Thanks to the seating chart at a mutual friend’s Friday night dinner fête, Zoe Bohrer and Michael Burian’s paths crossed and never parted. They “hit it off” that evening and dated for three years.
On August 9, 2020, Zoe’s family told her that they had food leftover from a family friend’s birthday. They suggested Zoe and her sister come over to their home and enjoy a brunch with what was left. When Zoe arrived with a raspberry pie in hand, she realized it was all a ruse. Michael was waiting for her with flowers, champagne, and a marriage proposal.
The newly engaged couple knew they wanted an outdoor wedding with lush greenery and a statement aisle. The New Jersey Botanical Garden and historical Skylands Manor offered exactly what they sought.
Originally, Zoe thought she wanted a simple and minimalist bridal look. But left each bridal atelier visit more discouraged than the last. No dress had the “spark” she dreamed about. After a deep dive on Pinterest, Zoe finally stumbled upon an image of a long-sleeved Vera Wang dress. She immediately scheduled an appointment to try on the dress that very week. And once she tried on the dress, she bought it that same day.
Because the dress had so many intricate and dramatic details, Zoe kept her accessories streamlined and simple. She wore her late grandmother’s dazzling diamond earrings. Nikki Avaziano styled her hair in a sleek bun to accentuate the back of the gown, and Laura Mele applied Zoe’s dewy, glowy makeup. The groom wore a navy tuxedo with his late grandfather’s cufflinks.
Zoe’s bridesmaids’ dresses were varied and colorful—just like her flowers by Pic & Petal. Every bridesmaid donned a different hue, either in pale yellow, sage green, lavender, rust, navy, champagne, or light pink. Zoe’s sister and maid of honor’s dress was a light blue Marchesa number. Initially, Zoe thought the shade array would appear incongruent, but every outfit seemed to complement the other.
On August 5, 2021, the couple held a traditional Modern Orthodox Jewish ‘bedeken’ ceremony. As per tradition, Michael covered Zoe in her veil, and then she received blessings from her father and his. “It was so much more emotional than I expected, and I cried tears of joy and excitement the entire time,” Zoe shares. “It was one of the highlights of the entire day!” She chose different colored velvet chairs for her, the mothers, and grandmothers to sit on, while her sisters and friends stood behind in support.
Throughout the ceremony, the sun shone onto their chuppah and reflected light off of the flowers. The chuppah was erected beside a lily pad pond, bringing with it the background noises of frog croaks and bird chirps. The bride and groom stood underneath Michael’s late grandfather’s tallis. “He was a Holocaust survivor and had only passed away recently, so it was a gift to be able to share that moment with his spirit and in his memory,” Zoe adds. The experience was emotional and surreal for the couple.
The reception followed with a buffet-style dinner that let guests roam freely and sit comfortably in either the seats along the long tables or the lounge chairs around the tent. Esprit Caterers curated the meat carving station and whole harvest bar that gave guests the choice to eat fresh vegetables raw or grilled.
The father of the bride delivered a brief but impactful toast before the rest of the guests joined the newlyweds—and saxophonist—on the dancefloor. DJ Nissim serenaded the crowd. When “Count on Me” by Jefferson Starship played, Zoe danced with her father, and Michael swayed with his mother.
By the late evening hours, the celebration was still in full swing with no signs of stopping. Zoe switched into a vintage black sequin gown with silk puff sleeves from Gossamer, while the rest of the party moved inside. The after-party was complete with sliders, popcorn, lo-mein, tequila shots, and much more dancing. Pic & Petal even reused the flowers from the bedeken to spruce up the after-party.
