Zoe and Ethan first met in July 2014, when Zoe’s high school friend Annie took her to meet up with her college friends, Ethan among them, in the Hamptons. They were introduced because they both have a great “triangle face,” and they spent the whole night side by side. “I left that night feeling sure that Ethan would be in my life, maybe not now but sometime,” Zoe says. They kept in touch briefly over Instagram until other relationships took over during college.
Location: Brooklyn, NY, US
Style: Classic, Art Nouveau, Garden Chic, Airy
Number of guests: 175
Time of planning: About 2 years
Setting: Brooklyn Botanic Garden
Season: Late Spring
In December 2019, Zoe had just taken a call, ending her dates with one of Ethan’s friends, at her cousin’s holiday party in the West Village, when she spotted Ethan walking past the bar, bundled up with only his “beautiful eyes and noteworthy eyebrows” showing. She called out to him, he stopped, joined the party, and they chatted all night. When COVID hit, Ethan spent a full month with her family in Connecticut, where her parents said, “We don’t even want him to leave,” and they filled the days with beach walks and clamming at low tide.
On July 13, 2024, on what Zoe thought was a normal clamming session, Ethan got down on one knee and pulled out a handmade ring from her mother, Linda Hoj Designs. He was so nervous he forgot to ask her to marry him and only asked, “Do you like the ring?” Two years later, he began his vows by asking her under the chuppah. Back at her family home, her sister, Amanda, had laid out four white dresses on a bed of rose petals, and after a “finally fiancé” brunch, a surprise engagement party was waiting.
Welcome Party & Photography
Zoe and Ethan wanted their wedding to be a fun, easygoing evening full of laughter and love. They love a good party, but they also love the smaller, meaningful moments that happen in great company, and the weekend began with a stunning, fun welcome party that set the tone for the celebration.
“In short, we wanted to thread the needle of elegance and whimsy, while also keeping the aesthetic minimalist and nature-forward,” they say. Nato Tuke of Weddings by Nato and her team were their pick for photography and videography before the couple was even engaged. “Her style is very in-the-moment and tells the story of the day with beautiful film moodiness and stunning compositions,” they say. “We hardly even had a shot list. We just let Nato and her team do their thing because we knew we couldn’t go wrong.”
Fashion
Zoe wore the “Gerry” gown by Mira Zwillinger, a ball gown made from all-over delicate floral organza, layered with bold embroidered flowers, with a square neck and a corset bodice. She had the skirt lining removed to lighten the dress and bring out its slightly striped design.
Her jewelry was all by Linda Hoj Designs, her mother’s line, handcrafted in 22k gold, with moonstone earrings that gave the look a soft glow. Her engagement ring and wedding band came from Linda Hoj Designs too. Liza Ray at Beauty Icon styled her hair half up with natural makeup, and she wore Valentino shoes and Issey Miyake L’Eau d’Issey, the same perfume as Ethan.
Ethan wore a custom black tuxedo from Gilberto Designs with a traditional peak lapel. His accessories carried the personal details. He chose a Cartier Santos watch with a blue face, bought as a wedding and 30th birthday gift to himself, and wore the Linda Hoj metal bracelets that Zoe’s mother had given him as Christmas gifts over the last few years of their relationship. His wedding band, also by Linda Hoj Designs, is 22k gold with two small inlaid grey diamonds.
First Look
Zoe and Ethan shared their first look in the Shakespeare Garden, with Zoe’s parents looking on. Ethan burst into tears the moment he opened his eyes, then asked why she was wearing white, which made everyone laugh.
Right before the ceremony, the couple and their bridal party gathered for portraits with Weddings by Nato, a lively, laughter-filled stretch before the vows.
Ceremony
The ceremony took place beneath the willow tree where Zoe and Ethan had always dreamed of marrying. It lasted thirty minutes and was led by Ethan’s brother and best man, Joshua Zeiger, who wove in personal stories and a few Jewish traditions. A well-spoken, well-read doctor, five years older than the couple, Josh had officiated before, and he ran the ceremony with pure grace. It was a blend of professionalism, family love, and Jewish tradition. Ethan cried harder with each groomsman and bridesmaid who walked down the aisle, greeting every one of his groomsmen with a huge hug, and sometimes a kiss. Zoe’s mother, Linda, read “I Carry Your Heart With Me” by E. E. Cummings.
