Nina + Kyle by Klaui Varadi Photography

Our venue paired with our florist was a true dream.

Tell us a little about yourselves, what you do, what you love…

Kyle and I live in New York City and have been in the same building in Tribeca for four years now. We absolutely love our little corner of the city. We’re both originally from Connecticut, so we like to get out there whenever we have a free weekend to visit family.

We’re very lucky to share an amazing group of friends who all live close by (a handful right across the street). It’s a bit like “Friends” over here, and we love it. We both work in tech (Kyle is at Amazon, and I’m at Google).

How/where/when did you meet – and what were your first impressions?

We met in February of 2020. I was living in San Francisco at the time, and came to NYC to celebrate my grandmother’s 80th birthday. While in town, I went to a friend’s birthday party, and that’s where Kyle and I met! We clicked immediately, exchanged numbers, and stayed in contact until I moved to NYC that June. We went on our first date shortly after that, and have been together ever since.

What styling and visual elements worked best for you? (could be things, the florals, particular hire products or your marquee, etc., something the stylist created or simply just the scenic beauty of your location or the existing design of your venue).

Our venue paired with our florist was a true dream. Topping Rose House is beautiful, and in early September the greenery is still so lush, and the hydrangeas start to turn to a green, antique colour. Our florist (N.T. Designs) knew exactly how to complement and elevate the space even more with gorgeous florals that felt like a true Hamptons summer.

What did you enjoy most about the planning process, and do you have any tips for couples starting their wedding planning journey?

We loved anything that required us to visit our venues. We had our rehearsal dinner at the Sagaponack Farm Distillery (about 10 minutes from Topping Rose House), which made it easy to plan our meetings. Being in the spaces was so much fun for us. I am a very visual person, so it was very helpful to stand in the spaces and picture all of the design elements.

If possible, I would recommend trying to get out to your venues a handful of times before the wedding. It helped me think of things we were missing or could add.

Tell us about your vendors. Were there any standout suppliers you would like to make special mention of?

We were lucky to work with such incredible vendors. Our wedding coordinator, Rita Ellis, was incredible! She ran everything behind the scenes and kept the day operating so smoothly. We were able to focus on the day knowing that she had everything under control.

Our photographer, Klaui, was also a standout. Not only was she extremely organised and professional, but she made everyone feel so comfortable in front of the camera. She gave posing suggestions and direction in a way that felt very natural. Her energy was extremely positive and friendly, which we really appreciated.

Tell us about your main outfits, what was unique, and is there a story?

I have always loved Kyha gowns, and when it was time to go dress shopping, I knew that should be my first stop. I ended up only trying on about five dresses, and ultimately decided on the second dress that I tried on, the Fox gown. My style tends to lean “clean and classic”, and to me, this dress felt effortlessly chic and timeless.

As for Kyle’s wedding day look, we had always pictured him wearing a white jacket. We then found out that his late grandfather (who he really resembles) wore a white jacket to his wedding, and it felt like the perfect sign.

Tell us about your wedding and engagement rings.

Kyle got my engagement ring from a family-owned jeweller in Manhattan. It’s an emerald-cut diamond on a thin gold band. My wedding ring is a platinum eternity diamond band. Kyle’s wedding ring is a platinum band with our initials and wedding date engraved on the inside.

What were one or two elements that were most important to you both that you were happy to spend a little more on? (food, photography, florals, the venue, your outfits?).

The venue and the photography were both very important to us. When it came to choosing the venue, we knew we wanted it to be out in the Hamptons. We have family out there and have spent time there every summer since we’ve been together. We also knew that we wanted it to feel like an intimate, elevated backyard wedding. Topping Rose House checked all of the boxes. Its such a unique place for a wedding and it incorporated everything we were looking for.

The photography was also very important to us. We knew that we wanted to be able to look at our photos and be transported back to those little moments. We wanted them to tell the story of the day, rather than just posed photos with friends and family. When we found our photographer, Klaui, it was a no-brainer. She truly captured such special and authentic moments. Having her there was definitely one of our best decisions!

Was there a favourite moment (or two) that you will treasure always?

There were countless incredible moments throughout the day, but one in particular stands out to us. Right after the ceremony, we went up to our room to take a quiet moment together. Looking out the window, we could see all of our guests at cocktail hour. It was amazing to see everyone enjoying the day just as we had envisioned. As we got up to join everyone, our guests spotted us through the window and cheered. We looked at each other and knew that would be a memory we would hold onto forever.

What does being married mean to you, and are there any special rituals you have that you would like to share?

Something that has always been at the core of our relationship is how much we love and value family. We love the life we are building together and are so excited to see it grow. We cannot wait to start a family of our own and see where the journey takes us, and to us, marriage solidifies all of that.