The Green Building Wedding | Joni + Dean

Hi, I'm Joni! I am the director of a preschool in NYC. I grew up in the suburbs of Chicago, but have been in NYC for 13 years now, so it is definitely home! Dean is originally from South Africa and came to the US to do his MBA. We met almost 10 years ago when he had only been in NYC for 6 months. I snatched him right up!

We love to travel and have been to 15 countries together with more trips in the works. For us there is nothing better than exploring new places together. Last year we got engaged in a magical Moroccan riad in Marrakesh. After all of our travels we couldn't think of a better place to get married than right here in NYC.

What was most important aspect to you about the wedding day?

When we started planning our wedding, we discovered it was really important to us to have a small wedding, where we could make everyone feel at home. With people traveling from all over the world to help us celebrate, it ended up being almost a week long series of events, culminating with our wedding! We were lucky to find the Green Building in Brooklyn that provided us with a gorgeous space and allowed us to do everything completely on our own. We used South African tunes for our traditional Jewish dancing, and bring food trucks to help carry out our NYC wedding vibe. 

One+Night+Cereus+The+Green+Building+Brooklyn+Wedding.jpeg

One moment that sticks out to you?

The moment that sticks out to me most when I look back is all of Dean's groomsmen dancing in front of us during the reception. There is a picture of dean jumping over his groomsmen that I think captures the energy of the party perfectly!

Do you have a favorite photo from the day?

My favorite photo is the one of Dean and I on the stairs outside. He is below and I am walking down to him and he is holding my hand. It is so hard to choose though! It was such a happy and special day that I really feel like all the photos captured a different aspect of the best day ever!

One+Night+Cereus+The+Green+Building+Brooklyn+Wedding (1).jpeg

Any advice for someone about to get married? 

Everyone told me this before and I didn't fully understand until my wedding day, but it does go so quickly. Try to slow down and enjoy as much as you can. Also make sure you have comfortable shoes and can move in your dress! And hire Quyn to capture your day! She is amazing!