An Event Pro's Vibrant (and Fun!) New York City Wedding

The day Kaitlin Motley and Christopher McGlynn met was special for a lot more people than just the couple. “It was June 6, 2015—the day American Pharoah won the Triple Crown, and we were at Belmont Stakes to see it!” she says. The pair was at the birthday party of their mutual friends, but they now count that day as another holiday—their anniversary. “We were inseparable from that day on,” Kait explains. More than two years later, on another holiday (Christmas 2017), Kait and Chris decided to skip gifts and instead splurge on dinner at Del Posto in New York City. They made a reservation for January 27, 2018, but before they headed for the restaurant, Chris had a surprise for Kait. “We were having a drink at home before we left, and Chris asked me to grab him a can of cider from the fridge,” she says. “When I reached in, there was only one can in there, and it was wrapped with the words ‘Kait, will you marry me?’ We never opened the can, and it sits on our shelf to this day!”

The couple quickly got to work planning, setting a wedding date for just six months later. Luckily, Kait is a pro! The bride is the director of event operations at Jes Gordon/Proper Fun, and knows her way around a wedding. “I didn’t take much time to ‘be a bride,’ and definitely made more practical decisions than emotional ones, but with Jes overseeing the design, I knew it would be amazing no matter what,” she explains. Kait, Chris, and Jes embraced bright and playful colors (a Jes Gordon signature) and filled their celebration with vibrant flowers and pineapples. “In the days of Christopher Columbus, serving pineapple at a dinner party meant you’d spared no expense for your guests’ enjoyment,” says Kait. “We didn’t have the most extravagant wedding, but we had the most hospitable wedding we could, doing everything in our power to make sure our guests were happy and comfortable. So we had pineapples everywhere, and have them hidden throughout our home.”

Designed by Jes Gordon/Proper Fun, executed by Stillwell Events NYC, and photographed by Andre Maier, this New York City wedding proves weddings can—and should—be fun! Keep reading for more.

The bouquets and boutonnieres were full of playful texture, pairing seeded eucalyptus, jasmine vine, peonies, gardenias, garden roses, scabiosa, and spray roses. “The boutonnieres were on magnets instead of pins, which was such a great decision,” Kait adds.

The couple’s niece, Elise, was only nine months old at the time, and was carried down the aisle in a sweet pink floral dress.

Bright and fresh arrangements of roses and delphinium marked the beginning of the aisle at Blessed Virgin Mary Help of Christians in Woodside, New York. “We loved being able to fill the church with happy memories, and to exchange vows in the same place where my parents did,” says the bride. Kait made her grand entrance on the arm of her father, wearing a Chantilly lace gown by Pronovias. “My mom and I went shopping just the two of us, and it was so special to share that moment with her,” Kait remembers.

And Kait was particularly happy to see Chris standing at the altar, given how he’d felt the day before. “Chris woke up with a stomach virus the day before our wedding, and barely made it through the rehearsal,” she reveals. “The morning of our wedding, he went to Urgent Care and asked them to do whatever they could to get him down the aisle! After a few good nausea pills, he was able to enjoy the day. Nothing was going to stop him, and it was a relief to see him eating and drinking again!”

Following the traditional church ceremony, guests were transported to Current at Chelsea Piers for the reception. “Abigail Kirsch venues are the best, and I always love working with their team,” says Kait of the venue choice. When guests arrived, they found escort cards placed atop pineapple holders as nod to the couple's hospitality theme.

At dinner, round tables were draped with textured linens while long rectangular tables featured black mirrored tops. The centerpieces continued the couple’s colorful theme, pairing shades of pink, orange, and yellow with vibrant greenery.

Chris and Kait sat at a stunning sweetheart table situated beneath a spectacular floral arch. After appetizers that ranged from pork belly BLT sandwiches to savory gorgonzola cannolis and Cajun fried chicken, guests dined on lasagna with spinach and leeks, peppercorn-dusted beef filets, and Tuscan branzino with saffron risotto.

The couple’s naked wedding cake had layers of funfetti cake filled with chocolate mousse. “We also served warm chocolate chip cookie soufflés, black and white shakes, and chocolate salted-pretzel cookies,” says Kait.

Looking back on her wedding day, Kait had this advice to share: “Remember, this is not the last party you’ll ever throw or your last occasion to celebrate. Don’t get hung up on the expensive photo booth or another pricey cocktail station if it's out of your budget," she says. "You’ll have so many more opportunities to honor and celebrate your love. In the end, you and your guests will only remember how you felt in the moment.”