Reception Magic

Modern Love

A modern wedding, black and white and fabulous all over: That was the task before Jung Lee of Fete, a design firm in New York City. For a venue that suited their contemporary taste, the couple Lee worked with chose a spacious loft with a to-die-for deck overlooking the Hudson River. “It’s easier to create a modern look when you have a space that’s a blank slate, like a loft. It’s harder to do in a ballroom with ornate draping and molding built in,” Lee says.

Elegant Contrast

The couple had already chosen a black-and-white color scheme, which extended to all the details. The save-the-date was a black-and-white photo of a taxi, with an advertisement on top announcing the wedding. The invitation had a black-and-white Mondrian pattern on the back, and the reception card was all black with lettering in silver for their signature cocktail party. So when it came time to tie the knot, their thoughts naturally gravitated to the same palette. Lee added bursts of shiny silver to give it all a kick, as well as a few unique touches: “We used black water goblets,” she says. “The shape of the glass was classic, but black was unexpected and contemporary. I liked the yin and yang of it.”

Edge of Night

Tabletops were made of shiny black Plexiglas, and chairs were also ultramodern, black and high gloss. The centerpieces were distinctly nontraditional. “The first impression was sexy and edgy,” says Lee. “But the orchids added that softness you want at a wedding reception.” Instead of an escort card table, Lee hooked up plasma-screen televisions, and created a scrolling list of names and tables.

For the meal, guests were served steak frites in a red reduction sauce, with the fries nestled in little cones. Miso-glazed cod was the more modern take on the traditional fish entrée, as well as a nice complement to the ceviche served during the cocktail hour. Although Lee didn’t specify the waiters’ attire at this event, she recommends that you do so for a contemporary wedding. “The waiters might wear crisp white shirts, black ties and white, ankle-length bistro aprons. Sometimes I have the waiters dress completely in black for a sort of Calvin Klein minimalist look,” she reports.

Even a black-and-white party needs some color. On a white wall next to the dance floor, Jung projected art photos of flowers—a very chic take on the usual three-dimensional floral arrangements!

Finally, Lee said, “we needed an after-party.” She saturated the loft’s deck in cool blue lights, and as a late-night surprise, guests nibbled on pizza from the famous Lombardi’s in Soho.

In Lee’s opinion, a modern wedding is all about “being confident enough to go outside the box because that’s what feels right to you. That’s the modern way.”

From top left: Succulents, rocks and tealights adorned the tables; orchids added a softening contrast. The couple’s taste in wedding cakes included a bit of irony. The menu card, with white lettering on a black background. Cutting-edge guest book: photos and messages in white pencil on black paper.

Photography: Jeremy Saladyga of Gruber Photographers.