Debra Wieder & Meredith Ward
Church of the Ascension
June 23, 2012
Gallerists Debra Wieder, 57, and Meredith Ward, 53, were together for twenty years before they wed in June 2012. “We had contemplated getting married in a state where same-sex marriages were legal, but it didn’t feel right,” says Debra. “New York is our home.” The decision to make things official took place on June 24, 2011, in the couple’s living room, as they watched the Marriage Equality Act pass on the State Senate floor. “We both burst into tears, and I proposed on the spot,” recalls Meredith. “Then Debra said, ‘Can we register at Bergdorf’s?’” Almost exactly a year later, the couple were married at Gramercy’s Episcopalian Church of the Ascension. When they stepped outside, Debra and Meredith were greeted by the city’s clothing-optional annual Dyke March crowd, who chanted, “Kiss! Kiss! Kiss!” Though the timing seems too perfect, they say they never could have planned it. “We’re not highly political people,” says Meredith. Adds Debra, “We’re just two girls who love each other.”
The Details:
Flowers: VSF
Debra’s Dress: Valentino
Meredith’s Dress: Reem Acra
Headpieces: Ellen Christine Couture Millinery
Cake: Ron Ben-Israel
Event Planner: Ellen Kostman of Sidekick Events
Photography: Brian Dorsey Studios
“We chose the Church of the Ascension for its John La Farge mural and its long-standing support of gay rights.” Photo: Brian Dorsey Studios
“Our wedding cake was inspired by the rococo castles in Austria and Germany, which we visited on our honeymoon.” Photo: Brian Dorsey Studios
