Kelsey & Joseph | Above | Staten Island, NY

The Wedding of ... Dr. Kelsey Dunn & Dr. Joseph Cipriano: Their Vendors

"Wow Your Guests"

We were introduced at a mutual friend’s graduation party. I was attending pharmacy school in Buffalo, where Joseph had just been accepted to dental school. We exchanged numbers and I promised to answer his questions about Buffalo when he went to school. A few months later, on a freezing January night, we ran into each other. He bought me a drink and asked if he could see me that week. He made dinner for me and after that, we bonded over late nights in the library and getting to know each other’s friends on weekends. We fell in love with each other’s drive, ambition, and passion for the medical field. Once June came, I moved back to Staten Island and Joseph stayed in Buffalo. We began our three-year long distance relationship, traveling back and forth every six weeks. It was hard, but it gave our relationship the strength it has today.

When Joseph graduated, we moved into our first home together. We took an eight-day trip to Maui and on the seventh day Joseph proposed. We went to a plantation called the Haiku Mill where, to my surprise, Joseph grabbed my hands and got down on one knee a few seconds into the “tour.” It was absolutely perfect and he hired a photographer to capture the whole scene.

The first venue we visited was Above. We loved the location and the unique ballroom! Above has so many things we admired: the menu with countless options, lofty glass windows surrounding the ballroom and cocktail room with gorgeous views, and accessibility to the hotel for our out-of-town guests. We worked with Jennifer Finch, the event coordinator. She was amazing and helped every step of the way!

Our wedding day was a complete fairy tale. I got ready with my bridesmaids at my childhood home and Joseph got ready with his groomsmen in his childhood home, which was very special to us. I felt like a rock star walking into the church for our ceremony. I made all my sacraments there, and it was a surreal feeling to walk down the aisle with all our family and friends in the church where we had both been baptized. 

Our cocktail hour was in Above’s rooftop setting with floor-to-ceiling glass windows and a terrace overlooking lush landscapes, local bridges and waterways, and the NYC skyline. The unique room will definitely wow your guests! Highlights from their vast cocktail hour options were panko shrimp with bang bang sauce, lobster fritters, bacon mac and cheese, and assorted pizzas from their brick oven. Our guests are still talking about the pizzas! It was such a gorgeous night, all our guests could go between the inside cocktail area and the outside terrace, where we had a cigar roller.

Custom invitations of lucite with lace detailing prepared our guests for a modern, romantic wedding. Our florist’s ballroom design was truly impressive. A greenery wall with cascading white roses at the entrance had a park bench for our guests to take pictures and a neon sign that said “The Cipriano’s Est. 2019.” Fluted candelabras on every other table were accented with white roses, tulips, and calla lillies. Our sweetheart table had white roses draped over the front and tulips in water in candleholders. Behind us stood a candle wall with white rose and hydrangea garlands. We had a photo booth for our guests to enjoy as well as a painter on display, who painted a portrait of our first dance! We love to dance, so picking our DJ was crucial for us. Platinum Entertainment had everyone on their feet from the moment they walked in until the end of the party. A saxophonist and drummer complemented the DJ and interacted with the crowd. 

Dinner began with a mini burrata and an Italian crêpe, follow by a choice of seared filet mignon, stuffed chicken, or seared ahi tuna steak. Each table was then presented with grilled Tomahawk pork chops, served family style. During the last hour we had passed desserts, including chocolate milkshake shots, funnel fries and Nutella, and mini chipwiches. Leaving the reception, we had a food truck with sausage and peppers, fried Oreos, and other food-festival favorites. Afterwards, our guests were directed to the hotel lobby for a casino-themed after-party! We had craps, roulette, and poker set up with dealers from Platinum Entertainment. It was the perfect end to our night! 

Every aspect of our day was perfect! We wanted our wedding to be nonstop fun for our guests.  We wish we could do the entire day over again. It was the best day of our lives!

The Above Ballroom, Staten Island, NY
718.477.2400 x 2, www.eventabove.com