Emma & Chase | The Wagner at the Battery | New York, NY

Beautiful & Elegant

Chase and I met during our junior year of college at a party, well really, at several parties. After only a few encounters, Chase had already told his roommates he found the one. Our first date was about a week later for sushi and ice cream. Now, I am a consultant, Chase works in private equity, and we have been together for almost seven years.

We were living in Houston, Texas when Chase landed a job in New York. We had been wanting to move to New York for several years. Chase planned to propose during our trip to the city to find an apartment, but our flight from Houston got cancelled, so we ended up not getting into New York until 3 am. Chase, still determined to propose before we met with the broker, woke me up at 7 am to walk along the Brooklyn Bridge, where he asked a policeman to take a photo of us as he got down on one knee and proposed. I said yes immediately and then we walked to meet our broker while making excited calls to tell our family and friends.

We chose The Wagner at the Battery because of its convenient location, elegant ambiance, incredible views, and five-star service. We had a lot of family members coming who had never been to NYC before and Battery Park was the perfect location that showed a calmer side of the “big city.” There was an amazing view of the Statue of Liberty from the large bridal suite and from the cocktail hour room. We also were able to take spectacular photos by the water. Dino Bavaro, the director of catering sales, was incredible to work with. He and the whole staff made everything flow seamlessly, from planning to the day of. They truly rolled out the red carpet for us.

Our ceremony was held in the Manhattan Ballroom. We recited our own vows and incorporated readings from some of our favorite poems and novels. A particularly special part of our ceremony was a candle lighting for our loved ones who have passed away, including my parents and Chase’s father.  The cocktail hour was held in Rise, on the 14th floor, with its grand outdoor space and its spectacular sunset views. We had a ton of food, including passed hors d’oeuvres such as roasted vegetable bruschetta and mini chicken and waffles. Plus, we had various food stations with favorites like the Chinatown station with spring rolls and dumplings and the West Village station with an array of cheese and charcuterie.

Our ballroom was decorated with simple elegance. We had high and low floral arrangements of various white and cream flowers on round tables. Our florist, Rachel Trimarco, did a fabulous job creating the ambiance we wanted. The Wagner provided chai-colored linens and gold chairs to complement the flowers. Our band kept our guests entertained and dancing throughout the night. Dinner started with a warm goat cheese salad with fig vinaigrette. For the main entrée, guests could choose spice-rubbed Skuna Bay salmon in a hollandaise sauce or horseradish-crusted filet mignon in a wine merchant sauce. For dessert, we offered assorted mini treats and our chocolate-flavored wedding cake. We had our after-party at Pier A, directly across the street from The Wagner, making it easy for our guests.

We are so grateful to all our friends and family who helped us celebrate our beautiful day. We are so appreciative of all our vendors. They were extremely professional and very helpful for our every need and desire. A special thank you to the staff at The Wagner Hotel, particularly Dino Bavaro, to our photographer, Arthur Field, and to our florist, Rachel Trimarco. Everyone helped the day come alive and we will remember our wedding for the rest of our lives.

The Wagner at the Battery
New York, NY
212.344.0800, thewagnerhotel.com