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A Lush Ombré Floral Vibe at This Williamsburg Wedding

By Shayna Seid | Photography by 

Andrew Holtz of Holtz Wedding Photography

Julia Murphree, a beauty publicist, social media specialist, and freelance writer with her own NYC consultancy, and Jared Talisman, a private capital investor, should’ve met earlier than they did. They both grew up in Connecticut, studied abroad in Florence, and moved to New York City all around the same time; they even lived in the same building in 2002 but ended up meeting by chance in 2016. Their first date was at a favorite bar in Nolita. “I showed up over an hour late, unsure as to whether or not Jared would still be there. He was—and several drinks in at that! We hit it off immediately and continued to talk all night. We both knew we’d found something very special,” Julia remembers. After two years of dating, he proposed in late December at home before dinner at Marea

When searching for an intimate space in Manhattan that could accommodate an outdoor ceremony, every option fell short. They stumbled upon the Wythe Hotel during a weekend excursion and knew it was their place. “Its waterfront location, historic details, and modern accents make the space so unique. I immediately fell in love with the outdoor garden terrace, and Jared was sold after trying the hotel’s delicious food and drinks,” Julia says. The bride took on all the planning for her big day as she has planned countless events for work. And because she works in the beauty industry, she thinks in color palettes and immediately started contemplating what shades would complement the black and white tiles in the courtyard, where the ceremony would take place, and the exposed brick throughout the space. Working with Swell Press Paper Co. and their florist, Victoria Ahn of Designs by Ahn, they landed on an ombré look.

When searching for her dress, Julia didn’t want anything too “bridal.” After trying on around 10 dresses, she landed on a Cushnie Bridal gown from Gabriella New York. However, after five fittings, she realized the dress wasn’t “the one.” “It was a gorgeous dress, but it wasn’t my dress,” she says. With her wedding just one week away, Julia started looking for a new one. Luckily, at Lovely Bride, she found a bonded georgette gown with a corseted bodice from Chosen by One Day. “I loved it from the moment I put it on, and after two quick fittings, the dress fit like a glove. I picked it up on my way to the venue—just one day before the wedding! Nothing like last minute!”

On August 4th, the evening ceremony began in the ivy-covered garden terrace with a backdrop of orchids, roses, anthurium, amaranthus, pink fern, and dried palms. The bride processed to “Albatross” by Fleetwood Mac and met Jared and their officiant, Mirelle Eid of Honeybreak Officiants, at the end of the aisle. “After our officiant delivered a final blessing by the Baal Shem Tov, Jared broke the glass and everyone shouted, ‘Mazal tov!’” remembers Julia. 

Guests took their seats for the reception at tables, each with a designated shade in the pink, peach, and lavender ombré color scheme. They then enjoyed a delicious farm-to-table meal that ended with custom macarons by Dana’s Bakery and a coconut cake with elderflower buttercream. DJ James Mulry had everyone on their feet after being well fed, and the newlyweds had their first dance to I Only Have Eyes for You” by The Flamingos. 

After the reception, they headed to Lemon’s, the hotel’s rooftop bar, for a quick last call overlooking the Manhattan skyline. It was a beautiful night in every way,” Julia says.