When model Sadie Newman and music producer Ben Berger attended a mutual friend’s birthday party at L.A. bar Blue Collar in 2019, they were jammed in a booth on opposite sides of their pal. “When the birthday boy got up from his seat, I slid in closer to Ben, and we ended up speaking the entire night,” Sadie remembers. “Hours passed, and we just spoke effortlessly until the party was over.”
They dated for three years before Ben proposed, back in that very same booth. “I thought I was picking up Ben’s sister for dinner, and I was ‘picking her up’ at Blue Collar—coincidentally where Ben and I met,” Sadie says. “I walked in and the whole place was empty except for Ben sitting in the booth where we met with candles and a playlist of our songs.”
For their wedding, they returned to Sadie’s home country of England. “When we came across Cornwell Manor in The Cotswolds, it felt so right and homey,” the bride says (and, by the way, if the venue looks familiar, that’s because it was featured in The Holiday). “We wanted cozy but also chic and intimate; we wanted to play off the English countryside of it all. There were creams and greens with pops of color throughout the flowers.”
Sadie’s dress designer was an easy choice, as she’s close friends with bridal designer Savannah Miller, a fellow Brit. They worked together on a completely bespoke piece. “We designed it together, and I flew back and forth between L.A. and London for fittings,” Sadie says. “I wanted a dress that felt ’90s with a fitted corset bodice and an effortless, flowy feel.”
As for accessorizing, “I’m all about simple,” Sadie states. “I wanted every accessory to feel timeless and chic. I wore Jimmy Choo kitten heels—I’m already 5’10—and borrowed Tiffany & Co. earrings from Ben’s mum. All subtle details, but together completed the look I always dreamed of. Kelly Dawn Bridal did my makeup, and the look was timeless: simple, fresh makeup with some lashes for a pop.” For his part, Ben wore a custom tuxedo from High Society—“a beautiful and classic piece that will never go out of style.”
On August 19, 2023, Sadie’s brother walked her down the aisle to the garden, where guests were seated under a canopy. “It began to rain heavily and thunder as we got under the tent, and it felt so romantic and intimate,” the bride says. “The ceremony was full of laughter, love and just pure happiness. Millie Richardson designed the most beautiful flower arch for Ben and me to stand in front of—so green and lush.”
As soon as they were announced husband and wife, the rain stopped and the sun came out for cocktail hour. “The walk from cocktail hour to the reception was spectacular—across a bridge with the backdrop of the English countryside [and] into the most beautiful tent from Bohemia Canvas full of long tables and beautiful flowers,” Sadie says. “We wanted it to be fun in there, and that’s exactly what it was. Our planner, Smith + James, is all about the flow of their weddings, and they made sure everyone was constantly taken care of with a drink in their hand.”
Ross and Ross Events served 28-day dry-aged roasted sirloin of beef, line-caught wild sea bass, and heritage carrot and chickpea cakes, with sticky toffee pudding for dessert. There were speeches and lots of laughs and a perfect first dance to Donny Hathaway’s “A Song For You.” “The moment after the first dance, everyone rushed to the dance floor,” Sadie says. “We had an amazing DJ who we worked with on vibe and timing, and she absolutely nailed it. Then we had an after-party on the property with a disco ball and late-night pizza.”
