I'm such a fan of restaurant wedding receptions - especially when they follow such a lovely, intimate garden ceremony as with Valerie and Jeff's New York City wedding. The pair aimed to create a warm, romantic feeling for their wedding, and from the looks of it, I'd say they succeeded. Some favorite details from their wedding are the lantern favors, calligraphy love quotes, and candlelit dinner.

SEE THE GALLERY FOR MORE PHOTOS FROM THIS NEW YORK CITY WEDDING FROM CHRISTINA SZCZUPAK.

"Reading our vows in an intimate garden directly in the middle of New York City was amazing," says Valerie. "A true romantic oasis in the middle of the chaos!"

Your ceremony in three words. Romantic, Nostalgic, Spiritual

What was your favorite moment or part of the day? The ceremony was our favorite part of the day! The garden speaks for itself and is beautifully manicured with a variety of flowers and cobblestone walkways. Our floral and event designer created a handmade altar out of tree branches and covered it with fabrics and flowers. She also added green moss covered lanterns for an English garden-inspired feel. Our ceremony was definitely non­-traditional and we incorporated favorite poems and inspirational readings. We also prepared our own vows and shared them while being accompanied by a violin and guitar duo. The moment was insanely romantic.

Valerie shares why this is her favorite photo: "This photo was taken after the ceremony in the back of One if By Land, Two if By Sea. The restaurant has an intimate garden with brick walls and green vines growing up the wall. We were married, more relaxed, and could peek inside at our guests and see the beautiful reception space all set­up. Plus I love how he's looking at me!"

"Our wedding was inspired by Nature and Poetry. We wanted to take our guests from an intimate garden setting on the busy streets of New York City to a classic venue where they would feel almost transported back in time, and we wanted our guests to feel like they were attending a dinner party versus a standard wedding reception."

Why did you choose this location for your wedding? We wanted to create a balance of soft colors, romantic lighting, garden scenery, and vintage details with a touch of history. We found the perfect location in the west village of New York City - Jefferson Market Garden for the ceremony and One if by Land, Two if by Sea for the reception. Both spaces tell an incredible story and we felt instantly connected to them.
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Please tell us about any special details from your wedding. Our vision was to bring a cozy, warm, and nostalgic feeling to the wedding reception, so we took a lot of time to plan decorations. Candlesticks, tea lights, and lanterns were spread throughout the venue to create a beautiful glow and add warmth to the space. We are both passionate about poetry and asked our calligrapher to prepare hand written quotes on parchment paper which were thoughtfully placed around the nooks and crannies of the old colonial. The tables were arranged with hand written quotes and a mix of vintage antique silver vases that included florals and greenery like garden roses, dusty miller, and eucalyptus. The cocktail hour space was also extremely meaningful to us and included portraits, family photos, heirlooms, and a painting handmade by the father of the bride.

What was the best advice you received as a bride? A friend told me to stop all my planning a week before the wedding and just let go and have faith that everything will work out. Try to relax and enjoy this moment to the fullest, because it goes by so fast! Jeff and I also secretly promised to squeeze hands throughout the night to keep coming back to the present moment!
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What advice do you have for other couples in the midst of planning a wedding? Surround yourself with amazing and reliable vendors. Your vendors are a major part of your support system during the many months of wedding planning. Listen to your instincts and use vendors that you feel comfortable with, but also who you trust professionally to bring your vision to life.

Is there anything else that helps tell the story of your wedding? In the end, we were married and everyone was so happy to share the day with us. We created the intimate wedding of our dreams and topped it all off with the Wafel and Dinges Truck at the end of the evening!

Jeff shares why this is his favorite photo: "The entire day was memorable, but cutting our cake was the moment we finally could simply laugh out loud and be silly together. We laughed as if no one was watching!"