I met Zac in Brooklyn at my apartment on a Sunday morning in October. My friend and roommate at the time, Ricky, invited him to sleep over on our sofa after a late night hang. Interestingly, the night before, I wrote a manifestation as per my mom's advice which I basically took a few moments to say "I am ready for true love,” who knew that it was actually going to work and be so powerful?! When I first saw him, I felt an instant connection. I even texted my bestie Erica "there's this guy in my apartment and I'm getting crazy vibrations". I was so intrigued by everything about him especially his kindness and charm.
We didn't really have a first date, we were both trying to play it cool but still wanted to see each other somehow. Zac started to come to our apartment more and more to practice guitar with Ricky, it felt like I was being serenaded by him through the walls while he was playing songs of Gilberto Gil and Dennis Wilson. One night I bumped into him in the Lower East Side, then we kissed at a bar by a jukebox and it's kind of a blur from there. Other than when he would go away on tour with his band, we were inseparable and in our own world — I just knew he was the one. When I first said ‘I love you’ to him it was very natural. I wasn't withholding it at any point, I said it when it felt right and he said it back. Zac later proposed in a gondola, on top of my favorite mountain in New Hampshire. I couldn't believe it. The ring was made by my best friend, Erica, with a pink raw diamond that looks like rose quartz. We spent the rest of the day snowboarding and relaxing indoors, eating cheese and crackers with hot cocoa by the fireplace.
The wedding was in Newport, Rhode Island, at a place called Belle Mer. Though I wish I slept in and had a huge breakfast, the morning of my wedding was a bit hectic because I had to get up early to finish the flowers. I remember my eyes feeling really tired like I barely got enough sleep, and Zac woke up with a back ache! Some of my florist friends came to the rescue and helped finish the bridesmaids' bouquets. I listened to Beach House and Fleetwood Mac while my collaborator and friend, Candice, did my makeup and my sister in law did my hair. She wrapped gold thread around a twisted ponytail, and I wore a vintage crown that I made out of three wax flower headpieces from the 20s.
We both wrote our own vows and I'm so happy we did. Zac surprised me with how thoughtful, poetic, full of heart, and unexpected his vows were. Our great friends Jeff Taylor and Alex Chappo played their guitars and harmonica and sung "Wildflowers" by Tom Petty and then "Harvest Moon" by Neil Young as my dad and I walked down the aisle. It was magical. Some of the great moments were being introduced as husband and wife, and the huge dancing and hugging circle our guests formed while loud middle eastern music was playing. My ninety four-year-old Nonna made an impromptu speech in Italian which my uncle translated for our guests and, Zac and his dad played an incredible saxophone duet to Van Morrison's "Into the Mystic".
There was tons of dancing and rocking out, Zac and I made our own playlists along with a list of songs for the live musicians to play. It was lot of Ali Farka Toure, the spanish songs of Devendra Banhart, James Taylor, and our friends played Fleetwood Mac, Elvis, Prince, Van Morrison and a couple originals.
Our closest friends, brothers and cousins were our bridal party. The bridesmaids wore all various lace and silk white dresses, with flowery braided, wavy hair. They also wore all star rings that Erica designed and made (Stvdio Brooklyn). The groomsmen had boutonnieres of lavender and thistle and wore different shades of floral print ties and bowties.
For our honeymoon we went to Stowe, Vermont for three days. It was incredible. We hiked, swam in natural swimming holes, cliff jumped by beautiful waterfalls, and finished the days with late nights by bonfires.