Megan & Zach | Above | Staten Island, NY

“My Dream Came True”

Zach and I met through a mutual friend, Alexa, who is also a teacher and worked with me. Zach had always asked her about me and one day he picked her up from work while I was there to come say hi. From that moment, we both knew something was special. We have not left each other’s side since.

Our first date was at a “Subway Series” baseball game. I am a diehard Mets fan and Zach is a diehard Yankees fan. My one deal breaker is someone who is a Yankees fan, but this day was the ultimate test. He became the only exception.

We were on a vacation in Montego Bay, Jamaica, where Zach proposed. It was perfect because it was just us in our PJ’s, having a night cap after a beautiful night. He used a binder to write special words to me and carved out space for the ring box in the back of the binder. It is a moment I will cherish forever.

ABOVE was the first venue we visited. It was exactly what I was looking for and it was even better in person. The vibe is so unique and modern. The ballroom is to die for with its floor-to-ceiling windows, beautiful marble candle wall, jaw-dropping light fixture with dangling Swarovski crystals, and a chic sitting area right near the bar that has a wall filled with champagne bottles.

ABOVE also has an outstanding rooftop area that we used for our cocktail hour. It has cabanas, fire pits, and a balcony with panoramic views of the NYC skyline. The rooftop space also has an open kitchen and a marble bar. ABOVE was my dream come true!

We worked with Jennifer Finch, the event coordinator, throughout the planning process. She was an absolute pleasure, patient, diligent, and kind. She made us feel at ease the entire time. Jackie was my bridal attendant and helped with everything my bridal party and I needed. Tom Mazzola was our maître d’ and executed everything perfectly. I brought a floor mirror, candles, and greenery for a DIY photo opportunity for my guests to take mirror selfies. ABOVE helped me follow through with that vision and it was a great touch. They were the dream team!

We had a stormy wedding day, but it did not affect us one bit. We had our ceremony booked for the beautiful trellis adjacent to the venue, but the weather did not allow that. Instead, we had our ceremony in the ballroom in front of the spectacular marble candle wall lit with amber hues. It was magical, elegant, and modern, yet classic. We used our centerpieces as décor for the ceremony, which worked out flawlessly and was cost efficient.

The cocktail hour is one of the most important parts of a wedding for us and ABOVE’s cocktail menu is incredibly unique while also traditional. Besides the food we were able to pick, the ABOVE menu comes with amazing additions, like campagnia antipasto that includes an orecchiette truffle Alfredo which everyone raved about, a harvest table with all the veggies, meats, and cheeses we loved, and a variety of wood oven pizzas.

There is a beautiful and spacious room inside the rooftop where Zach and I ate by ourselves and then easily greeted our guests afterwards. All the dishes were spectacular. Among the many crowd favorites were the shrimp tacos, mini osso buco with mashed potatoes, and hot honey-fired chicken with cheddar grits.

I had a timeless black and white theme for our floral arrangements in the ballroom. We had a mix of low and high centerpieces which gave a beautiful dimension to the space. The low centerpieces had three crystal candle holders centered with three white squares and a black band overflowing with white hydrangea and additional candlelight. The high centerpieces had white cylinder vases with a black band filled with white cherry blossoms and complemented with white hydrangea around the rim. We used amber lighting for the candle wall as well as for the LED up lighting provided by our entertainment.

Our first course, a burrata salad, was followed by a pesto lasagna and for entrées our guests chose grilled filet mignon, roasted duck breast, or soy ginger-glazed mahi-mahi. The cake by Sweet Sweet Sue’s comes with the wedding package at ABOVE. We chose a cannoli cake with buttercream frosting and it was a hit! ABOVE also included passed dessert bites and milkshake shots while everyone was dancing so the party never stopped.

We have such gratitude for the staff at ABOVE who made our wedding as perfect as can be. Thank you to our photographer Derek and videographer Tommy who made sure our rainy day was captured beautifully and always kept a smile on our faces. My vision turned into a dream come true with the help of Chad at Carroll’s Wedding and Events. Thanks to John from Neeko Booths who provided a stunning black and white photo booth which was a crowd hit! To our friends and family, we appreciate you so much and love you all tremendously, thank you for everything!

ABOVE Weddings, Staten Island, NY, 718.477.2400, eventabove.com