HOW DID YOU TWO MEET?
We met in our first year of law school at a party hosted by our mutual friends seven years ago today (March 1, 2012)
WHO PROPOSED AND HOW DID IT HAPPEN?
Evan proposed to Carlisle at the Bronx Zoo on August 26, 2017. Evan and Carlisle spent the day at the zoo, wandering the exhibits. When the Zoo was quieting down at the end of the day, Evan led Carlisle to a secluded spot by the Flamingos. As he turned to propose, they were briefly interrupted by park staff cleaning out the trashcans. After a few excruciating moments of waiting for the garbage to be cleared, Evan proposed. They celebrated at Café Luxembourg, which was down the street from their first NYC apartment and is to this day a favorite spot of theirs.
WHAT WAS THE OVERALL VIBE YOU WERE TRYING TO ACHIEVE WITH YOUR WEDDING?
I cared the most that our wedding felt like us. I wanted it to be something where we could show our loved ones why we love New York and also I wanted it to feel warm, welcoming, and like one big dinner party. We went with tropical flowers because of the décor of 501 Union. We thought it was kind of a fun play too on it being the middle of winter, sort of like the wedding was a warm, tropical, modern oasis. I also love neon, so I had to include it somewhere.
BEST THING ABOUT GETTING MARRIED AT 501 UNION?
“There are so many things! I loved having three separate spaces for the ceremony, cocktail hour, and reception. The décor also fit well with our sort of modern tropical vibe. I also loved working with the staff. Claire, who was our main point of contact, was truly lovely and accommodating of our requests. ” — Carlise
IF YOU COULD RELIVE ONE MOMENT FROM THE WEDDING, WHAT WOULD IT BE?
I’d relive our vows or the Best Man’s and MOH’s speech, both of which made me laugh hysterically and tear up.
TWO PART QUESTION: WHAT WAS THE MOST IMPORTANT PART OF YOUR WEDDING PARTY, AND WHAT DID YOU DECIDE TO LET GO, PENDING BUDGET RESTRAINTS, LACK OF TIME?
I think for us, the most important thing was the catering. We worked with Gabrielle Hamilton at Prune to come up with not only a menu, but a unique welcome drink and after dinner drink that was reflective of us as a couple.
For things we let go, we went a little lighter on the flowers in the reception space in order to have a flower wall in the ceremony space (which became our photobooth). I also let go making cookies with royal icing that looked like my cat for the welcome baskets because it was too much! I even baked the cookies and made the icing, but they looked funny when I started and took forever so I gave up.
ARE THERE ANY TRADITIONS YOU UPHELD OR GAVE A SPECIAL TWIST TO? AND/OR WERE THERE ANY TRADITIONS YOU SAID NO WAY TO?
Carlisle had both her mother and father walk her down the aisle. Because we had a non-religious ceremony, we also had a Judge that Carlisle worked for the previous year officiate. Finally, we had three non-traditional flower girls: two of our friends and my sister/MOH’s dog, Olive. For NO WAY traditions, Carlisle didn’t change her name.
WAS THERE ANYTHING THAT CAME UP DURING THE WEDDING PLANNING PROCESS THAT YOU DIDN’T EXPECT?
I think it’s a really emotional process, which I didn’t quite expect. I was surprised that I didn’t love every minute of it. I was so excited to get engaged and to get married, and I think when feelings of frustration or of being overwhelmed with the planning process crept in, I was unprepared for them. It’s easy to forget that it is a huge task to plan a wedding, and if you already have a full-time job, it’s a ton more work on top of your everyday work. I was also surprised by how sad I was that it was over and how much I missed the work and the people I communicated with so much before the wedding!
WHAT ADVICE WOULD YOU GIVE TO SOMEONE JUST STARTING THE PLANNING PROCESS?
It takes a lot of energy to plan a wedding, and so make sure you take care of yourself and remember, as hard as it can be, that even if something isn’t executed perfectly to plan, no one knows but you!
WHAT ADVICE WOULD YOU GIVE TO SOMEONE IN THEIR FIRST YEAR OF MARRIAGE? I think the advice that has served us best is to assume your partner has the best intentions. Sometimes, when you are frustrated with someone, its easy to ascribe bad intentions to what they say or do, but if you can refrain from doing so, you will avoid so many fights!
HOW DO YOU DEFINE A SUCCESSFUL MARRIAGE?
I think it has to be an equal partnership, not day-to-day, when one person may pick up the slack, for example, when another is busy at work, but overall it should be 50/50. Basically, I would say RBG and her husband Marty had the marriage I would like to model ours after.
WHAT DOES YOUR MARRIAGE LOOK LIKE IN 20 YEARS?
I hope it continues to get better. I can’t imagine it being much better than it is now, but I hope that with time we grow even closer. I hope that whatever the futures hold for us as far as careers and families, we can always back each other up and take care of each other.
VENDOR CREDITS:
Jennifer Taylor of A Taylored Affair / Planner Sasha Israel / Photographer Kasey Spickard of Face by Kase / Makeup Lucie Ducrot / Hair Prune / Gabrielle Hamilton / Catering Smilebooth / Photobooth Hellabloom / Florals Highline Quartet / String Quartet Remixologists / DJ Rentals / Broadway Party Rentals and 501 Union