Actress Jessica Stroup and tech and art entrepreneur Neil Hutchinson first met at a Charity Water gala in New York City in 2012. After seven years together, he proposed on their roof in Marrakech, and the two quickly decided to tie the knot in the same locale where they got engaged. The couple recently opened their hotel, IZZA Marrakech, and knew they wanted to bring their loved ones to the place that meant so much to them.
For their late summer wedding, the two chose Amanjena as their venue, as it’s outside of the hustle and bustle of the medina and they could take over the property. “The aesthetic was pretty built in. Amanjena is already such a breathtaking marvel,” Jessica says. “All we needed were flowers and candles to give everything an organic, dreamlike quality.” To help bring their vision to life, the pair hired Alison Laesser-Keck and Bryan Keck of Alison Bryan Destinations “The best in the business, truly!” Owl Post Calligraphy and San Yetlee set the tone for the weekend with a beautiful invitation suite and stationery.
As the heat in September in Morocco can be brutal, Jessica kept that in mind when looking for her wedding dress. Alison directed the bride to Over The Moon’s Styling Services for guidance. Stylist Anny Choi then sent Jessica to a slew of designers. “I immediately knew I was in the right place when I met the team behind Cucculelli Shaheen. Their dresses already have an almost Moroccan feel to them,” Jessica gushes. “They’re sexy, decadent, and incredibly unique. My dress had our wedding night’s sky embroidered on the skirt along with our initials and date. I loved it so much I had them design my after-party dress as well, a short glitzy number.”
“Once I settled on the dress, I decided to really go for it with the rest of the outfits,” the bride shares. Jessica was introduced to designer Patricia Voto of One/Of by Over The Moon. Together they crafted bespoke pool party and rehearsal dinner looks. “The final touch was my veil, which came from Monvieve, made on the same loom as Grace Kelly’s veil. Talk about dreamy.”
On the day-off, Jessica got ready with her close friend and makeup artist, Fara Homidi. “I wanted to keep things somewhat natural albeit with a touch of glam,” she explains. “I again sought the advice of Anny Choi when it came to my three bridesmaids. We decided on a gold/Champagne color palette that worked well with my dress. It was a seamless process as Anny sent some favorites along to each friend who picked the ones they wanted to try. In the end, everyone had their own unique look and were each absolutely stunning.”
On September 17, 2022, the weather cooperated beautifully for the short and sweet wedding ceremony, decorated with sprawling flora by Pina Cate. The reception took place in an olive grove with twinkling lights. “Jesse and Michael of Dart Collective got the party started a bit early when they played our unofficial theme song ‘Easy, Easy’ by King Krule,” Jessica shares. “I remember hearing it come on and next thing I know I’m in front of the speakers spinning around dancing.”
“At some point we had to make our way back to our seats for the speeches but thankfully, these were kept short and sweet—on the wise advice of Alison and Bryan,” Jessica quips. “Neil’s father gave a funny tribute to his middle son, and my dad gave a tear jerker of speech to his favorite daughter.” After the last toast, the sun had set and more than 40,000 candles had been lit surrounding the party.
For their first dance, the newlyweds again took to the dance floor as “You and Me” by Penny & The Quarters played. Then, everyone joined in on the fun. “I’m not sure I’ve ever felt quite so free,” the bride says of her reception. “Jesse and Michael brought out the best music, and everyone was at the top of their game. It was an epic dance party. We didn’t wind down until somewhere around 5:00 a.m.”
