The Dream Begins: Finding the Perfect NYC Venue for a Chic NYC Wedding

When starting the journey of wedding planning, the first step is finding the dream venue—and when in Manhattan, the options are limitless. There are the classic, chic options like The Plaza and Cipriani, adorned in gorgeous architecture. There are venues where not much is needed for décor because the ambiance speaks for itself. And then there are the blank space venues, chosen by the most daring and unique couples—because that’s where you can create an event that’s completely your own. Emily and Ken fall in that last category. When they chose to get married at The Bordone LIC in late May, we knew it was going to be an affair to remember.

A Morning of Beauty and Anticipation at the Lotte NY Palace

Emily and Ken are a successful, chic New York couple and their wedding day reflected everything that is special about the two of them as a couple. The day started with Emily and her best girls getting ready bright and early in the morning in the tower suites at the Lotte NY Palace while Ken and his groomsmen had a slower start to their day at the couples’ apartment. TL Brides worked their magic on the already beautiful Emily to ensure her hair and makeup would last throughout the entire emotional, hot spring day. When it was time to get dressed in her Verdin Bridal wedding dress, photographer Laura Powers Photography was there to capture every moment from the girls getting ready, to the couple’s first look, to the ceremony and party that ensued. As the afternoon sun started to shine, the couple was joined by their wedding party and family for gorgeous candid shots on their way to the venue for more portraits.

As the morning festivities were going on over in Manhattan, over in LIC all the vendors were hard at work transforming this blank space venue. The Bordone is a plain space with white wall, white ceiling with exposed pipes giving the space an industrial feel. Our goal here was to soften the space and make it feel like a romantic, airy atmosphere. With the professional help of the ever talented A Lily Among Thorns, we draped the entire ceiling with 1,000 feet of white semi sheer fabric to hide the exposed pipes and bring the ceiling height down a bit, creating a soft intimate feel for the dinner. The drapery combined Venetian Chrystal chandeliers peeking through the drapery over the long rectangle dinner tables were gorgeous, provided and installed by Universal Light and Sound, created the perfect dinner ambiance. In addition to the drapery and chandeliers, the black and white checkered dancefloor by Dancefloor Kings was covered in a 16-foot by 20-foot greenery installation. The biggest plus side to choosing a blank space venue is having the freedom to do unique design elements without being hindered by colors, architecture, or other restrictions. This only works when you are open minded to the suggestions from your planning team and vendors, and thankfully Emily and Ken were of the mindset that if it fits in their budget and over all aesthetic, to let go of the reins and let us vendors do what we do best – transform a space. When you put trust in your wedding planners, florists, and other vendors to do what they do best, that is usually when the most innovative, creative, and most unforgettable events become a reality. Emily and Ken’s reaction to their event space being transformed was all the confirmation we needed to know that our work was done well and greatly appreciated by the clients.

A Terrace Ceremony with Skyline Views and Chic Details

The venue is set to perfection as guests start arriving for the ceremony which took place out on the terrace, overlooking the Manhattan skyline and Queensboro Bridge. The altar is set with four gorgeous floral pedestals, a different vibe than the traditional arch, that set the tone for the modern-chicness of the evening. The black velvet chairs are perfectly aligned on the terrace to give guests a comfortable seat in the beating sunshine, as the wedding party starts to descend down the aisle to the beautiful music played by SPN Events string trio, ending with the gorgeous Emily walking down the aisle to meet her best friend and very soon to be husband Ken. Gorgeous blooms adorn the aisle, and the wind is a paid actor with Emily’s veil as the couple exchanges heartfelt vows and finally gets to the “I Do!”. The ceremony was followed by a sunny terrace cocktail hour, with delicious spring cocktails and light bites catered by Comparti Catering, and a special appearance of a bride and groom carwash dancer floating in the wind. When Emily and Ken started the planning process with us, Emily told us “Ken always tells me I dance like one of those carwash balloon dancers” so naturally, we had to feature this in some way and it was the perfect touch to cocktail hour – the guests were loving it!! This is the perfect example of how to tie in elements of your relationship to your wedding day in a fun way.

Following cocktail hour, the couple and guests were greeted with a fabulous 7 foot escort wall by Little Black Dress Paperie, where we incorporated the black and white checkered design from the dance floor into the seating chart as well as the menu design. As guests were seated, DJ Carver started pumping up the party with the introduction of the wedding party, family, and the newlyweds. Following introductions, Emily and Ken shared in their first dance as husband and wife and left few dry eyes in the crowd. A delicious dinner was served by Comparti, intermingled with speeches from Emily’s sister and Ken’s parents. Being able to work closely with Emily and Ken we knew how much love they carried within each other, but hearing this love pouring from those closest to them was absolute magic. Following dinner, the dance floor erupted and the photobooth opened, provided by Flux Photobooth. One of our favorite keepsakes for guests is photobooth photos, because it captures the joy in the moment. Emily and Ken were not lying when they told us that they have a huge dancing crowd, the dance floor was packed all night long and lots of lifetime memories were created on the dancefloor that evening.

When Trust Meets Talent: Creating a Truly Unforgettable Wedding

When couples put their trust and faith in their vendors, especially with a blank space venue, that is when everyone’s talent really gets to shine and a huge thank you to Emily and Ken for providing us a creative space to spoil them in love. The evening of May 17^th 2025 was an unforgettable event, and we are wishing Emily and Ken a lifetime of love and happiness.

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