Location, location, location! Why camp under the stars when you can camp under the twinkling city lights of NYC! Alisa + Ryan were all about fun times and unique details for their wedding, and they stumbled upon a gem when they booked a new venue called Collective Retreats on Governor’s Island. With tons of tents for all the day’s festivities, this venue makes you feel like you’re on a desert adventure right outside of downtown Manhattan. With the help of event planners, Days Desk Weddings, A + R filled their glamping wedding with bohemian florals, bamboo reception furniture, laid-back attire and good vibes. A shares:
For us, the most important part was to create an interesting experience for our friends and family that felt lighthearted and different. The glamping experience overlooking Manhattan was unparalleled and was a perfect blend of our two personalities (fun activities for Ryan and boho urban vibes for Alisa). We also made sure to add small touches throughout the experience to make things personal.
Sarah B Photography was there to capture the skyline, the sunset and all of the splendid details! Let’s take a look!
Details of the Day
How glamorous is A’s ring set?! We love how her unique taste shines through every piece of her big day!
A + R started the day off with an intimate luncheon for their closest friends and family. A’s sweet dress is perfectly flowy and comfortable for the occasion. Shop your own little white dress below!
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Fern Botanica created floral perfection. A told us that there were three aspects of the wedding that were super important to her- the venue, the photography and the florals. Her bridal bouquet is full of textural blooms like blushing bride protea, anemone, ranunculus, dahlia, bunny tail, lisianthus and bleached ruscus.
Urban Glamping Wedding Ceremony
Can you imagine a better backdrop for your vows than the skyline of NYC?! We love the mix of downtown and boho vibes. A + R combined the best of both worlds!
A + R really valued the help that their family and friends provided during the planning process. This rad ceremony triangle was built by a friend for the big day! They also had friends officiate and DJ.
Sealed with a kiss!!
Processional: GROOM: Greensleeves (yes, the medieval song), BRIDAL PARTY: Here comes the sun (Beatles), BRIDE: Canon in D
Recessional: I would do anything for Love (Meatloaf)
First Dance: Feeling Good, Nina Simone
Bridal Party
Style and comfort are important when you’re planning a glamping wedding. You want to make sure your attire is easy to move around in while still looking chic! A’s bridesmaids rocked Reformation dresses in shades of blush, while R donned an Indochino suit and looked dashing!
A chose a textured BHDLN gown with a high neckline and flattering shape. It’s the perfect combo of boho and elegant! She Said Yes Beauty had the ladies looking wedding day ready with effortless waves.
The sunset overlooking lower Manhattan was absolutely unreal! And because we were glamping, we were the only ones left on the island and had ourselves a delightful little DJ party until the wee hours of the morning overlooking that same Manhattan skyline. Were there bubbles? Yes! Was there black light face paint? Of course! Did Ryan show up decked out in a medieval king’s costume halfway through? You betchya!
Tented Glamping Wedding Reception
What is a glamping wedding without tents and rustic furniture?! Collective Retreats provided the tabletop rentals like these woven runners and linen napkins which tied the look together. Looking at this picture, you’d think the guests were out on safari!
Pampas grass is always a good choice!
Since your glamping wedding must include some glamorous tents, it gives you the chance to get creative with your decor! Here are 15 Magical Tent Decor Ideas for Outdoor Weddings to help spark some ideas!
1. Identify the 1-3 things that are super important to you both and focus on nailing those first. That way you’ll feel good about having them handled and won’t stress as much if you run out of time, budget, or energy for the things that you’ve already called out aren’t as important to you. (We cared a lot about the venue, photography, and florals but didn’t bother with printed invitations, linens, etc)
2. Don’t be afraid to get creative, if anything, it creates a unique experience for guests. We knew we wanted to accommodate a lot of friends, but with Ryan’s big family it was a stretch on our budget. We chose to do a sit-down wedding lunch for a smaller group of relatives in the morning and then have all of our friends join for the ceremony and celebration after. We didn’t do a full sit down meal for every guest. It saved us a ton of headaches in terms of rentals, tent/flooring needs, etc and we hope everyone had just as much fun!
3. For those who are confident in their own vision, take chances on smaller/up and coming vendors. They are often much more flexible and willing to work with you and go above and beyond. As long as you find someone that shares your taste and has good vibes, you’ll get magic!
From the Couple: Wedding planning can be…a lot. Find a way to have a sense of humor about all of it. Find ways to insert fun little inside jokes that you can look forward to together. We were lucky that we found ourselves cracking up the whole time. Starting with Ryan getting a surprise compound bow during first look (who doesn’t love some archery?), continuing through our vows, hilarious speeches, and our friend splitting his pants on the dance floor (you know who you are). We’re ugly laughing in every picture, and we couldn’t be happier about it.
Congratulations Alisa + Ryan! We absolutely loved your urban glamping wedding! The GWS team is wishing you both the very best and a lifetime of love!
photography: Sarah B Photography // venue name: Collective Retreats, New York City, New York, USA // planning: Days Desk Weddings // florals: Fern Botanica // wedding dress: BHLDN // bridesmaid dresses: Reformation // hair stylist: She Said Yes Beauty // makeup artist: She Said Yes Beauty // groom attire: Indochino // videography: In The Cut Productions // paper goods: Paperless Post // tabletop rentals: Collective Retreats
very cute idea. thanks
Wow that’s pretty fabulous !! ♥♥