cutchogue, new york {logo design above} betsywhite.com {photography} Michael Cody {reception site} Bedell Cellars

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When Maya and Brian explain how they met, they always like to say, “We met in the most romantic of all places — a New York City bar.” In 1999, Maya had moved from Germany to New York City for college. She soon began working as a bartender at an Upper East Side bar called Trilogy, which both Maya and Brian sarcastically describe as “an institution well known for intellectual musings and its crème brulée.” It wasn’t the most sophisticated place, but it was responsible for bringing them together. One evening in 2003, Brian sidled up to the bar with a date while Maya was working and found himself awestruck by her beauty and luminous smile. After some respectful flirting with Maya while his date was in the bathroom, Brian received a pointed education on the different pronunciations of “Mia” and “Maya.” It proved to be a useful lesson, since the two fell in love and never looked back. In November of 2008, the couple traveled to Germany to visit Maya’s mother. On the last morning of the trip, Brian suggested Maya join him for a walk up a grassy hilltop she had always loved as a child. Underneath an old tree, surrounded by cows, Brian dropped to one knee and proposed. “It took me a few seconds to realize what was happening,” says Maya, who was deeply touched that Brian had planned his proposal to coincide with her trip home. Living so far away from her family, it was important to her that she could share the news with her mom in person.

BRIAN SUGGESTED MAYA JOIN HIM FOR A WALK UP A GRASSY HILLTOP SHE HAD ALWAYS LOVED AS A CHILD.

After living together in New York City, Maya and Brian decided to move to Eastern Long Island. Brian had grown up there, and both loved the peace and tranquility of the region. They also agreed it would be great for their wedding — Brian’s family lives in the area, and many of Maya’s guests could fly directly from various parts of Europe to JFK Airport. Because they both wanted an outdoor wedding and share an enthusiasm for wine, Bedell Cellars, in Cutchogue, seemed ideal. “We fell in love with Bedell’s ‘modern farm’ architecture and the people that work there,” says Maya. They chose playful and bright décor for the indoor reception, with yellow as the main color. Funky chalk boards identified each table and simple mason jars covered in rustic burlap fabric, filled with candy and adorned with vibrant yellow ribbons, acted as favors. Maya and Brian tried to steer clear of formal wedding traditions, preferring a more relaxed celebration. Instead of a sit-down dinner, the couple worked with their caterers to offer an array of decadent

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FLORAL DESIGN: KAREN LENAHAN KLENAHANDESIGNS.COM (PAGE 42) PHOTOGRAPHY: MICHAEL CODY MICHAELCODY.COM RECEPTION SITE: BEDELL CELLARS BEDELLCELLARS.COM (PAGE 164)

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Their wedding day turned out to be clear and sunny, which made the bridesmaids’ dresses and the many yellow design elements even more vibrant. The bride and groom were married in the shade of a majestic old tree underneath yellow ribbons that blew lazily in the summer breeze. The wedding was made even more special for them by the presence of their son, 8-month-old Maximus, decked out in a tiny hat and polka-dot yellow tie, who had a bird’s eye of the ceremony from Maya’s sister’s arm, bridesmaid Julia. As the sun set over the vineyard and the last bit of sunshine shone through the windows, bathing everyone and everything in a rosy glow, Maya and Brian knew they had come a long way from the dive bars of New York City.

Maya & Brian’s Advice

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hors d’oeuvres and station-style offerings. Not only was the food delicious but it also honored Maya’s German heritage and Brian’s Ukrainian and Polish background. Guests enjoyed everything from schnitzel with browned butter and caperberry to potato pierogis. To pay homage to Long Island, grilled striped bass, sweet corn salad with smoked tomatoes, and French beans were also served.

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