed the interactive action the newlyweds and guests at the table would have to do depending on the roll of the large die. In some instances, the guests serenaded the couple. In others, the group struck a funny pose. There was no lack of fun and laughs.
At the end of the night, the newlyweds once again surprised guests, but this time with a wardrobe change. Vanessa donned a red dress (her favorite color), and Sanford changed into a blue men’s Vietnamese Ao Dai with an embroidered dragon. The fun and dancing continued into the night. With so many memories made and surrounded by the love of those present, Sanford and Vanessa’s wedding was the best day ever! It was game over.
NYC Wedding Vendors
Custom Blush and Lace Wedding Dress Design: Edith Élan (Ombré by Renegade Dye Lab)
Makeup: Cherry Le
Wedding Venue: Fordham University Church
Wedding Reception: Sheraton LaGuardia East Hotel
Photographer: Ryan Huh
Videographer: PHL Maker
Wedding Planner: Somani
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