A City Wedding With Floral Accents in New York

When two art directors tie the knot, you know it'll be a stunning event. When Tina Arias (who works in fashion) and Raul Rivera (an ad man) got hitched on May 11, 2013, they wanted to celebrate the unity of their families and friends, and the city they love so much. So the New York City nuptials did just that -- all in a visually memorable way.

Tina designed the invitation suite, which fused three fonts for a modern touch.

Tina wore an Anna Maier Ulla-Maija lace gown, paired with Guiseppe Zanotti shoes, a veil found on Etsy, and jewelry borrowed from her mother and sister. Raul sported an ensemble by Public School.

Poppies and posies created a lush bouquet of sweet peas, roses, peonies, spirea, and helleboris for Tina to carry.

Bridesmaids were all smiles in short, lacy, black frocks and fresh floral crowns.

The ceremony took place at the Church of the Guardian Angel.

Seconds after the couple exchanged vows, crashes of thunder rang out and came booming through the church. The dramatic but magical weather statement had guests gasping and clapping.

Tina and Raul took portraits all around the neighborhood, including the Highline Park and down cobblestone streets. New York City was the best backdrop they could ask for.

Black twine wrapped around the escort cards in a variety of ways added to the relaxed but layered feeling of the day.

Old and new came together with every element of decor.

The reception took place in the just a few blocks away, at the Park, a restaurant in the Chelsea neighborhood of New York City that was formerly a parking garage. The newlyweds received quite the warm welcome upon entry.

Petite floral centerpieces of ranunculus, roses, and sweet peas were nestled amongst silver candelabras holding peach taper candles. "While keeping the design soft and romantic, we also wanted to add in some edgy pops to reflect their modern sensibilities and killer taste," said Teissia Treynet of Firefly Events, who designed and planned the celebration with the couple.

The bride and groom's chair backs were festooned with fresh flowers and greenery, tying into the venue's ambience—with its existing trees, flowers, and ivy. "The Park itself lent to a mood of a romantic garden in the city," Tina said.

Black-and-white Raaka chocolate bars topped black menus designed by the bride and foil-stamped in gold. The fun patterned papers used to wrap the sweet treats added a modern touch to the tablescape.

Guests dined on a spring salad with kale, dried cranberries, walnuts, and root vegetables; buffalo mozzarella with wood-oven-roasted tomatoes; grilled salmon with coco blanc beans, rutabaga, and Swiss chard leaves; wood-oven-roasted chicken with parsnip, matzo, and butternut squash; and NY strip steak frites.

Furniture from Patina Vintage Rentals was curated to create an intimate and bespoke lounge area.

The newlyweds chose "How Deep Is Your Love" by the Bee Gees for their first dance song. The 180 attendees hit the dance floor afterward and rocked some great moves.

A ruffled fondant-covered confection by Nine Cakes boasted layers of orange blossom cake with passion-fruit curd and vanilla buttercream.

Photography: Les Loups
Ceremony location: The Church of the Guardian Angel
Reception location and catering: The Park
Event planning and design: Firefly Events
Flowers: Poppies & Posies
Cake: Nine Cakes
Music: Eturnity
Rentals: Patina Vintage Rentals
Hair: Stacy from Styles on B
Makeup: Nicole Sievers