Television executive Emily Tess Katz and corporate lawyer Ethan Joseph Chess met the old fashion way, at a bar with friends—Tribeca Tavern to be exact. They quickly scheduled a first date, where they hopped around to three different spots and even spied Anderson Cooper, which Emily took as a good omen. “We share a love of media personalities—including some obscure ones—so in retrospect it was meant to be,” she shares.
After a little more than two years together, Ethan proposed in front of the since-closed bar where they first met in Tribeca with a custom Marlo Laz ring. The engaged pair celebrated with friends and High Noons (Emily’s favorite) before heading to The Roxy Hotel.
“I was not someone who grew up with a strong idea of what my wedding would look like, and this really stressed me out!” Emily exclaims of the planning process. “Having a wedding that felt ‘like me’ was really daunting.” Melissa Sullivan and Kelly Anderson of Studio Sully understood the bride-to-be and her vision for a wedding centered around fun and whimsy. They eventually booked an early autumn date at Wheatleigh in The Berkshires. And Over The Moon Top Photographer Jillian Mitchell was there to lens the day.
The rehearsal dinner kicked off the wedding weekend. Emily worked with Patricia Voto of One/Of to recreate Sofia Carson’s 2023 Oscars dress but in pale pink. She completed the look with Danielle Frankel Manolo Blahniks, Sophie Brille Brahe pearl earrings, and a vintage-inspired hairstyle from hairstylist Halie K.
Patricia also created Emily’s after-party mini, which was inspired by a vintage Dolce & Gabbana beaded set, and matching shoes. “It was so fun to twirl and dance in and working with Patricia Voto was a dream,” the bride gushes. “She made both of my mom’s looks as well.”
On the first day of fall, Emily got ready with makeup artist Marc Reagan and slipped into her Reem Acra lace wedding dress and custom matching veil. “It was, unexpectedly, so heavy on my head!” the bride laughs. She styled her ceremony look with Verstolo earrings, which became her last-minute “something borrowed”—only after her friend Jess’s Spanx wouldn’t work with the sheerness of the skirt. And she walked down the aisle in Miu Miu platforms with her pearl Clio Peppiatt bag that tied into the shoe clasps. “Fun Fact: My something blue were Cool Mint Halls cough drops, and I had one in my mouth as I walked down the aisle.”
Ethan dressed in a P. Johnson black single breasted tuxedo and then swapped into a dark red velvet smoking jacket for the after-party. “I wore matching dark red Crockett & Jones tuxedo slippers all day which was meant to be a fun little easter egg for those who noticed the match when I changed into the red velvet jacket,” the groom reveals. “I wore my late grandfather’s cufflinks which my grandmother gave to me when he passed away and that was very meaningful.”
On September 23, 2023, the couple had to put their ran plan into place, due to the inclement weather, but still wed in the gardens, designed by Frederick Law Olmsted, who famously outlined Central Park. Their chuppah was complemented by yellow florals from Of The Flowers.
Ethan’s sibling, who is a rabbinical student, officiated the ceremony. “It was really meaningful having someone who knows us both so well and has seen us grow throughout our relationship take on this role,” Emily shares. Then, the couple exchanged personal vows. “I vowed to ‘always be hot’ and I am hoping that all of our wedding guests hold me accountable for that. I also vowed to never manage our finances, which I am sure Ethan will hold me to!”
For the reception, Emily requested a sailcloth tent and Melissa filled it with orchid flower baskets of autumnal flowers and tablescapes with Lisa Corti linens, chess pieces, and interactive menus by Sascha Stannard. A martini ice luge was a must, as the newlyweds are big martini fans, and they also served elevated watermelon High Noons—a nod to their engagement.
Dinner included family-style Provençal chicken, grilled salmon, and pasta. “We tried to keep the menu light, as we have missed a few wedding after-parties due to some meat plus a red sauce–induced fatigue,” Emily laughs.
The bride and groom had their first dance to “Golden Hour” by Kacey Musgraves. “We forgot all of our choreography and I’m scared to watch this on the wedding tape,” Emily shares. But then, the dance floor evolved into a huge party. “My jaw dropped when our amazing band, Souled Out of On The Move Entertainment, played both ‘Padam’ and ‘Let’s Have a Kiki.’”
At around 11 p.m., the after-party commenced in the lobby with DJ Louie XIV. “It was awesome to have this beautiful, storied space with original Tiffany glass windows turned into a raucous dance club with disco balls, cowboy hats, and a balloon artist,” Emily recalls. “We live above Balloon Saloon in Tribeca, so we knew we’d have to find some way to pay homage!”
When Kim Zolciak’s “Tardy for the Party” was played, the energy surged—at least for the bride. “I experienced a form of euphoria that I did not know was possible,” Emily reveals. “I am a huge Real Housewives fan, yet it pains me that I never get to dance to their music in a proper party setting.”
It’s an amazing sign when newlyweds and their guests don’t want to go to bed. “They’d change into our party favor tee shirts, slippers, and more casual clothes and come back down to join the party,” Emily recalls.
Two weeks after their wedding, Emily and Ethan jetted off to France for friends’ nuptials and spent a few days in Paris and then headed to Morocco afterward for their honeymoon.
