Anthony and Rusty's Broadway-Inspired Brooklyn Wedding

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

Thayer Allyson Gowdy

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

Bryan Gardner

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

Thayer Allyson Gowdy

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

Thayer Allyson Gowdy

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

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The Ring Bearers

Thayer Allyson Gowdy

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

Thayer Allyson Gowdy

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

Thayer Allyson Gowdy

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

Thayer Allyson Gowdy

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

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The Ceremony

Thayer Allyson Gowdy

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

Thayer Allyson Gowdy

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

Thayer Allyson Gowdy

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

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Festive Napkins

Thayer Allyson Gowdy

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

Thayer Allyson Gowdy

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

Thayer Allyson Gowdy

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

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The Fare

Thayer Allyson Gowdy

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

Thayer Allyson Gowdy

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

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Tasty Treats

Thayer Allyson Gowdy

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

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Seasonal Food

Thayer Allyson Gowdy

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

Thayer Allyson Gowdy

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

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Anthony with Martha Stewart Weddings editorial director, Darcy Miller. The two have worked together for over a decade.

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Anthony and Rusty's Broadway-Inspired Brooklyn Wedding

1 of 40

The Couple

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The Stationery Suite

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The Menswear

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A Retro Ride

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Sleek Signage

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Big Yellow Taxi

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The Grand Arrival

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The Ceremony Programs

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The Ring Bearers

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A Gift for the Little Guy

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Tiny Dancers

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Gifts for the Girls

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The Ceremony

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The Ceremony Backdrop

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The Rings

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Festive Napkins

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Drinks During Intermission

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The Guestbook

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The Fare

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Small Plates

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Tasty Treats

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Seasonal Food

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Delicacies on Ice

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The Wedding Party

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The Decorations

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Cheese Spreads