The Romantic Wedding

In consultation with Bronson Van Wyck of Van Wyck & Van Wyck.

• By Jada Yuan
• Published Summer 2006

BLOWOUT BUDGET

Governors Island, Battery Maritime Building
10 South St., nr. Whitehall St.; Slip 7; 212-440-2200; govisland.com

Location

Off-limits to the public for 200 years, Governors Island (212-420-2200)-or part of it-was turned over to the Parks Department in 2003 and remains relatively untouched. The northern 92 acres have forts dating back to the War of 1812, wide-open lawns lined with 100-year-old trees, and a mansion set in a Victorian village. Following the ceremony at the lovely stone St. Cornelius Chapel, move guests to the esplanade-the city's closest point to the Statue of Liberty on land. There they will find three tents-for cocktails, dinner, and the after-party-each with a different decorating scheme. Finish off the evening with a grand fireworks display (grucci.com).

Catering

On the ferry ride over, serve hors d'oeuvre like wild-mushroom purses and lobster quesadillas from Urban Events (212-681-0785). For cocktails, contract seafood specialists like Joe's Stone Crab and Tsar Nicoulai Caviar. For dinner, call on Bite (917-676-1320), which, Van Wyck says, "turns catering into an art form," and ask Ron Ben-Israel to design the cake, a white and blue buttercream patterned like Chinese porcelain. A late-night breakfast buffet of grits, omelettes, and quail wrapped in bacon, done by Susan Mason (912-233-9737), completes the after-party. Enjoy Pop Burger sliders and milkshakes on the ferry ride back.

Music

The Preservation Hall Jazz Band (imnworld.com), named after Louis Armstrong's favorite New Orleans concert venue, greets guests boarding the ferry with peppy standards like "When the Saints Go Marching In." Chamber music wafts through the chapel at the ceremony. As guests enter the cocktail tent, they'll hear the eighteen-piece Pat Patrick Band (615-256-7505) playing a medley of your favorite music while a slideshow of your childhood photos runs simultaneously. After dinner, why not hire Lionel Richie to perform classics like "Truly" and "Dancing on the Ceiling." A D.J. can take guests through the after-party to the fireworks display.

Flowers & Décor

Drape everything on the boat in blue-and-white striped fabric. At the church, hang tea lights from the rafters on clear monofilament. Carry red peonies. Deck out the cocktail tent in black-and-white striped fabric, and top the two bars with family relics. Make the dinner tent navy and white, adorned with large ebony-framed mirrors and a garland of seashells, starfruit and orchids. Mix-and-match gold candlesticks, picture frames, and red flowers for the centerpieces. Finally, there's the after-party lounge, in a separate tent, with red silk walls, black leather ottomans, and a veritable jungle of potted palm trees.