An Elegant and Modern Wedding At The Plaza Hotel In New York, New York

Paz Swissa and Sam Friedman were both students when they met at Boston University. The two had developed a friendship before they started dating, but it really was love at first sight. Their first date took place in Los Angeles, where Sam was living and pursuing an acting career, where they enjoyed a comedy show followed by dinner at La Poubelle.

For the proposal, Sam popped the question in bed on the night of his birthday, when he presented Paz with flowers and his grandmother’s diamond in a vintage Cartier setting. A celebration soon followed with friends and family at ABC Kitchen in New York City, which was filled with love and emotion.

Originally, the couple had planned on having a destination wedding at the Aman in Turks and Caicos. The wedding planning process, however, turned out to be too complicated and overwhelming. Instead, Paz and Sam chose to say “I do” right in NYC. “We decided to have our wedding at the Plaza Hotel in Manhattan because, at the end of the day, having all the people we loved most with us at our wedding was more important than the location,” Paz says. “It was such a fantastic decision.”

With a wonderful team of talented people, the wedding day turned out to be a beautiful affair. Wedding planner, Bianca B., handled all the details, floral designs were created by David Beahm Experiences, and Jason Walker and Adrian Toto of Ira Lippke Studios photographed the event.

The design and décor was inspired by the couple’s vision of creating a unique and one-of-a-kind wedding, as the bride and groom (along with their community) had already attended so many weddings of the same caliber.

 “It took us a lot of time and energy to make it feel different–a new experience for everyone who was there,” the bride says. “We wanted a feeling of 1920s Manhattan Supper Club and an upper class social night, but without compromising the true meaning of a Jewish wedding.”

The evening was divided into four parts, with each service a different taste or ambiance to the guests. Part one, which was the Bedekin and Tisch, was Paz’s favorite part of the night. Part two was the ceremony, part three was the cocktail hour and reception, and part four rounded out the wedding with a lively after party. Paz sums up the entire experience with “LOVE. We are so in love.”