Blind dates seem like something of the past – a dating practice reserved for 1980’s rom-coms. So when Emma and David told us that they first met on a blind date, schemed by a mutual friend, we were surprised. Of their first meeting, the newlyweds recall, “We had drinks at a rooftop bar and neither of us could stop smiling.”
One Saturday, after many more successful dates, David told Emma there was a work get-together they needed to attend. “When I came downstairs to meet David in an Uber, he was nowhere to be found,” Emma says. Little did she know, the work gathering was just a ruse – a trick to send her on a scavenger hunt around the city, with clues along the way leading her to places that were significant to their relationship. The final stop was the hotel where they first had drinks on their blind date. When she arrived, David was waiting there to ask her a question.
What was the first wedding planning decision you made?
Emma: My dad insisted that the wedding be in New York City, so that was that!
What was the easiest planning decision you made? The most difficult?
See above for easiest. We insisted that the band be located on the dance floor rather than on the stage, which reduced space for tables. This left us with a hard cap on the number of tables, thereby forcing us to solve a challenging seating puzzle. But it wasn’t actually as hard as everyone says!
Seeing each other for the first time was an INCREDIBLE feeling.
Emma
Did anything surprise you?
It was such a pleasant surprise to see how calm everyone was when the day finally arrived. All the pre-wedding jitters disappeared, and it was easy to relax and enjoy every moment! No matter how many times people said it would go by quickly – we were still surprised by how fast the day flew by. We were also both surprised by how much we enjoyed the day with our friends and family leading up to the ceremony. People forget that the wedding is truly a whole day, and we loved every second of it beginning with a quiet breakfast, although we ate it separately, before the chaos of the day began.
Describe your day in three words.
Surreal, unforgettable, FUN.
I felt like David was the only other person who knew what I was feeling all day. It was so special.
Emma
All the pre-wedding jitters disappeared, and it was easy to relax and enjoy every moment!
Emma & David
Did you incorporate any personalized components into your wedding ceremony?
David: My brother and father, and Emma’s father had matching monogrammed cuff links.
Emma: I wore my great-grandmother’s engagement ring.
What aspects of your wedding most reflected your personality?
It made us so happy to see our guests stay on the dance floor all night long. This was a great reflection of how much we love to dance and have fun together.
What moment from your day stands out the most in your memory?
Emma: Seeing each other for the first time was an incredible feeling. I felt like David was the only other person who knew what I was feeling all day. It was so special. On the dance floor later in the night we looked around together and soaked it all in.
On the dance floor later in the night we looked around together and soaked it all in.
Emma
Credits
- Photographer Joanna Toto
- Second Photographer Jean-Pierre Uys
- Planning Tracy Taylor Ward
- Cake Ron Ben-Israel Cakes
- Catering The Plaza Hotel
- Hair Ryan Cotton
- Makeup Rebecca Robles
- Floral Design Tracy Taylor Ward
- Lighting Bentley Meeker Lighting & Staging
- Music Element Music, Marianne Bennett Orchestra
- Stationery Tracy Taylor Ward
- Venue The Plaza Hotel
With a background in stage lighting, behind-the-scenes Fashion Week films and tongue-in-cheek style advertorials, Adrian Toto has been creating films with The Day over the past 10 years that are equal parts stylish, playful and emotionally resonant. Intermixing digital footage with super 8, time-lapse and aerial footage, Adrian’s features are a moving tribute to some of the world’s most memorable weddings.
