Even before they met, Mollie Pillari and Evan Read had a lot in common: They both live in New York and work in finance, and even have overlapping friend groups. It was inevitable their paths would cross, and eventually, they did. “We met at a mutual friend’s housewarming party,” Mollie shares. There was an instant connection, and the duo dated for four years before Evan’s surprise proposal in Puglia, Italy, in August 2022.
Blue Hill at Stone Barns’s HayLoft was one of the first venues Mollie and Evan toured. “The venue was beautiful and we loved that it would be easy for our guests, many of whom are local to the NYC area,” Mollie says of the Westchester spot. They enlisted planner Meg Critchell to take the reins and Hannah Shea to photograph it all. The Letterist created elevated invitations that set the tone, and Asha Annauth of Babooche Calligraphy created additional paper materials, including hand-painted escort cards. “Asha was one of our favorite vendors—the cards came out so beautifully!”
The weekend began with an intimate rehearsal dinner to which guests and the to-be-weds alike dressed in head-to-toe white. The next day, a welcome party at the bride’s childhood home in Greenwich, Connecticut, added a touch of nostalgia.
For the big day, Mollie wore Prabal Gurung—but she saved the big reveal for the ceremony. “I wanted to do first-look photos before the wedding ceremony, but I still wanted my wedding dress to be a surprise when I walked down the aisle,” she says. “I ended up wearing a Nili Lotan strapless slip dress for my first look.” She accessorized it with a unique cape veil wrapped around her like a scarf and flowing flawlessly behind in portraits. Makeup artist Alena Saysithideth and hair stylist Hannan Siddique were on hand to ensure she looked picture-perfect when the shutter clicked.
As for the pièce de résistance Prabal piece, “It was one of the last dresses I tried on, and I knew instantly it was the one,” Mollie says. Later, she rocked a Brandon Maxwell minidress for dancing; the groom wore an ivory Ralph Lauren tuxedo jacket and black tuxedo pants.
On August 19, 2023, the couple wed in a traditional ceremony officiated by Evan’s high school chaplain. Vivianne Hamilton of Vivi Fleurz lined the aisle and altar with white flower boxes overflowing with florals and column candles that cast a romantic glow. “We were so happy [during the ceremony]; the whole day was a dream,” Mollie remembers. “Everything went seamlessly, and we were overwhelmed by the outpouring of love and support from our friends and family.”
Following the outdoor ceremony, the party moved upstairs to the HayLoft, where a dinner party-inspired reception awaited, tables adorned with floral bud vases and candles. “In lieu of traditional place cards, I hand-embroidered every guest’s name onto a napkin,” Mollie says. “It was a fun way to feel connected to every guest.” On her groom’s napkin, she added a message: “Love you forever.”
Mollie’s parents and sisters and Evan’s brother rose to give toasts. “Listening to the speeches was one of the highlights of the night,” the bride says. Then, the groom took the mic, ending dinner with a toast of his own. Guests moved to an indoor-outdoor space that hosted dancing and cake cutting while hairstylist Hannan pulled Mollie’s hair back into a party ponytail. The bride and groom danced with their parents to kick things off, then shared their own first dance to “Everlasting Love.” “We had a lot of fun with our first dance—one of the best parts of wedding planning!”
The newlyweds made a second grand entrance, Mollie in her minidress and wrapped in a fun feather boa, to cut the cake; then DJ Jason Fioto of Generation Events cranked up the music and the dance party was underway. Even when the venue shut down for the night, the fun continued. “We took a bus back to my parents’ house, and everyone jumped in the pool, tuxedos and all,” Mollie says. “It was easily one the most memorable parts of the whole weekend.”
