New York University isn't your run-of-the-mill college campus: Its buildings are nestled in and around Greenwich Village and Washington Square Park. For Cherie and Johnny, who met as students at NYU and still live in the neighborhood, holding their September nuptials in the school's chapel and the reception in a nearby loft was a no-brainer.

The bride—who heads up the public relations department at Brides—invited her 110 guests to stroll en masse from ceremony to party, pausing for spontaneous pictures at various city landmarks. "People who we didn't even know were yelling out congratulations," recalls Cherie. "It was perfect, because Johnny and I really wanted to create an experience for our guests that reflected a slice of our life in New York."

The processional ended at The Puck Building, one of the city's favorite party spaces, cozied up with panels of white silk fringe that hung from the rafters and created intimate spaces. "It was a thrill to walk through threads that sort of danced in the breeze," says Cherie. Later, guests slipped into the "dining room," where they were treated to an Italian menu of savory osso bucco and risotto. As the sun set, Cherie and Johnny happily drifted around the dance floor to the strains of Billy Joel's "You're My Home." With family, friends and their cherished neighborhood all around them, truer words were never sung.—Hillary Quinn

Our Favorite Things

Treasured Trio: Standing in for their late father, Cherie’s three brothers took on the paternal jobs of walking her down the aisle, giving a toast and sharing a special dance.

Spark of Interest: During dinner, a brilliant fireworks show inexplicably began right outside the reception windows. "It couldn’t have been more perfectly timed if we’d planned it ourselves—some of our guests actually thought we had!" says Cherie.

On-the-Job Training: "Having access to the best experts in the industry definitely made planning much easier," says the bride, who regularly scoped out the magazine’s sample closets, where the stash includes stationery and cake toppers, for ideas.

Dining À Deux: Cherie and Johnny revived the practice of sitting at a sweethearts’ table—a romantic spot for just the two of them.

Vendors

WEDDING DRESS

Lazaro, jlmcouture.com

GROOM'S SUIT

Ralph Lauren, polo.com

RECEPTION SITE

The Puck Building, thepuckbuilding.com

CATERER

Sterling Affair, sterlingaffair.com

FLOWERS

John Wilbanks, 212-268-9333

PHOTOGRAPHER

Tanya Tribble, tanyatribbleweddings.com