Winter in NYC
Weddings are our favorite thing! But, winter is not our favorite season. If you have visited NYC in the winter (why would you? Winter tourism here baffles me) you will realize that there is very little dignity in NYC – sweating under your warm layers of clothes, trying to traverse slush lakes just to cross the street, etc.
However, the holiday season is magical in NYC, and maybe that’s the reason people visit here in December. Churches, office buildings, restaurants and bars, even the city decorates the bushes and trees on Park Avenue. The holiday lights make our dirty neighborhoods sing.
Despite my protests against the indignities of living in NYC in the winter – winter weddings in NYC are magical!
That’s a serious tree! 
Classic St. Bart’s
The Magic of Winter Weddings in NYC
Kate contacted me for her NYC wedding, and immediately threw up a roadblock: she lives in Napa and had limited time to do wedding planning in NYC. Not one to be deterred by a simple matter of timing, I offered her a trial on my day off (because I’m a softy) so she could get back on a plane home after our makeup trial.
Once we met, I knew we were a match. Kate is a trained chef who changed course to work in venues and event planning. When she met her husband and he mentioned he didn’t eat vegetables, she told him, “challenge accepted”! Tons of style? Check. D1 athlete in rowing? Check! Loves food and wine? You bet!
Kate and Brett were planning on a classic, Saturday night, candle-lit wedding at a small brick church, followed by a sparkly reception at the New York Athletic Club (which is loaded with twinkly Christmas trees – more on that later).
Winter Wedding Makeup
Kate is gorgeous and has rich blue eyes and wanted to highlight them with a little drama. As an athlete and outdoorsy gal, she wanted a smooth, bronzy complexion. I worked some copper and bronze shades onto her lids and emphasized her eye color with a copper eyeliner (one of my favorite tricks). We agreed on a moderate strip lash to open up her eyes and add just enough glamour for Saturday night without changing her sporty look.
If you have worked with me or seen my Instagram videos, you know that I’m a stickler for skincare. Since Kate lives in dry Northern California and loves the sun and outdoors, I took the opportunity to massage in a lot of lovely skincare to give her a juicy and moist complexion. Also, she traveled cross-country for the wedding (dry airplane air), spent time the week of the wedding in NYC hotels (dry central heat) and the wedding was in the winter (hello, dry skin).
I love to use B3 Astraea Oil year-round, and it is most important to layer it under moisturizer in winter! B3 was perfect on Kate’s skin under her moisturizer, and I also added a tiny drop to her the Makeup Forever HD foundation I used to perfect Kate’s complexion. Then moisturizer, then eye cream…
To bring in some warmth to the winter day, I lightly bronzed her skin with Charlotte Tilbury Airbrush Matte Bronzer (only the best for my girls), dusting it on with Nars Yachiyo Kabuki brush – just so flexible.
Kate wanted to party, so we did a lip of Fenty Unbutton, a longwearing color in softy peachy-pink, to ensure she could sip Champagne, kiss her boo, and dance all night without fading lipstick. I did stay for touchups after the ceremony and family photos.
New York Athletic Club
I love working at the New York Athletic Club anytime of the year, but it’s especially festive at the holiday season! They have a massive Christmas tree in the lobby. The rest of the lobby was fully decorated with lights and trim, and our huge ready room had its own tree. We were appropriately festooned for the holiday!
Best Man
Kate had the MOST special and gorgeous attendant, her lovely pup Pepe! He quietly sat in Mommy’s lap during her makeup (I couldn’t have been happier), guest starred in her bridal portraits, and proudly walked her down the aisle. SB Beauty is a pro-pup company!
… And a Happy New Year
Enjoy these lovely photos. This might be a quieter winter, as we all stay inside, and celebrate together-apart, but I am very much looking forward to a bright and sparkly winter 2021 for more winter weddings!
Please reach out now if you are planning a wedding or event in 2021 or 2022 – I’d love to speak with you! Stay warm and safe, and let’s all work on making our future safer, happier, and more equitable.
Venue New York Athletic Club
Church St. Bart’s
Photographer Brian Dorsey , Ken
Makeup SB Beauty , Sharon
