1. Real Weddings

A Classic, Garden-Themed Wedding at the Village Club at Sands Point in Sands Point, New York

Noel Maiti (37 and a clinical psychologist) and Tim Honeck (32 and a designer) pulled off a garden-themed fete with a palette of peach, blush, gold an

Noel Maiti (37 and a clinical psychologist) and Tim Honeck (32 and a designer) pulled off a garden-themed fete with a palette of peach, blush, gold and pale green. The California-based couple gathered their closest family members and friends at the Village Club at Sands Point, New York, for a weekend in Noel’s home state. The club’s stunning Italian Renaissance mansion and formal gardens instantly won the couple over and fit perfectly with the sophisticated, old-world vibe they were after. The evening started with a ceremony, which the couple wrote themselves, on the great lawn, where Noel and Tim exchanged vows under a wrought iron arch draped with vines, peach, coral and cream-colored roses, hydrangeas and fresh berries. Cocktail hour was a hit, with Prohibition-era cocktails like the Bee’s Knees and a variety of delicious stations and passed appetizers tempting guests' taste buds at every turn, while a string quartet played softly in the background. Dinner was a sit-down affair and took place inside and outside the Guggenheim Mansion. Diana Gould brought the stately venue to life with tall arrangements of roses, stock, eucalyptus and hydrangeas accented with strands of twinkling crystals that captured the essence of the garden-inspired theme. After dinner, the couple headed to the dance floor, where they kicked off the evening’s celebrations with Edith Piaf’s “La Vie en Rose.” A photo booth was set up for guests to enjoy when they needed to rest their dancing feet, and Noel and Tim sent their friends and family members home with beautifully wrapped boxes of flower seeds to create their own habitat gardens.

Diana Gould perfectly captured Noel and Tim's garden-inspired theme in all the floral details, from the bouquets to the boutonnieres and striking centerpieces. For her bouquet, Noel created a romantic bunch of full pastel blooms, including garden roses, ranunculus, hydrangeas, seeded eucalyptus and more.
Noel wanted her bridesmaids to feel beautiful and comfortable, so in addition to giving them free rein over their accessories, makeup and hairstyles, she had them work with the consultants at Anna Elyse Collections to find a dress style that would work best for their body types. “We had one bridesmaid who also took her dress and had it customized into a design she loved,” Noel says. “The only thing I asked was for them to wear either flats or wedges to make the walk down the aisle easier.”
The centerpieces were one of the couple’s favorite details and an integral element in bringing their garden-inspired vision to life. Displayed atop tall fluted glass vases, each arrangement featured hydrangeas, roses, stock and eucalyptus in cheerful shades of peach, coral, pink green and white. Florist Diana Gould draped crystal strands around the vessel’s base to add an element of luxury to the centerpieces’ overall look.
The reception took place inside the Guggenheim Mansion’s stately dining room and outdoors on the stone patio. Food was a major highlight of the evening, with the Village Club at Sands Point’s executive chef serving up a mouthwatering progression of fresh, flavorful eats. Baby lamb chops, chicken satay and smoked salmon and caviar on cucumber rounds went over big during cocktail hour, while oven-roasted sea bass and honey-roasted chicken with garden sage tempted guests’ taste buds at dinner.
In addition to New York cheesecake with strawberry sauce, Noel and Tim treated their friends and family members to a slice of traditional wedding cake after dinner. Under layers of lace-embellished buttercream frosting and colorful flowers was lemon cake with raspberry meringue. “We chose these flavors to complement the season and our garden theme,” Noel says. “The lemon cake was light and refreshing, a wonderful choice for a late-spring wedding.”
For their invitations and ceremony programs, Noel and Tim enlisted the designers at Perfectly Invited. The team created a custom design, incorporating elements like butterfly motifs and a palette of pastel hues as a nod to the garden and spring-inspired themes.
While Noel and Tim call California home, they gathered their friends and family members in Noel’s home state of New York for their springtime celebration. It didn’t take long for the pair to find the perfect venue, falling for the Village Club at Sands Point after one visit. The Italian Renaissance architecture exuded romance and old-world elegance, while the stunning formal gardens tied in seamlessly with Noel and Tim’s garden theme.
The ceremony took place on the Guggenheim Mansion’s great lawn, overlooking rows of lush trees at the Village Club of Sands Point in Sands Point, New York. Noel and Tim exchanged heartfelt vows under a wrought iron wedding arch decorated with wispy vines, greenery and full peach, cream and coral garden roses, hydrangeas and more. Large stone urns lined the aisles, bursting with berries, stock, amaranths, hydrangeas and roses.
To set the tone, the Vogue Music String Quartet performed as guests arrived and throughout the ceremony. Tim and the wedding party made their entrance to “All of Me” by John Legend, while Canon D served as the sound track for the bridal processional.
With the help of their officiant Christopher Shelley, the pair wrote the entire ceremony themselves to reflect their journey together, incorporating elements like a reading from a children’s story (a nod to Noel’s work with children) and an Irish blessing.