1. Real Weddings

An Outdoor Urban Wedding at Central Park Boathouse in New York, New York

Michelle Castillo (29 and a journalist) and Thorsten Schier (32 and a journalist) fell in love in a mosh pit, so it made sense to walk down the aisle

Michelle Castillo (29 and a journalist) and Thorsten Schier (32 and a journalist) fell in love in a mosh pit, so it made sense to walk down the aisle to "I'll Follow You Into the Dark" by Death Cab for Cutie. Michelle grew up listening to punk and alternative rock in San Diego, California, while Thorsten grew up in Windhoek, Namibia, playing in a Viking-themed metal band. They met at the Columbia Graduate School of Journalism. When it came time to plan their wedding, they wanted to celebrate in the city where they found each other. After looking at 21 venues, they chose the Central Park Boathouse. “It had the Thorsten's preference for an outdoor space, and I liked the iconic location," Michelle says. "And yes, Thorsten visited all the spaces without complaining.” The two planned a modern, clean, classic New York wedding using a bold gold, white, blush and black color scheme. Their gold and white three-tier cake was made by Magnolia Bakery and each tier was different: a lemon cake with strawberry jam, hummingbird and red velvet with vanilla buttercream. As with any successful New York celebration, the party just kept going, finally ending at a karaoke bar in Koreatown at 3 a.m. Michelle learned a few things pulling together a wonderful city wedding. “Wedding planning is difficult, but you should share it because it helps you grow as a couple," she says. "We had been dating for six years but still learned so much more about each other. Good things—mostly.” —Jen Leahy

Michelle chose black fit-and-flare dresses from Alfred Sung for her bridesmaids.
The iconic New York City venue was the perfect place for Michelle and Thorsten to celebrate their wedding.
"We used black-and-white chevron to introduce a graphic element and keep everything from feeling too soft," Michelle says.
Michelle and Thorsten's 8-year-old Yorkiepoo, Roscoe Jenkins, was part of their ceremony, accompanying the flower girl and ring bearer down the aisle.
Michelle and Thorsten centerpieces consisted of white hydrangeas, quicksand roses, touches of black-eyed gerbera daisies and cafe au lait dahlias. They were displayed in tall clear vases.
Michelle and Thorsten chose a gold and white three-tier cake by Magnolia Bakery. Each tier had was different: a lemon cake with strawberry jam, a hummingbird cake and a red velvet cake with vanilla buttercream.