Cozy Brooklyn Winter Wedding

It’s no surprise that we love when stunning wedding photos are accompanied by even more incredible video footage, and that’s exactly what we have with Lauren and Bennett’s wedding from Christina Szczupak. These high school sweethearts (awww!) put their creative minds together, along with the help of their families, to throw together an affair that left no detail-oriented stone unturned. Trust us, you’re going to want to curl up on the couch with a good cup of coffee to catch their highlight film from Tree of Life Films at the end of the feature!

From the bride: I saw The Green Building on Refinery 29 months before we got engaged and bookmarked it! Once we got engaged, we toured it right away, and had the venue booked within 5 days. It was near our apartment in Brooklyn, in the very cute neighborhood of Carroll Gardens. We loved the romantic feel of it, and their willingness to go with any vendors.

Inspired by the exposed brick, tin ceilings and chandeliers at the Green Building, we went for a romantic vintage look. Since it was in February, we wanted a warm, cozy feel complete with flannel napkins and lots of candlelight.

Many of the decor was handmade including the cake toppers that were hand carved by the bride’s father, the flannel napkins that were created by the groom’s mother, and the bride’s bouquet and boutonnieres created by the brides mother.

Any advice for brides planning their weddings now? Stay calm and remind yourself that you only get to do this once. Enjoy every minute and be sure to incorporate plenty of personal, sentimental touches. It’s you & your fiance’s day!

Be sure to watch their video by Tree of Life Films:

DIY Projects:
– My mother made my bouquet and the boutonnieres.
– My dad hand-carved the wooden dove caketoppers.
– The groom’s mom sewed the flannel napkins and the faux fur stoles.
– My parents brought the wood & birch pieces from Minnesota.
– The groom’s grandpa made the caramels and snack mix.

Wedding Songs:
We really mixed old and new favorites, and resisted using any traditional wedding songs.

Wedding party processional: Nina Simone “Seems I’m Never Tired of Lovin’ You”
Bride processional: Cat Power “Sea of Love”
Recessional: Black Keys “Everlasting Light”
First dance: Black Keys “Dearest”
Parent dance: John Lennon “Stand By Me”
Last song: Magnetic Fields “Nothing Matters When We’re Dancing”

Budget Breakdown and Tips:
We definitely spent the most on catering, rentals, and alcohol. We were able to bring the price down a bit by nixing steak or seafood. We kept to seasonal, warm, wintry foods. We also saved some money by not having a full bar– just beer, wine and prosecco. Our guests definitely didn’t miss the hard alcohol and the food turned out amazing! We also kept the price down a bit by incorporating many DIY elements and buying some once-used products off Ruffled’s Recycle Your Wedding and eBay.

Wedding Vendors (Brooklyn, NY):

Wedding Venue: The Green Building / Wedding Photographer: Christina Szczupak / Wedding Flowers: Bride’s mother and Lillian Wright of Mimosa Floral / Chalkboard Art: Lillian Wright of Mimosa Floral / Wedding Dress: J. Crew / Bride’s Sash: Ivy & Aster / Bride’s Hairpiece: Tessa Kim / Bride’s Jewelry and Purse: Bride’s grandmother / Groom’s Suit: Tommy Hilfiger / Bride and Groom’s Rings: Habib Samuel / Faux Fur Stoles: Handmade by Groom’s mother / Hair and Makeup: Annamarie Tendler / Wedding Caterer: Naturally Delicious / Cupcakes and Wedding Cake: Baked / Bird Cake Topper: Handcarved by bride’s father / Plaid Napkins: Handmade by groom’s mother / Vintage glass bottles: Bride’s parents’ / DJ: Coleen from Sugartown Industries / Graphic Design: Erin Sporer / Photobooth: Shootbooth / Videographer: Tree of Life Films