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"Joe and I met several years ago at The Crescent, a restaurant in Bayville, New York. We instantly became friends and soon went on our first date to see the Gipsy Kings at Radio City Music Hall. We had an amazing time, and from that night on spent almost every minute together. Over the summer we fell in love.
"A few months later, we moved to Florida to help Joe’s parents open their restaurant. The following November, we planned a trip to Italy to visit my sister, who lives in Florence. While there we also went to Venice, where Joe suggested we take a gondola ride through the canals. Our gondolier was singing to us as we cruised, and Joe was sitting next to me, holding my hand and telling me how much he loves me. Then he got down on one knee and proposed. I was so surprised!
"Since Joe and I were living in Florida, we tossed around the idea of having a destination wedding in the Bahamas or a beach wedding in Florida, but we decided our wedding had to be in New York. For two weeks my mom and I traveled throughout the area looking for the perfect venue. Joe wasn’t in New York so the decision was even harder.
"Finally I came across Abigail Kirsch at The New York Botanical Gardens. The next day my family and I met with Susan LaValle. We fell in love with the venue. My father was impressed with the service we received and loved the espresso and cookies they served during our meeting. Later that day, we booked the venue. "We were fortunate to work with Michael Lavan, the banquet manager at The New York Botanical Gardens. He was caring, understanding, and extremely knowledgeable, and we decided to go with many of his menu recommendations.
"On the day of our wedding, everything was what we dreamed of. Our ceremony took place outdoors in the gardens. The flowers were in bloom, the chairs were carefully arranged, and the stage was set for Joe and I to get married. It was magical! When our guests arrived, they were offered “Love Potion,” a combination of champagne and Chambord.
"After the ceremony, our guests enjoyed delicious passed hors d’oeuvres, including tiny sirloin burgers, buffalo duck confit firecrackers, rock shrimp scampi dumplings, truffle prosciutto popovers, and New England lump crab cakes. We also had a Tuscan pasta station with a hearty rustic cocktail buffet, and a Mediterranean station featuring flavors from Greece, Spain, and Portugal. "For our reception, the walls were lit with pink lighting to complement the flowers and candles on each table. Every vision Joe and I had was now a reality, and we couldn’t have been happier. Our centerpieces were a rich combination of blush, pink, and white flowers.
"Our menu was amazing. We dined on lobster and corn soufflé, tri-color Caesar salad, and a choice of either peppercorn-crusted filet mignon with Maytag blue cheese or Mediterranean style chicken. Joe and I really wanted to rock the house, and we had a 15-piece band with trumpets and fantastic vocalists. Everyone was dancing and enjoying the night.
"Abigail Kirsch created our seven-tier red velvet wedding cake, with white fondant and individual warm chocolate fondue dessert plates. We danced, laughed, and enjoyed our family and friends. Michael and the staff at Abigail Kirsch were so easy to work with and attended to all our needs. It was the best day of our lives."
Abigail Kirsch at The New York Botanical Gardens Featured Interview: Abigail Kirsch
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