When Stephanie Hicklin declined an invitation to Alec Dockser’s fraternity formal via Facebook message, she didn’t think she had just said no to her future husband. A few weeks after Alec was turned down, the pair ran into each other at a local campus bar and realized there was something between them to explore after all.
Eight years later, Alec proposed atop the 1 Hotel in Brooklyn. Stephanie planned to meet a friend for drinks, or so she thought. She arrived at the perfect time—although an hour late—as the sun set below the river and Alec dropped to one knee. Family flew in from out of town for what she remembers as the most incredible surprise.
Blue Hill at Stone Barns, which currently holds two Michelin stars, was the only venue the the coupled ever toured—”[It] just felt right,” Stephanie states. Alec was especially drawn to the presented menus and Steph in awe of the farm’s scenic beauty. Rachel Urban of Apricity Event Co. took to all of the planning for the day-of, and Mashaida Co. set up to photograph. Max and Maiden Ink set the tone with a florally detailed invitation suite.
“We did an engagement shoot with Mashaida and Andrew a few months before the wedding, and had so much fun getting to know them,” Stephanie says of the photographers. “By the wedding day, they were like old friends, and I felt more natural in front of a camera.”
As for her wardrobe, the bride-to-be chose a satin dress and complementing veil by Carolina Herrera complete with Jimmy Choo kitten heels. “I tried on lots of dresses and I ultimately fell for this simple and elegant Carolina Herrera gown,” Stephanie says. “It fit like a glove and I felt like myself in the dress.”
The groom sported a custom Loro Piana tuxedo and bridesmaids dressed in blue dresses differing in hue and style.
On August 14, 2021, Stephanie fastened the final touch of her wedding look—a petaled hairpiece by Studio Imbue—while Avery Christine Golson applied her subtle beauty look. She posed for a few portraits with her bridesmaids before sharing an intimate first look with Alec. Then the bride walked with her father down the aisle.
The ceremony was a blend of Jewish and Catholic traditions. A string quartet played music reminiscent of Bridgerton’s famed stylings—Taylor Swift’s “Wildest Dreams” as Steph processed and Clean Bandit’s “Rather Be” as the newlyweds exited. “I honestly hated the thought of everyone staring at me, so I was incredibly nervous going into it,” Stephanie says of her promenade. “But once I saw Alec standing up there and the smiles from our loved ones in their seats, it was an overwhelming amount of joy and gratitude.”
As guests gathered underneath the tent for the reception, Alec and Stephanie were swept away by the Blue Hill staff for a rousing kitchen walk-through. “All the chefs cheered and banged on their pots and pans,” the bride recalls. “It was exhilarating!”
Rachel from Apricity Event Co. orchestrated the entire day so seamlessly and made the impossible possible. “She managed to convince the venue to leave up this beautiful tent, which was really only a backup plan when the dining room was at reduced capacity during the pandemic,” Stephanie explains. “It worked out perfectly because although restrictions had been lifted, a tented dinner was what I always wanted.”
Subtle greens decorated each tablescape inside the space. “I loved how the whimsical florals and grasses by Studio Imbue looked like they were just picked from a field,” Stephanie says. As the couple loved the idea of a “culinary forward” wedding, smoked peaches and poached lobster were served ahead of chocolate cake topped with buttercream frosting.
Stephanie and Alec danced to James Bay’s “Wild Love” before everyone joined in on the celebrations. “We chose a DJ-band hybrid, which was so fun because the musicians were in the crowd dancing with us. Generation Events kept the energy on the dance floor very high the whole night,” Stephanie remembers. Then the bride changed into a feathered Cult Gaia mini and boarded a bus headed to the couple’s favorite New York City club. After dancing all evening, the night ultimately ended around 4:00 a.m. “with Joe’s Pizza, of course!”
