Wedding Day

Cop Cot Central Park

Ceremony

Sarabeth's Central Park South

Reception

Our Wedding

Lori and Ben met on Tinder on March 8th, 2016. Ben had been using Tinder for several years, while Lori had just downloaded it - making Ben her first date! When Ben realized that he had met the woman of his dreams - a woman who wasn't yet jaded from spending years trying to find love on dating apps - he encouraged Lori to jump ship with him. Lori went on one more date after that, but it was not meant to be (we hope he's doing well!) Ben moved into Lori's Ditmas Park, Brooklyn apartment during the summer of 2016. They enjoyed several happy years in Brooklyn, splitting time between running in Prospect Park, having brunch at The Farm on Adderly (<a href="https://www.bkmag.com/2022/06/25/the-farm-on-adderley-closure/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">RIP</a>), and working on their respective graduate degrees (Ben mostly procrastinated and cuddled with their dogs).

During the summer of 2018, they made the decision to break their lease and move to a studio on the Upper West Side of Manhattan. The neighborhood provides easy access to Central Park, the Hudson River, and several subway lines. They've been Manhattanites ever since, but are excited for whatever the future holds.

Proposal Ben proposed to Lori on April 6th, 2022, in Waxahachie, Texas. On their last day in town, the two of them went on a morning run in downtown Waxahachie. Ben had a ring in his pocket, waiting to see if the opportunity to propose would emerge. When they found a tree-lined scenic trail, Ben faked an injury and got down on one knee like a total cornball. When Lori went to go check on him, he got the ring out and proposed. Luckily, she was looking forward to spending the rest of her life with this cornball, and she said yes!

Our Story

Engagement Photos by Rebecca Chesney

Photos

Wedding Party

Q + A

Use <a href="https://book.passkey.com/go/f2534ef7" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">our hotel booking link</a> for a group discount!

New York Hilton Midtown

Driving in? Park here for free! You'll receive a voucher from Sarabeth's (the restaurant) that you can bring to LAZ Parking.

LAZ Parking

Hotel and Parking

There are infinitely many things to do in New York, so we've decided to focus in the area around our hotel. But feel free to ask if you wish to venture beyond Midtown and want recommendations for other things to do across the five boroughs!

Central Park

We'll be at the southern end of Central Park at Cop Cot, but that's just a small portion of the 843 acres that comprise this NYC landmark! <a href="https://www.nycgovparks.org/facilities/rowboats" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Rent a kayak</a> at the Loeb Boathouse, ride in a a <a href="https://www.centralpark.com/tours/horse-carriage-rides" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">horse-drawn carriage</a>, or just go for a stroll.

Bread & Butter

Located at 25 W 56th St (between 5th and 6th Ave), <a href="https://www.breadandbutter.getsauce.com/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Bread &amp; Butter</a> is a great place to order food buffet-style. And there is ample seating upstairs for large groups. Lori, Ben, and Vicky (Lori's mom) went here during Vicky's last visit to NYC and they all agreed that the food was delicious!

Hudson River Greenway

Walk as far west as you can and you'll run into the Hudson River, along with a greenway that runs the entire length of the island. Come here for scenic views and to get in some exercise!

SPYSCAPE

Romeo (father of the bride-to-be) went to <a href="https://spyscape.com/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">SPYSCAPE</a> with Ben during one of his visits to NYC. Ben's employer was thinking of doing a team-building event at the museum, so Romeo and Ben volunteered to be the guinea pigs. The SPY HQ package is a combination of a museum tour and an immersive spy training experience. As you walk through the different rooms, you participate in mental and physical exercises that the museum uses to determine what kind of spy you'd be best suited as. At the same time, you learn about the history of code-breaking and espionage, from basic word scrambling and decoding to modern era hacking and surveillance. Check it out if you have time!

Benjamin & Laura

Benjamin & Laura

Photos

Engagement Photos by Rebecca Chesney