Zoe and Ethan shared personal vows, with all the things they love about each other, the small moments they fell for, the bigger traits they hope to nurture, and their plans for the future. The day had been windy and overcast, until the moment the ceremony began, when the wind suddenly went still and the sun came out bright over them and their guests. “It felt like magic,” they say. The ceremony was their favorite part of the weekend, and it felt amazing to gush about their love for each other while surrounded by their favorite people. “The ceremony is what sticks out to us most,” they say. “The kismet weather change, the laughter and tears, and the heartfelt vows kicked off the wedding day with such a high and encouraged guests to lean into the warmth and openness of our love.”
Guests told them it was the most beautiful ceremony they’d ever seen, and several said, independently, that “our love was palpable.” Many of the men said Ethan’s vows “made them look bad” to the wives sitting beside them, and one guest said her stoic father cried more than she had ever seen. The wedding bands were a surprise for both of them. Each had secretly designed the other’s with Linda Hoj Designs, and they were jaw-dropping when revealed during the ceremony.
Location & Reception Decor
The couple was drawn to the gardens themselves. The Brooklyn Botanic Garden was the only venue they looked at, and they knew right away it was meant for them. It is full of life yet feels airy, peaceful, and light, with so much to look at that you can take your time with each vignette. They looked to Art Nouveau for structure, its dynamic linework and organic references giving the natural elements a frame to grow against.
Florist Ahna Han had long been a favorite because her arrangements have a delicate power that sets the tone without overpowering the room. Working with her, the couple leaned into the greenery of spring with light touches of pink and white, and they put the free-flowing tendrils of sweet pea, which Ahna grew herself for the event, and the curves of allium stems at the center of every arrangement.
The Palm House, a large glass-walled space that stays bright into the early evening, needed very little décor, which left guests free to enjoy the surrounding gardens. Once the sun set, the lighting took over, with warm tones, string lights up the spines of the Palm House, and shining disco balls that gave the dance floor a dynamic, exciting mood. The décor stayed light but purposeful, with faded sage greens, dogwood branches behind the main table, and Art Nouveau illustrations by Zoe’s sister and maid of honor, artist Amanda Googe, who also painted a large four-panel landscape that held the cherry-blossom-petal escort cards. It was a standout during cocktail hour, and guests raved about it all night.
Reception
Zoe and Ethan’s first dance was to “The Dress” by Dijon, with moves they taught themselves a week before. They kept it simple and silly, with a few dips and spins.
The father of the bride gave a warm, funny speech that pulled the band in for a few musical additions. The maid of honor faced her fear of public speaking to share embarrassing stories about both the bride and groom, and a groomsman, who was the second best man, spoke about Ethan’s childhood antics and the surprising fact that he had found a bride to match his goofiness.
Around 11 p.m., an unknown guest in a gorilla costume took over the dance floor and then left without a trace. The maid of honor had planted the surprise to bring a little weirdness to the evening, just as the couple likes it. They later found out it was their soon-to-be brother-in-law, Chris, who had proposed to Zoe’s sister, Amanda, three weeks before.
The night ended with an impromptu after-party at the couple’s apartment, with thirty friends, loud music, and dancing in the living room until sunrise, a fitting finish to a wonderful evening.
Advice from the couple:
• Look around during the ceremony, take a deep breath, wiggle your toes… you’re (hopefully) only here once and will remember this moment forever.
• If you’re like me, every decision considers all the guest’s reactions… try your best to let that go and plan the wedding YOU will enjoy rather than working around expectations or judgements. In the end, the main thing guests remember is how happy and in love you are.
• Lastly, marry the person that you would explore the world with. Make sure that person laughs with you, makes you feel loved and appreciates all of your details!
PHOTOGRAPHY & VIDEOGRAPHY Weddings by Nato | PLANNER Missy Ruiz Events | FLORALS Ahna Han | JEWELRY Linda Hoj Designs | HAIR & MAKEUP Beauty Icon (Liza Ray) | GRAPHICS AND ILLUSTRATIONS Amanda Googe | MUSIC Jarrell Entertainment, DJ Inflyt + Evolution Band | LIGHTING & STAGING Shades of Grey Production | PAPER Blush Waters
