A Glory Day for 2 Hungry Hearts
It was a wedding to remember when Ali Lauren Spizman and Marc Harris Garfinkel said “I do” under a chuppah covered with handmade white paper flowers and dazzling crystals on Saturday, Dec. 13, 2014 — 12-13-14, a memorable date.
The wedding was held at The Estate, a Southern mansion in the heart of Buckhead, led by Rabbi Joshua Heller of Congregation B’nai Torah in front of guests from near and far. With a dream team of wedding experts, every detail was planned to perfection.
Wedding planner Lindsay Pitt from TOAST Events led the team, working alongside the award-winning Tony Conway of Legendary Events and his amazingly talented bunch. Pitt and Conway combined to create something spectacular.
The creative bride and groom knew they wanted something memorable and fun for their guests, friends and family. With the color inspiration of gold, black and white, the wedding was modern and magical on a beautiful December night that was picture-perfect.
Ali and Marc danced the night away and kept the music going with Rhythm Entertainment. It was beshert because this talented musician had just returned from doing a famous rhythm and blues singer’s party in L.A., and more than a decade earlier he had done Ali’s bat mitzvah in Atlanta and Marc’s bar mitzvah two weeks later in Jacksonville, Fla. — without Ali and Marc having ever met.
Partnering with Rhythm for the ceremony was famed jazz singer Marilyn Blackburn, who sang “Love Me Tender” by Elvis Presley as Ali walked down the aisle in a tulle and beaded Allure Couture wedding gown. The ceremony music also included “Just the Way You Look Tonight” by Frank Sinatra, “Somewhere Over the Rainbow” by Ray Charles and “Love on Top” by Beyonce during the recessional.
An accompanying pianist played during the cocktail hour while hors d’oeuvres were passed. The option of a grilled cheese and tomato soup station surprised guests, along with favorites of the bride and groom. A signature mojito was the drink of choice.
The dream team also included award-winning hair and makeup artist Nyssa Green from the Green Room Agency; creative photographer Kristen Alexander, who had captured Marc’s daylong, treasure-hunt-themed proposal based on “Life’s Little Instruction Book”; and videographer Julius Twum of DigiGlobal Media Group, who produced a music video of the wedding.
New York Times best-selling author H. Jackson Brown Jr., who wrote the book that inspired Marc’s proposal, attended the wedding.
A signed Bruce Springsteen photograph was presented to the couple by a close relative, who secured this surprise because they are huge Springsteen fans.
The food was plentiful and delicious. The starter course was butternut squash soup with cornbread on the side. The entree was a choice of Southern fried chicken on a biscuit or horseradish-crusted grouper on a bed of succotash.
The five-tier wedding cake created by pastry chef Ami Dand alternated black and white stripes with gold and was made of funfetti cake with a laser-cut monogram on the top. The cake was plated on gold-splattered paint with a handmade edible flower. Along with the cake, the late-night snacks included truffle French fries in black-and-white cups, a chocolate chip cookie bar, s’mores milkshakes, and monogrammed petit fours with the couple’s new initials.
Ali and Marc’s first dance was to their special song, Springsteen’s “If I Should Fall Behind,” followed by a hora to a mix of Springsteen songs. As the evening continued, guests participated in a confetti explosion and a sparkler exit, which lighted up the walkway as guests bid the couple happily ever after.
Photos by Kristen Alexander
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