Chic and Moody New York Wedding: Enchanted Garden Meets Literary Speakeasy

Attention, book enthusiasts: your love for literature can beautifully intertwine with your love story. Sherri-Anne and Rawle’s literary speakeasy wedding in NYC was an evocative, heartfelt event from start to finish. “I didn’t envision my wedding growing up; much of the celebration unfolded naturally,” says bride Sherri-Anne about how the aesthetic developed. “Initially, we considered a simple city hall ceremony and a small dinner with close friends. But gradually, the concept of what we wanted the event to be started to take shape.” With guidance from Sara Landon Events, this vision became a reality, featuring a stunning indoor garden filled with lush greenery for the ceremony at The Beekman Hotel, and a reception at Maxwell Social, highlighting the venue’s book-filled library speakeasy, glowing with candlelight and decorated with books and custom bookmarks as escort cards.

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“We both realized that we wanted to create something that reflected our shared taste and also created a space of intimacy, joy, and wonder for our closest family and friends,” Sherri-Anne adds. “The enchanted garden theme for the ceremony grew from this desire, and we couldn’t be happier with the way that it ultimately came together.”

You’ll see it in these photos from Claudia Oliver: each beat of the day felt like its own unique chapter, anchored in the couple’s chic + curated literary energy. Oh, and Sherri-Anne’s two Danielle Frankel wedding dresses?? Flawless high fashion brilliance.

“A sublime thread ran throughout the celebration: ‘Thank you for being part of our story,’” recalls Sara of Sara Landon Events.

So, QUICK — find a cozy chair and grab your reading glasses: this one’s a real page turner!

Behold: the brilliance that was this wedding’s moody, modern floral design by AP Bio. Loving the combo of those deep purples (those orchids + calla lilies!!) with the cascading fresh green blooms.

“I often joke that I am a bit of a walking oxymoron,” bride Sherri-Anne says. “I am a fashion girly who gravitates toward unique, eye-catching pieces, yet I am also quite shy and do not love being the center of attention.”

“My wedding outfits became a major conversation between Rawle and me, especially since he also loves fashion and always wants me to feel my best. I went back and forth for weeks trying to decide whether I wanted a dress I knew everyone would love or one that made more of a statement, even if it might be a little polarizing.”

“He helped me realize that I wanted the day to be a moment where I stepped into the woman I want to become, embracing every part of my personality and not shrinking away from the attention my fashion choices sometimes bring.”

“I fell in love with Danielle Frankel’s artistry and approach to bridal design. After a while, I knew I wanted to wear her pieces on my wedding day, and once that decision was made, I went all in. I bought both outfits from the New York City atelier.”

“For the ceremony, I chose the Miller dress. I loved the silk wool bodice paired with the linen skirt, the unexpected combination of materials, and the beautiful structure of the silhouette.”

“My gloves were custom, hand-painted, opera-length tulle, and wearing them felt like stepping directly into the enchanted garden our team created.”

“For the ceremony, I wore a Tom Ford tuxedo centered around the Shelton dinner jacket in an ivory wool–mohair blend,” recalls groom Rawle.

“I wanted something classic but with a subtle point of view, and the satin-trimmed shawl lapels struck that balance perfectly. I paired it with Tom Ford trousers, shirt, and tie for a streamlined look, and finished the outfit with black velvet formal slippers from To Boot New York.”

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“One special detail for me was the watch choice. I’ve been a watch enthusiast for years, and a long time ago I had quietly set aside the Jaeger-LeCoultre Master Ultra Thin Date as the one I hoped to wear on my wedding day. I’ve always appreciated its clean proportions and understated design, and it was a joy to wear it for the first time at such an important moment.”

The First Look

“A particularly meaningful detail for me was the pin Sherri-Anne surprised me with for my boutonniere,” Rawle says of his day-of groom gift from Sherri-Anne. “It was a custom pin with a photo of my mother. She was an essential part of my life and passed away from cancer a few years ago.”

“My mother is the person who shaped so much of who I am, including the kind of man who could be a good partner to someone like my wife. Having that pin was a way to keep her close during such an important moment, and it meant more to me than I can fully express.”

Inside the Enchanted Garden

This lush, verdant, cascading indoor garden floral world has us Completely. Speechless.

We LOVE that officiant Hope from A More Perfect Union added so much to Sherri-Anne + Rawle’s “I do’s with the unique + meaningful ceremony idea of a ring warming.

How amazing is this bridal accessory moment from Sherri-Anne: “My earrings were real chrysanthemums preserved in matte resin by a designer in Madrid named IKOYOU.”

POV: You get married inside an architectural marvel. The Beekman Hotel is a must-see for any historic building enthusiasts visiting NYC.

“The book theme grew from that moment. We loved how the book and floral centerpieces uniquely fit the space, and the deep burgundy florals from AP Bio added just the right amount of moodiness for the reception dinner and the enchanted evening atmosphere of the ceremony.”

“We also loved watching the seating assignment display come together. Sara Landon Events hand-wrote each guest’s name on the book covers, and it became such a subtly chic and beautifully personal detail. It was one of those touches that felt simple but incredibly meaningful once we saw it in the space.”

“We absolutely loved giving our friends and family bookmarks engraved with a short note from us in our own handwriting,” say Sherri-Anne + Rawle of these lovely literary wedding guest favors. “The bookmarks were custom-made in lightly patina-ed brass with our note laser-etched in our handwriting. It fit the book theme perfectly, but more importantly, it allowed us to share something that felt personal and sincere. “Thank you for being a part of our story” became the quiet thread running through the entire evening. We wanted our guests to feel seen and appreciated.”

“The reception outfit felt uniquely chic in a way that felt true to me, and I was genuinely honored to be the first bride to wear it,” Sherri-Anne says of this STUNNING bridal separates look. “I chose the Veda corset in linen organza paired with the Cosette skirt.”

“I knew I wanted a fun, vintage-feeling earring to complete the look, and I scoured the internet for months. When I found vintage Chantal Thomass pearl chandelier earrings on Vestiaire, I knew they were the perfect finishing touch. For both outfits, I wore the Kennedy shoes also by Danielle Frankel, which tied everything together beautifully.”

“For the reception, I changed into a Ralph Lauren Purple Label dinner jacket in black velvet,” Rawle shares. “It offered a richer texture and a more evening-forward feel, a small shift that helped mark the transition from ceremony to celebration while still keeping everything timeless.”

Smith Party Rentals and Prop N Soon came together to bedeck the library speakeasy in rich decor details.

If you’re feeling drawn in by the dramatic, moody vibes and gentle Dark Academia aesthetic of these bell jar floral centerpieces, you need to see this celestial gothic LA wedding and this moody Dark Academia museum wedding.

“We left for Italy two days after the wedding and spent a few days soaking up Milan before driving to Lake Como,” Sherri-Anne says of the Italian honeymoon that followed this gorgeous day. “Lake Como is what Rawle calls ‘aggressively beautiful,’ because the scenery truly felt like it was attacking us with perfection from every angle. We had no choice but to wander around in awe, wondering how a place like that even exists. Well, wander and shop, of course.”

What’s more opulent than edible gold leaf on a wedding cake?

Book worms, head straight to this whimsical literary wine country wedding and this warm + dreamy Minneapolis wedding full of books for even more literary wedding inspo.

(Oh, and make sure to bookmark our roundup of the best gifts for book lovers, too 😉📚)

Congratulations, Sherri-Anne + Rawle! Thank you for sharing this moody + lush chapter of your life-long love story with us! Wishing you both nothing but the best!