Real NK Bride Anne and her wife, Megan, had the most effortlessly cool and thoughtfully curated wedding at the Wythe Hotel. Every detail reflected their love for simplicity, good food, and just being present with each other. One of the most special elements was Anne’s custom wedding look—a design inspired by dark forest vibes and fit for the Met Gala. We were so honored to bring her vision to life! Keep reading for all the details on their day, from the intentional touches to the incredible food (and desserts!).

The NK Experience

Choosing NK Bride

From the moment Anne started dreaming about her wedding, she knew she wanted something unique—something that couldn’t be found in a typical bridal shop. Even before she and her now-wife were engaged, Anne explored custom options that fit her vibe. Some years ago, she stumbled upon Nathalie’s work just as she was launching her bridal line. Her couture pieces immediately captured Anne's attention.

When it was time to shop for her wedding outfit, Anne didn’t even consider the usual bridal shops—she went straight to Nathalie. She felt confident that Nathalie’s bespoke approach would allow her to create something entirely her own. From their first meeting, Anne felt a connection to Nathalie’s creativity and understood she could bring her vision to life.

Embracing Anne’s Favorite Color

Anne never considered a white dress for her wedding; that was never going to be her vibe. She appreciated the classic look and admired how gorgeous her friends looked in their white gowns, but for her, it just didn’t feel right. “It feels fake to me,” she shared. “It would never have felt authentic for me.”

Green has always been Anne’s favorite color, especially a deep, forest green. She was clear from the start that she wanted to wear green for her wedding. During her first consultation with Nathalie, Anne shared her inspiration, embodying the "naked dress" look with intricate embroidery. She showed Nathalie several dresses that reflected this style, and the two got to work!

The Design Process

As a history buff, Anne wanted to incorporate elements of historical research into her outfit. “That was something important to me, and it played a role in shaping the final design.” Initially, Anne and Nathalie considered a bodysuit paired with a skirt. However, they soon realized that having a bodysuit wouldn’t work well under the skirt; it would look awkward and could cause movement issues. They pivoted to a sleek top paired with a skirt, which created a much smoother silhouette.

For the reception, Anne knew she wanted to switch to pants for comfort and ease while dancing. It was actually Nathalie’s idea to turn her look into a three-piece ensemble, which made the transition seamless and stylish.

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Working With Nathalie

Anne had an incredible experience working with Nathalie; they vibed immediately. During their first consultation, they found they shared similar aesthetic ideas about how to move forward. Nathalie's comforting presence was essential to the experience. “Going into something where you're making something and you can't see the finished product necessarily, it's really important to have somebody who knows how to talk you through those moments and make you feel good about how things are going to turn out,” Anne explained.

Nathalie's personality made it easy for Anne to trust her from start to finish. When it came to selecting fabrics, it felt like magic. “She showed up one day and was like, ‘I found this fabric, and I think it's the one,’ and of course, it was,” Anne recalled. Initially hesitant about the beading, Anne had imagined a more matte look—less sparkly and more like velvet. However, Nathalie confidently suggested that the beading would really make the design pop. “I was like, ‘Okay, I trust you. I’ll see this through,’” Anne said, acknowledging that Nathalie was exactly right. Every tiny detail mattered to Nathalie, which made Anne feel special and valued throughout the process.

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Not a One-Time Dress

Although Anne and Megan do not plan on having children to pass down her wedding attire to, she hopes that one day her niece might appreciate it. Their wedding was an intimate affair, with only 34 guests, and they have always envisioned celebrating their marriage further. “We are planning to have a cocktail party in Cleveland, where we’re both from, to celebrate and see people we couldn’t invite to the wedding. We’ll both wear our outfits again!” Anne shared.

Both Anne and Megan frequently attend red carpet events, as they work in theater. “There are always opportunities for us to get really dressed up on opening nights,” she explained. Anne fully intends to mix things up with her ensemble. “I’ll wear the top with different pants or just throw the skirt on because why not?” she added. She is excited to give her wedding outfit a chance to shine again. And we’re excited to potentially see it on the red carpet!

How They Met

Anne and Megan first met in 2017 during a rehearsal in Cleveland. Despite living in different cities—they connected instantly. After a snowstorm, Anne offered her couch to Megan, allowing them to talk the whole night away and start dating two weeks later.

Their relationship began as long-distance for five months while Anne prepared for grad school. “I took it really slowly because I was unsure about maintaining a serious relationship,” she shared. Once Anne moved to New York, their bond deepened, culminating in a memorable moment when Anne accidentally blurted out “I love you” while Megan was sharing her thoughts about a musical. A true movie moment!

Anne didn't identify a specific moment when she knew Megan was the one, stating, “We were always on that path.” Their journey included many discussions about their future, leading to the realization that marriage was the logical next step.

