A Colorful, Tropical-Inspired Wedding at The Bowery Hotel

When Courtney Guth and Gordon Blank got engaged in March 2016, the couple had a distinct vision in mind: “We wanted to find a venue with personality—especially after visiting so many ballrooms!—and to create a really intimate feeling for our guests,” says Courtney. So when they walked into The Bowery Hotel in New York City, they were immediately sold. “It has a gothic-tropical feeling that we loved, as well as a unique indoor-outdoor vibe,” the bride describes. The couple—who met as freshmen at the University of Pennsylvania—worked with Jove Meyer to enhance that aesthetic by filling the hotel’s many spaces with vines and greenery and accenting all that with playful pops of yellow. “Gordon and I had a blast planning everything together with our families, especially with Jove’s help!” Courtney remembers.

And on May 6, 2017, 170 guests joined the college sweethearts for a colorful celebration in downtown Manhattan. Keep scrolling to see whimsical florals by Putnam & Putnam, as photographed by Sasithon Photography of The Wedding Artists Collective. Seriously, this fresh take on a spring wedding in New York City is one you won’t want to miss!

Stationer and artist Happy Menocal created a custom suite for the couple, which included a floral-accented monogram done in watercolor. On the day of, the illustrations acted as the backdrop for Courtney's cushion-cut solitaire and eternity band (both in rose gold).

For their venue, the couple turned to the green-hued Gemma restaurant at The Bowery Hotel. “We loved that the reception would be catered by the hotel’s Italian restaurant, Gemma,” says Courtney. “A pasta course was a must!”

To keep the wedding morning stress-free, Courtney and Gordon defied tradition and had breakfast together in the hotel lobby. “It was so nice to have some alone time before it all started,” she says. She spent the day upstairs in the hotel, getting ready with her mom, sister, and close friends.

After visiting many shopping trips with no luck, a friend suggested that Courtney visit Spina Bride. “It’s a tiny, intimate boutique around the corner from our apartment,” Courtney says. “Of course I found my dress there!” She wore a silk sequined slip dress, which she topped with a a matching cape for the ceremony and dinner.

The bride’s organic bouquet combined ranunculus, roses, and vibrant greenery. Gordon topped his three-piece blue suit with a boutonniere that included copper, yellow, and pink accents.

Courtney’s Simone Rocha statement earrings were a dramatic accent to her sleek hair and the cape’s feminine boat neck.

The floral design was all about garden-inspired drama. Tea roses, Peruvian lilies, prickly poppies, and sprawling vines created a gorgeous statement. Pillar candles in hurricanes and metal lanterns lit the space.

Per Jewish tradition, both of Courtney’s parents escorted her to the chuppah. “Our ceremony was intimate and sweet,” says the bride.

Gordon and Courtney wrote their own vows, which included a nod to their first meeting. “Gordon made sure everyone knew that, the first time we met, I was eating a crunch wrap supreme at Taco Bell,” Courtney says, laughing.

The hotel’s brick walls and intricately tiled floors added a feeling of old New York to the ceremony setting.

The reception took place in a long, narrow space overlooking the hotel’s terrace. “We kept the table décor simple, using white linens and flowers in bud vases,” says Courtney. Vintage green water glasses were a perfect complement to the arrangements of roses, tulips, and foxgloves. The couple’s calligrapher designed a punchy yellow menu featuring illustrations of flowers and vegetables.

The tables were kept simple, but that doesn’t mean the room was without drama! Four oversized arrangements filled the corners, and garlands of ivy crisscrossed the ceiling. “There are also hanging vines on the terrace, which created a cool indoor-outdoor effect,” Courtney describes.

Between sets by Rhythm Collective, guests nibbled on slices of double chocolate chip cake and bars of Mast Brothers chocolate. Late-night revelers danced to hits spun by DJ Rob Kelley.

Remembers Courtney, “At the end of the after party, only our closest friends were left. The party turned into a full-fledged ‘90s hip-hop sing-along in front of the fireplace—pizza and cheeseburgers in hand!”