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This pair of fashionable globetrotters find themselves everywhere from London to Paris to Los Angeles. But for their June 22nd, 2013, wedding, choosing a city was easy. "New York is our home," says bride Elizabeth Sulcer, a fashion editor and stylist, "and we couldn't imagine a better place to gather everyone we love." So she and Tom Palmer, an event producer, invited 250 guests from around the globe to join them in Manhattan for a classic wedding full of Hollywood glamour.
The pair, who got engaged at the top of a waterfall in Iceland, decided to make a day of it, inviting guests for a late-morning ceremony at St. Ignatius Loyola, followed by a formal luncheon at Crown. A disco nap and costume change later, guests regrouped at 9 p.m. for a late-night dance party inspired by Truman Capote's Black and White Ball.
Keep reading to see how these jetsetters said "I do" in big-city style, captured by Dove + Sparrow.
With all her fashion experience, it's no surprise that Elizabeth went all-out with her outfits for her wedding day. For the ceremony and luncheon, she donned a mermaid gown by Monique Lhuillier with a chapel-length veil. "I wanted to look like Grace Kelly," she says. "I loved getting to have a traditional bridal look, and then change into something more fashion-forward later."
The bride wore a combination of borrowed and family jewelry, including Van Cleef & Arpels earrings, a Cartier bracelet, and a turquoise and diamond ring that had belonged to her grandmother and mother, then was passed on to her.
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It's all about the accessories, which included white pumps by Gianvito Rossi and a sleek silver pair by Manolo Blahnik.
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"The Carlyle is our second home," says Elizabeth of the hotel where she and her bridesmaids got ready. "We had my bridal shower here, then rented a suite for a few days leading up to the wedding."
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Tom paired his custom tuxedo, designed by Zegna, with a Lanvin bowtie and Prada shoes.
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Elizabeth's bridesmaids wore platinum chiffon dresses by Lela Rose and carried bouquet of pink and white roses. The flower girl was Elizabeth's agent's daughter. "She really wanted a flower crown," says the bride of Valencia's baby's breath and rose headpiece.
Elizabeth's father walked her down the aisle to Trumpet Voluntary. During the ceremony, guests were treated to a performance of Ave Maria, including the church's famous pipe organ, harpist, and choir. "The dramatic church had such a transforming affect on everyone," says Elizabeth. "It was so inspiring."
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The couple and their guests took over Crown, a restaurant set in a restored 1930s mansion, for the luncheon.
"I love flowers," says Elizabeth, "so the decorations were really important to me." Tables were lit with taper candles in mercury candlesticks and decorated with lush arrangements of French roses and hydrangeas.
Tom and Elizabeth loved the elegant, opulent vibe of their post-ceremony luncheon. They worked with Crown's chef to curate a meal of baby artichoke salad, sheep's milk ricotta gnudi, Atlantic halibut, and chicken thigh Milanese, followed by salted caramel and dark chocolate tarts.
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At 9 p.m., guests began to arrive at The Museum of the City of New York for the evening celebration. Candles lit the steps up to the Georgian-style mansion.
The museum's rotunda features a dramatic marble staircase, lit from above by a contemporary art piece entitled Hanging Grid 2. Blush rose petals edged the staircase for Tom and Elizabeth's grand entrance.
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Elizabeth changed into a plunging vintage Tom Ford for Gucci gown, embellished with crystals. "Our favorite part of the day was getting ready together for the evening reception," says the bride. "We were already married, so it was much more calm than the morning. But we were so excited for the party!"
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The couple entered the reception to Lana Del Ray's "Young and Beautiful," then had their first dance to "At Last" by Etta James. Guests dined on passed bite-sized desserts like praline bars, red velvet cupcakes, s'mores truffles, and berry tartlets.
A few days after the wedding, the couple took a mini-moon to Montauk. A year later, they headed to Italy to spend a few days at Tom's family's home on Lake Bolsena, near Rome, then in Positano.
"The whole day was incredible," says Elizabeth. "I'm so glad we got to celebrate for the entire day." Her advice to brides is to stay calm, focused, and organized. "Keep track of your budget, and make to-do lists so that the tasks don't get out of hand. And set up a weekly planning meeting with your fiané so that you aren't talking about the wedding every single moment."
Ceremony Venue: St. Ignatius Loyola || Reception Venue: luncheon - Crown, late-night - The Museum of the City of New York || Event Planning and Production: Palmer Schwartz Agency || Bride's Wedding Dresses: ceremony and luncheon - Monique Lhuillier, late-night - Tom Ford for Gucci || Shoes: Gianvito Rossi, Manolo Blahnik || Jewelry: Van Cleef & Arpels, Cartier, CZ by Kenneth Jay Lane || Hair: Peter Gray of Home Agency || Makeup: Hung Vanngo of The Wall Group || Nails: Bernadette Thompson || Bridesmaids' Dresses: Lela Rose || Groom's Attire: tuxedo - Zegna, bowtie - Lanvin, shoes - Prada || Wedding Bands: Cartier || Florist: Zinna James || Invitations & Paper Goods: Palmer Schwartz Agency || Music: ceremony - St. Ignatius Loyola, reception - Geoff Renaud of Ladies Night || Catering: luncheon - Crown, late-night - Canard || Rentals: Taylor Creative || Photography: Dove + Sparrow