There’s a particular kind of magic that happens when two creative people fall in love. Not just with each other, but with the same idea of beauty. For Whitney and Daniel, their wedding was a world they built together — brick by brick, moodboard by moodboard, over nine months of planning from two hours away. Photographer Jenny Losee was there to capture every bit of it. Her film, her eye, her instinct for a quiet moment — all of it brought that day back to life in the most beautiful way. A day that unfolded at The Ruins at Sassafras Museum in New Lebanon, New York. Tucked into the rolling landscape of the Catskills, surrounded by wildflowers and the kind of golden light that feels almost fictional.
Location: New Lebanon, New York, United States
Style: Vintage, Romantic, Dreamy
Time of planning: 9 months
Number of guests: 85
Setting: Estate
Season: Fall
Whitney is a Brooklyn-born Parsons graduate who built Michel Men into a menswear brand that’s dressed Tom Brady and Derek Jeter. It’s landed in The New York Times, Vogue, and British GQ, and most recently found its way into Jordan Peele’s upcoming film HIM. Daniel was born in Stavanger, Norway and raised in Houston — a sculptor who learned metalwork in his family’s shop before studying at The School of the Art Institute of Chicago. His monumental public sculptures, some stretching over 20 feet tall, are set to debut in 2026.
They met on Bumble while both were in Chicago. Two people this visually fluent, drawn to each other through a screen. The rest is history.
The proposal happened in New York City: a rooftop surprise, her closest friends and family flown in, dinner after at The Smith, their favorite spot in both cities. They now live in the Catskills in their home, Blackbird. A black chalet-style house designed by Whitney herself.
Bridal Fashion & Morning
Whitney walked down the aisle in the STELLA gown by J. Andreatta, found at Spina Bride. A modern silk dupion dress with a romantic structural silhouette — equal parts drama and timelessness. The lace-edged veil floated behind her like something out of a film. Shoes were Raboesy satin ballet flats. A Jean Dousset ring caught the light on her finger. Saint Laurent sunglasses made an appearance, because of course they did.
Hair and makeup were by Morine Menos. Her bouquet, crafted by Mira Mira Florals, carried the same clean architectural energy as the rest of the day: calla lilies, sculptural and intentional, a quiet nod to Daniel’s large-scale work.
“I was overwhelmed and excited to see it all come together,” Whitney said. “We were building a home at the same time while I worked as a busy C-level executive and made decks and directions for every detail and graphic — we really wanted it to feel like a romantic, curated love fest with great food, music and ambiance.”
Groom's Getting Ready
Given that his wife is a menswear designer and celebrity men’s stylist, the details were always going to be impeccable. Daniel wore a Suitsupply tuxedo, Florsheim black patent shoes, a Michel Men pocket square, a Rolex, and vintage heirloom cufflinks. Tom Ford sunglasses for good measure.
“Whitney is a menswear designer and celebrity men’s stylist so I trusted her to choose every detail,” Daniel said. “I was very excited and ready. We had family flying from all over — from Sweden, to LA, and Miami. We wanted everyone to have a really great time.”
Ceremony
The ceremony designed to get out of the landscape’s way. The outdoor ceremony overlooked open sky and the vast green expanse of Upstate New York, held at Sassafras Museum‘s grounds with the earth as the only backdrop needed. Guests sat on dark cross-back chairs, dressed in black tie, as the wild field of yellow flowers behind them did all the set design work nature intended.
The detail that made everyone cry — and no one saw coming — came from performing artist Cam Anthony, winner of The Voice. He sang the ceremony songs live. But what he had quietly done in the weeks before was pre-record the voices of Whitney and Daniel’s loved ones and family, weaving their messages into the tracks. “Not only did it feel dreamy to our guests, but they were also overwhelmed by the amount of love in the room,” Whitney reflected.
And then there was the horse. Daniel and maid of honor Alive Sherman had arranged for a horse to bring Whitney down to the ceremony space. She wept. “It added to the romance I was aiming for,” she said simply.
Private Moment
After the ceremony, the newlyweds slipped away in a white horse-drawn carriage. Photographer Jenny Losee was made to shoot exactly this — all soft focus and golden hour and two people finally exhaling. “We were allowed to have such stillness surrounded by magical willow trees,” Whitney said. “In that moment we were able to soak it all in.”
On the ride back, they could see their families spread across a Tuscany-style cocktail hour on the grounds beside the iconic yellow barn at Sassafras. “A core, core memory.” The film photography caught the whole thing with the kind of romantic grain and restraint that turns a moment into a keepsake.
Decor & Reception
The reception moved into the Chair Factory — a tall historic barn on the Sassafras property that immediately reminded Daniel of his parents’ wedding in Sweden. Mira Mira Florals handled both the floral design and the billowing fabric ceiling. A swag of cream draping transformed the raw barn entirely. String lights pierced through like stars. Rentals came from Classic Tents and Columbia Tent, linens by Party Mosaic.
Whitney sourced the candleholders herself. She hunted through vintage shops across Upstate New York and paired her finds with heirlooms from her mother-in-law. Black velvet bows — a nod to Whitney’s first product — tied each napkin. Calla lilies rose from the table like sculptures. Flameless candles did their quiet, beautiful job.
“The barn called for flameless candles, so we did our best in bringing so much beauty to the space that you didn’t realize they weren’t wax,” Whitney said.
The hot sauce wall by Eventive Sol Designs deserves its own moment. Whitney and Daniel are devoted hot sauce people. So they turned their seating chart into a dark, moody display of custom-labeled bottles on built-out shelving, decorated with white baby’s breath. The sign read “Hey Hot Stuff, Find Your Seat.” A card beside it: “Love is patient, love is kind, love is Spicy.”
The evening had that rare quality where no one wanted it to end. Cam Anthony performed live through the reception — the first dance to Diamonds in the Sky was his. Toasts flowed, the cake was cut, and at some point the barn just became one long, warm blur of music, laughter, and candlelight. DJ Fresco kept everyone moving.
The chef, from Wood Fire Food Co., wove Haitian and Swedish recipes through the menu — both cultures, one table, one story. And when the night finally wound down, guests lined up outside with sparklers in hand, sending the couple off in a tunnel of light. The whole day was coordinated by Shayla Hawkins Events and Q. Davis
Advice from the couple:
• Make sure that it feels like your story and no one else’s and you’ll be satisfied with every dollar spent.
PHOTOGRAPHER Jenny Losee | PLANNER Shayla Hawkins Events, Q. Davis | VENUE Sassafras Museum Events | FLORAL DESIGN & DRAPING Mira Mira Florals | CUSTOM SEATING CHART Eventive Sol Designs | CAKE & DESSERTS Di Sweet Spot | MUAH Mo of Me, Sonu Bridal and Beauty | DRESS J. Andreatta, Spina Bride | GROOM ATTIRE Suitsupply, Michel Men, Tom Ford | DJ DJ Fresco | VOCALIST Cam Anthony | CATERING Wood Fire Food Co | OFFICIANT Frederick Shanahan | RENTALS Classical Tents, Columbia Tent Rentals | LINENS Party Mosaic
