A little more than a year after CNN Newsroom host Jessica Dean and Alex Katz, a senior managing director of government affairs at Blackstone, went on their first date in Washington D.C., he got down on one knee on a hotel rooftop in Beverly Hills. After Alex excitedly said yes, the engaged pair celebrated at one of their favorite spots, the Tower Bar.
Jessica and Alex quickly decided on hosting their nuptials in Manhattan. “I think for both of us, it was always going to be at The Grill and The Pool,” the bride says of their venue. “When I was l growing up in Little Rock, Arkansas, I made my father take me there when we’d visit the city, back when it was The Four Seasons. Because it’s on the National Register of Historic Places, so much of that room is exactly as it has been for decades down to the iconic chain-link curtains.” The location fit the exact vibe they were going for—mid-century New York.
Laura Remmert Events brought their vision to life, while Kait Peña documented every special moment. “We leaned into The Four Seasons history,” Jessica says of the design. “Ashley Begley used the restaurant’s old logo on our invitation and it was also featured on the menus.”
The rehearsal dinner at Shun Lee West honored the couple’s love for the city’s iconic spots. “It has the best combination of delicious Chinese food and a dramatic dining room—plus the perfect lychee martini,” Jessica shares. “It was a great space for everyone to get together that Friday, and it inadvertently turned into quite the dance party.” To this, the bride wore a Danielle Frankel bustier and pant set with Christian Louboutins.
The next day, Jessica got ready with makeup artist Sophia Vallejos and hairstylist Marissa Molnar, who gave the bride a clean, glamorous beauty look. Jessica then put on her Oscar de la Renta wedding dress with Manolo Blahniks. Her “something old” was her grandmother’s two wedding rings, worn on her right hand. Later on at the reception, she added the Tess Gloves by One Of. And even further into the night, she changed into a vintage look from Happy Isles.
Alex looked handsome in a custom Tom Ford tuxedo and shoes. “No one has ever loved a tux more than he loves that one, and his family has been in the men’s clothing business since 1947 when his great-grandfather and grandfather founded Miltons—The Store For Men, which still serves the Greater Boston Area today,” the bride gushes.
On June 15, 2024, CNN’s The Source Anchor Kaitlan Collins—in a Ralph Lauren tuxedo jumpsuit—officiated the ceremony with poise and grace under florals by a.p. bio. “We chose Kaitlan as our officiant because she’s seen our entire relationship and knows both of our families,” Jessica explains. “She was one of the first people I told I was seeing Alex and she moved to New York City about the time we started dating, so we were all able to spend a lot of time together. She is the truest, most loyal friend and we were honored she was willing to marry us. Kaitlan joked during the ceremony—which was filled with a lot of people who work in politics/media—that she was a RINO. . . a rabbi in name only.”
After exchanging their own vows and being announced as officially married, the newlyweds hosted their cocktail hour in The Grill with Element Music providing entertainment. Before dinner, Jessica and Alex kicked off the party with their first dance to “Can’t Take My Eyes Off You,” followed by the horah.
In The Pool, a delicious meal of filet mignon and cajun snapper was served. The couple’s perfectly pink tiered wedding cake was brought out for dessert, and then a horn section led guests back to The Grill for more dancing. “Senator Chuck Schumer—whom Alex used to work for—took the stage to sing ‘New York, New York,’ and later, an Elvis impersonator—Elvis has been Alex’s absolute favorite since childhood—sang a couple songs,” Jessica reveals. “More than anything, we wanted the reception to be a party and it delivered.”
The after-party was held down the street at Niall’s on 52nd Street. The bride concludes,”Everyone walked two blocks, and it was chance to just soak up the last moments of the night and really spend time with our people.”