Mandarin Oriental Wedding : Lidia & Anthony : New York, NY
Lidia and Anthony were married on September 26th, with their wedding ceremony and reception at the Mandarin Oriental Hotel in New York City. Anthony is a real estate developer, and he and Lidia got together when she was considering getting an apartment in one of his properties. He got wind of just who was coming by for a showing and insisted on giving the tour himself! The rest is history. The whole day took place at the Mandarin Oriental overlooking Columbus Circle in Manhattan. I love shooting in this spectacular space every year, not only for all the service and luxury of a 5-star hotel but also the unparalleled views from the ballroom and bridal suite. I got a shot of the room before everything was set up, and the transformation was amazing. Before the ceremony itself, Lidia and Anthony opted to do a first look just outside in the circle, and then we all hopped in Sprinter vans to head out for pictures at Lincoln Center. Then it was back to the Mandarin Oriental for the ceremony overlooking Central Park as the sun went down. They were surrounded by flowers and glamorous décor by Tantawan Bloom. I’ve loved them since I first worked with them at the Plaza Hotel! They even had differing but complementary bouquets for each of the bridesmaids. The whole day was simply filled with fine details and stunning visuals. The invitations were especially gorgeous, with each guest receiving a silk-covered bifold imprinted with gold leaf. After the ceremony, it was off to the party, where the name of the game was funny toasts. There was a running theme of everyone being hard on the groom because of the age gap, and I loved the picture of Lidia and Anthony sitting at the sweetheart table reacting to all the teasing. Anthony & Lidia, thank you so much for allowing me to be a part of your stunning vision! Your wedding was nothing short of beautiful, and I’m so grateful to have been part of it.
