Designers and co-founders of the coolstuff.nyc newsletter Anna Albury and Garrett Albury first met while they were spending their summers interning in San Francisco. On a warm day, mutual friends introduced the pair at Mission Dolores Park. They remained friends throughout their studies at the Savannah College of Art and Design, and once they both found themselves living in New York City in 2019, their romantic relationship blossomed.
After nearly two years together, Garrett chose a one-of-a-kind Mociun ring to propose to Anna with. The pair went to Transmitter Park—a special place for the them—on a Saturday afternoon. “Between a canceled photographer and a rainy forecast, the day didn’t initially line up with Garrett’s expectations,” Anna admits. “However, the rain and thunder meant that the often-full park was completely empty, and at the exact planned time of the proposal, the clouds cleared, and we were the only souls there.”
“We consider our wedding to be the biggest design project of our lives,” Anna states. “At the root of our personal style is a tie between the new and the old—think cobalt blue round-hand calligraphy.” Together the pair added their personalities to the day. They designed their invitations and filled NYC Chinese takeout goodie boxes with treats for guests.
“Our wedding was a true reflection of the style that we have cultivated together throughout our relationship in the best way we know how—injecting bold color into a 1910s Beaux Arts landmark building in Prospect Park, Brooklyn,” Anna says. While the couple took on the planning, Love, Laura was brought in as the coordinator and florist, and Rachel Leiner was behind the lens to capture every special moment.
Anna had a very specific vision when it came to her wedding dress. “I wanted a silk A-line dress with a square neck and short puff sleeves,” she says. “When I realized my specific vision might not be a dress already made out there, I decided to go the route of using alterations to customize an existing dress.”
The bride found her Dearheart by Carol Hannah dress at The Sentimentalist in Atlanta. “Even though it was sleeveless and had a train, I fell in love with everything else about it: the A-line silhouette, raw silk fabric, square neck, and scoop back detail,” Anna says. Nazarela Bridal Design Studio helped the bride remove the train and repurpose it into puff sleeves.
“I loved how the silk fabric of the dress had this shimmery effect, so I wanted to play off of that pearlescent quality and use pearls as my main accessory,” Anna shares. She completed her bridal look with a custom Lizzie Fortunato gold heart bead and Baroque pearl necklace, pearl veil, and Clare V. handbag. “I loved the idea of my ‘something blue’ being my shoes peeking out from under my dress. The short bow heels from Loeffler Randall matched the blue in the stone in my necklace and connected the two.” On the day-of, Madeline Eleonor Beauty gave Anna a natural bridal look with a pink lip and a lightly curled half-up, half-down hairdo.
Garrett went “classic formal with a preppy twist” for his wedding day and wore a black wool tuxedo by P Johnson, a Charvet tie, and his late grandfather’s watch. “Instead of a classic French cuff bibbed tuxedo shirt, I had them make a more formal version of a classic ivy-style white oxford shirt,” the groom says of his look. For Anna, he sweetly had Eva Joan Repair embroider his bride-to-be’s first name within a heart with an arrow going through it in a deep red thread on his shirt.
On Sunday, April 30, 2023, inside The Boathouse in Prospect Park, Anna walked down the aisle with her father to “The Way I Feel Inside” by The Zombies—a song that Garrett had always imaged would soundtrack that moment. “Our officiant asked us to write a list of all the reasons why we love each other and to only share them with him,” Anna explains. Everyone was delighted as he read them aloud, reminding the couple of all the small reasons they chose to spend their lives together. “As we didn’t know how our officiant would use these lists, the tone of the moment felt even more calm and intimate than if we were to have shared original vows to one another.”
After being pronounced as married, “She’s a Rainbow” by The Rolling Stones rang out. “While showered in flower petals, I knew instantly I would remember that my entire life,” Garrett says. “There was such elation as I kissed Anna with sincere pride. In that moment, I felt like we were the main characters of the world.”
The seated reception dinner was catered by Purslane, which is under the same owner as June Wine Bar, where the duo serendipitously had their first date. After dining on delicious ricotta tortellini, steak, and chicken, the couple cut their Funfetti with chocolate ganache wedding cake by Velvet Valley Cakes and served Levain cookies and lemon bars.
The newlyweds had their first dance to “I Love How You Love Me” by The Paris Sisters. Then, everyone boogied the night away with deejay James Mulry to Motown hits, as rain drizzled outside. The evening reached its crescendo to Frank Sinatra’s “(Theme From) New York, New York,” and then the Alburys headed into a ’60s New York City checker cab. Anna sets the last scene, “Bells ringing, flash bulbs bursting, and tears of joy in every view.”
