Anthony and Rusty's Broadway-Inspired Brooklyn Wedding

August 29, 2014
Credit: Thayer Allyson Gowdy

When special projects editor Anthony Luscia married his Broadway-loving beau, Russell James, they planned a boffo affair that had guests clapping, twirling, and wishing they could have danced all night.

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The Couple

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Anthony Luscia and Rusty James had been a couple for 16 years when they decided to get hitched. They met in Dallas, where they both went to college, and moved to New York together. Nine apartments, seven jobs, and one major piece of legislation later, Anthony turned to Rusty in an elevator and said, “Now that gay marriage is legal, should we do it?” Rusty said, “Yeah, that would be good.” They already felt married, so there was no grand gesture. But the duo knew they had a lot to celebrate; while the proposal was low-key, they made sure that the wedding was not.

During Anthony's 10-plus years as the special projects editor at Martha Stewart Weddings, he’d developed a few ideas of how he envisioned the big day. He pictured a dark, masculine color palette that would feel like a black-and-white movie. And Rusty, who’s a global director at an auditing firm, is a huge Broadway fan, so Anthony knew that would play a major role. Together (and with more than a little help from our wedding-expert friends), the leading men planned a dance- and music-filled day that would live up to their goal: They wanted their guests to be wowed.

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The Stationery Suite

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Stationer Cheree Berry designed the paper goods, from matchboxes to the black, white, and gray foil-printed invitation suite. The backs of the save-the-dates were printed with the lyrics to Earth, Wind & Fire’s “September,” which just happened to namecheck the wedding date: September 21, 2013.

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The Menswear

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Anthony almost wore a white bow tie, but after a last-minute switch, the guys both sported black ties along with pocket squares from Bosie New York and cuff links from J. Hilburn. They had labels with their wedding date sewn into their suits.

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A Retro Ride

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The venue, 501 Union in Brooklyn, has a stable of vintage cars that they let couples use for photo ops.

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Sleek Signage

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Gold-and-black vinyl decals of the grooms’ initials adorned the main door to their venue, letting guests know they were in the right spot for the day's festivities.

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Big Yellow Taxi

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Friend Aileen Morgan, who sang during the reception, arrived by cab to the soirée.

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The Grand Arrival

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A New York City double-decker bus picked up out-of-towners and gave them a quick tour of the city before bringing them to the venue, an old body shop-turned-event space. Guests stepped off onto a red carpet and were handed playbills by an usher who invited them to “please enjoy the show.”

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The Ceremony Programs

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Playbill-style programs outlined the cast of characters and order of events.

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The Ring Bearers

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The grooms’ friends’ children donned leather jackets to act as the “rock ’n’ roll ring bearers.”

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A Gift for the Little Guy

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The grooms gave their “rock ’n’ roll ring bearer” a toy car that fit in perfectly with their black, white, and silver palette.

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Tiny Dancers

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Instead of flower girls, three “tiny dancers”—the daughters of Martha Stewart Weddings editorial director Darcy Miller—led Anthony and Rusty down the aisle.

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Gifts for the Girls

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Musical-note necklaces from Dogeared were gifted to the young girls who participated in the ceremony.

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The Ceremony

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During the nondenominational ceremony (or “opening act”) officiated by friend Lisa Gahan, a pal sang a personalized rendition of “Over the Rainbow.” Anthony and Rusty also exchanged self-penned vows, with Rusty promising not to leave his gym clothes on the floor, and Anthony swearing that no matter how late he’d been out the night before, he will get up, put a smile on his face, and, with Jesus in his heart, go to brunch with his buddies.

Afterward, a choir sang Madonna’s “Like a Prayer” as they exited. “My absolute favorite part of the wedding was when the choir sang ‘Like a Prayer,’” Anthony says. “It began with all of the guests seated, watching the singers in their robes line up. But by the time we recessed, the entire room was dancing and singing at the top of their lungs.”

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The Ceremony Backdrop

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A Weddings colleague created a backdrop for the ceremony by cutting palm leaves in shades of gray and pinning them to canvas. The motif was inspired by the venue’s wallpaper.

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The Rings

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Instead of carrying a pillow, the ring bearers kept the wedding bands in a vintage cigarette case.

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Festive Napkins

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Cocktail napkins from For Your Party were foil-stamped with the phrase “Kiss a groom,” the lyrics from “September,” which celebrate the gents’ wedding date, and a quote from the musical All That Jazz.

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Drinks During Intermission

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Cocktails on offer included a dirty martini, a Salerno Spritz (orange liqueur and Champagne), and a manhattan made with Hudson Valley bourbon.

Everyone enjoyed an intermission with cocktail hour and passed hors d’oeuvres—until the waiters dropped their trays and kicked off a flash mob to “Let’s Have a Kiki” that had the crowd grooving into the reception room.

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The Guestbook

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Attendees wrote well wishes for the newlyweds in a vintage book found on eBay.

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The Fare

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The grooms wanted people to keep dancing and mingling all night, so they served small plates instead of a sit-down dinner. One dish that won rave reviews was the braised short ribs over polenta.

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Small Plates

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Caterer Betty Brooklyn prepared bite-size treats including grilled cheese minis in a cup of tomato soup.

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Tasty Treats

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Another mini-meal: sea bass fillet with seasonal vegetables.

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Seasonal Food

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Butternut squash risotto with roasted Brussels sprouts and sage made for an appropriately autumnal hors d’oeuvre.

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Delicacies on Ice

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Tables were set with caviar served in dishes made of ice by Shintaro Okamoto.

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The Wedding Party

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The couple’s close friends paused for a portrait on a vintage sofa rented from Patina Rentals. Old-school lounges were set up so guests could relax during the reception.

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The Decorations

The space was decorated with white dahlias set in clear or gold vases and loads and loads of gray candles in varying sizes.

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Cheese Spreads

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Throughout the room, stations with cheese and charcuterie were set out for everyone to enjoy.

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A Special Dance

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In homage to the pair’s Texas roots, performers from their favorite bar, Flaming Saddles, did a country line dance during the party.

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Spectacular Signage

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The duo gave their spectacle great reviews with a vinyl decal above the bar. It was designed by Alonzo Felix and printed by Shutterfly.

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Coworkers and Friends