The Proposal

In February 2022, Anne and Megan picked out an engagement ring together, agreeing that the proposal would happen within the year. On July 4th, they enjoyed a picnic in Central Park with friends Liz and Arvind. After the picnic, they took a walk, and as Anne excitedly pointed out historical stars in the Conservatory Gardens, Megan surprised her by getting down on one knee. It took Anne a moment to realize what was happening, as they both talked over each other in excitement. Despite the chaos, Anne said yes, and they exchanged rings, marking the start of their engagement!

Anne had always wanted a classic Tiffany-style engagement ring. When they visited the store, they spent an enjoyable time with an associate, who shared the history of different styles and diamonds. Anne instantly recognized her ring as the perfect choice, feeling a strong connection to it.

The First Looks

Megan had seen sketches of the dress (and even glimpsed it on the hanger the night before!), but seeing Anne fully dressed, with hair, makeup, and jewelry, was an entirely different experience. “That’s my wife!” she exclaimed in awe, especially of it being a “naked dress,” a detail Megan certainly didn’t mind!

Anne had another sentimental first look. Her mom had passed away in high school, so she incorporated small but meaningful touches to honor her—using her mother’s makeup mirror for final touches and wearing her perfume, a special detail she shared with her dad who instantly recognized the scent, moving him to tears.

The Dress Code

The dress code was Met Gala-worthy—guests were encouraged to dress as if attending the event. For the wedding party, the rule was the same but in black.

Anne’s bridesmaids unintentionally matched, both wearing dresses with mesh sleeves, overskirts, and bold fascinators, while Megan’s party wore snazzy suits. Besides the minor guidelines, the women encouraged creativity. They do work in the arts after all!

The Theme

The entire wedding was designed around a dark forest theme, which influenced everything from the decor to the outfits. Guests were encouraged to channel this into their Met Gala-worthy attire if they wanted, and to help, the couple put together a Pinterest lookbook for inspiration. “The vision for my dress actually came first—I knew I wanted dark green, and from there, the rest of the theme naturally expanded.”

The color palette was deliberate: deep green and copper, accented with black and white. It reflected not just the theme but also the couple’s personal style—woven into the way they designed their home and life together.

The main (and most important) theme, however? “Distilling everything down to its simplest, most honest version—something that felt completely us.” Everything was chill, intimate, and centered around what mattered most.

The Ceremony

“We got married at the Wythe Hotel, a place we absolutely love.” The ceremony and cocktail hour took place in their intimate penthouse event space. Then, they moved downstairs to the restaurant’s Cellar Dining Room for dinner before heading back up to the penthouse for dancing and dessert. It was the perfect flow for the night.

“Our officiant was Liz—one of the two people present for the proposal. She didn’t quite belong on either side of the aisle, so we put her right in the middle, where she belonged.” The pair met her in 2018 when she was Megan’s roommate, and early on—probably after a few glasses of wine while watching The Bachelor—she declared that she would officiate their wedding. Talk about speaking it into existence! Liz used her esteemed title to speak about her relationship with Anne and Megan and her hopes for their future.

The ceremony itself was simple and deeply personal. “We exchanged vows, Liz pronounced us married, and that was it—no ring exchange (we already had them) and no unity ceremony, just an honest, distilled reflection of us.” Since Anne works as a dramaturg, she did a deep dive into the historical and cultural origins of different wedding traditions to decide what felt right for them. Some, like the traditional guest book, resonated. “We loved the idea of guests marking their presence, a tradition that dates back to early guest houses and even ancient cave markings.”

The Reception

“Our reception felt like a big celebratory dinner with friends and family—almost like going out to a restaurant together.” The main event? The food! The Wythe Hotel’s restaurant handled all the catering to a T.

“As a vegetarian, it was really important to me that vegetarian dishes were given equal weight, not just offered as an afterthought.” They quickly ruled out venues that treated vegetarian options as something “silent” or secondary. The Wythe was the complete opposite. The menu consisted of an incredible mushroom bourguignon, a flavorful vegetable tagine, and a steak option for meat eaters. “It was decadent—honestly some of the best wedding food I’ve ever had,” Anne told us. Brb, drooling!

The newlyweds had a small wedding cake delivered to their room post-reception, but it wasn’t the star of the show. The true pièce de résistance was the dessert spread featuring bite-sized French pastries, including cream puffs and other delicate treats that were simply irresistible. If you’ve had French pâtisserie, you just know they hit different!

The Special Moment

“This is such an easy answer for me—the quiet time Megan and I had together before anything began. Even before we started planning, I knew this would be the most meaningful part.”

The pair had two hours in their room, just the two of them. They ordered breakfast, drank coffee and tea, and sat together in peaceful stillness before the day’s events—just as they do every morning. “That time was incredibly special—it allowed us to just be before everything unfolded.”

They were intentional about making sure the day was centered on them. Even hair and makeup appointments were planned to start as late as possible, so they could protect their sacred morning time. “This wasn’t just about our wedding—it was a reflection of how we live our daily life.” So, making sure their wedding day included that same sentiment was non-negotiable.