A wedding subreddit unexpectedly led me to the the Beekman Hotel and helped me plan my New York City wedding.&nbsp;

Photography: Emma Melin Studios
Hair: Meg Costello
Make-up: Ivey Rey
Dress: vintage Bill Blass
Earrings: Ryan Storer
Rings: Bernard James
Shoes: Larroud&eacute;

Carrie Wittmer L'OFFICIEL senior feature editor Manhattan elopement

The only vision I ever had of my <a href="https://www.lofficielusa.com/fashion/black-tie-wedding-guide-expert-tips">wedding</a> was that it might happen one day. Once I got engaged earlier this year, my vision took shape: a civil (or as private as possible) ceremony in <a href="https://www.lofficielusa.com/pop-culture/history-of-new-york-high-society-socialites-astor-vanderbilt">Manhattan</a>, with a separate reception/party for family and friends in Brooklyn (where we met) some time later. When we decided we would be married by the end of the year, I quickly learned that even the most chill wedding requires the organization skill and creative talent of <a href="https://www.lofficielusa.com/pop-culture/jennifer-lopez-ex-boyfriend-relationship-timeline">Jennifer Lopez&rsquo;s</a> character in The Wedding Planner.
Rather than wasting my evenings scrolling mindlessly on my phone while pretending to watch prestige television in my living room, I made good use of my phone, for once. I started searching for New York <a href="https://www.lofficielusa.com/pop-culture/over-the-top-celebrity-weddings-2024">wedding</a> advice and ideas, which led me to my, essentially, free wedding planner: Reddit, specifically the subreddit <a href="https://www.reddit.com/r/WedditNYC/">WedditNYC</a>, which centers on New York City/Greater New York City area weddings. I already had my glam team down: my longtime hair stylist, Meg Costello at <a href="https://www.cozsalon.com/">Coz</a> salon would do my hair, and <a href="https://www.iveyrayallday.com/">Ivey Rey</a>&mdash;referred to by a friend&mdash;would do my makeup. I have strictly followed the same <a href="https://www.lofficielusa.com/beauty/editor-approved-skincare-devices-cryotherapy-led-light">skincare</a> routine for years, and went to <a href="https://glowbar.com/">Glowbar</a> for a monthly facial in addition to&nbsp; regular follow ups with my dermatologist, Dr. Leger at <a href="https://www.entierederm.com/">Enti&egrave;re Dermatology</a>, throughout the year. One visit included the Derma-V laser, which reduced some redness and made my skin glow. I introduced only one new product in my routine: <a href="https://eighthdayskin.com/products/the-regenerative-serum?srsltid=AfmBOorEJarZInH9hx-bB-7kUUMREnS481k5W_JOEG22Ng20UyyJHmd5">the Eighth Day regenerative serum</a>, which helped maintain the glow from the facials and the laser, and helped keep my skin healthy following any unexpected breakouts.

Days (hours) after I got engaged, I realized how expensive <a href="https://www.lofficielusa.com/fashion/wedding-dresses-spring-2024-which-to-choose-photo-price">wedding gowns</a> are. This sent me into a tailspin, as I had already decided I would be wearing several looks (the most important part of the wedding to me, if I&rsquo;m being honest). For the civil ceremony, which we did on Black Friday, I decided to wear black (I am always wearing black) and I wanted to wear something vintage. I spent a long time searching the internet for vintage bridal stores that might carry black in my price range and discovered <a href="https://chachalinda.com/">Cha Cha Linda</a>, a by appointment only shop in Greenpoint, Brooklyn, on (once again) WedditNYC. There, I bought my black vintage Bill Blass gown&mdash;most likely from 1989/1990&mdash;after the most delightful, appointment ever.&nbsp;

Carrie Wittmer L'OFFICIEL senior features editor Manhattan elopement

I found quite thorough steps on how to go through the New York City elopement process&mdash;from a document breakdown to how to schedule a marriage license appointment to what to bring to the city clerk&rsquo;s office on the wedding day&mdash;on <a href="https://www.reddit.com/r/WedditNYC/comments/1b4tnu6/manhattan_city_hall_a_very_detailed_stepbystep/">WedditNYC</a>. Strangers on the internet can be so generous when you look in the right place. Next up was finding a photographer. I searched in my price range and the type of style I wanted (documentary/editorial style), and found my amazing photographer, <a href="https://emmamelinstudios.com/">Emma Melin</a>, recommended by a user in WedditNYC. In addition to taking stunning photos with clear direction that made both myself and my now-husband comfortable (we are extremely photo-shy), Emma&rsquo;s package included engagement photos, our civil ceremony session, and our reception in January 2025.

WedditNYC is also where I discovered that we could take photos at <a href="https://www.thebeekman.com/">The Beekman, a Thompson Hotel </a>in the Financial District, which is about a ten-minute walk from the city clerk&rsquo;s office in downtown Manhattan. The stunning hotel exudes old, classic New York and a little bit of <a href="https://www.lofficielusa.com/film-tv/succession-season-3-italian-villa-airbnb-hbo-tv-series">Succession</a>, which is exactly the aesthetic I wanted for the civil ceremony. After our ceremony, which included just our parents, we took photos on the streets of downtown Manhattan and had dinner at Le Gratin, the French restaurant attached to the hotel. 
My husband and I stayed in The Beekman's Premium Queen Terrace Room: a private suite (it&rsquo;s actually the size of a whole house), with stunning views of the downtown Manhattan architecture. The <a href="https://www.lofficielusa.com/art/graphic-design-lofficiel-archives-pierre-armand-covillot">art deco</a> pieces, vintage dark wood furniture, and moody lighting is wondrously contrasted with modern features, making the stay unique and a continuation of the vision for my wedding. The intoxicating, comforting smell of the <a href="https://www.dsanddurga.com/?tw_source=google&amp;tw_adid=403903561645&amp;tw_campaign=6447962772&amp;gad_source=1&amp;gclid=CjwKCAiAjeW6BhBAEiwAdKltMtilpopj0Iocmq_QUHw4COyPSEJsWp_HHmuwNerxxkRWfOLME0roDRoCtjgQAvD_BwE">D.S. &amp; Durga</a> products is as comforting and as sensual as the luxurious linens and the heated bathroom floors. The staff left us a bottle of champagne along with some decadent chocolates upon check-in, which we used as playful props for our photoshoot (this helped ease our nerves quite a bit).

The terrace room has its own (titular) private terrace, a large dining table, a cozy living room, two bathrooms, and a dark wood staircase leading up to the lofted bedroom, which has a claw-footed bathtub. At the center of the high ceiling of the room is a crystal chandelier that pulls the entire suite together and adds a romantic element perfect for newlyweds. <a href="https://www.lofficielusa.com/pop-culture/hotels-to-see-celebrities-before-the-met-gala">The Beekman&rsquo;s</a> towering atrium, lobby, and gilded elevators&nbsp; also serve as a stunning backdrop for wedding photography&mdash;and we lucked out because the hotel had already decorated the space for Christmas. After dinner at Le Gratin, we returned to the terrace room to a turned down room&mdash;Saratoga water on each nightstand, blackout curtains down&mdash;and enjoyed an extremely necessary, restful sleep after a very long day.&nbsp;

How a Subreddit Helped Me Plan My Perfect Manhattan Wedding

How a Subreddit Helped Me Plan My Perfect Manhattan Wedding

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