A Simple and Elegant Black-Tie Wedding At The Rainbow Room in New York, New York

Perry Greenspan and Rene Symonds met atop the roof of New York City’s Soho House during the summer of 2009, but didn’t connect until that October.

Rene was living in London at the time and was visiting New York for the CMJ Music Festival, during which he was introduced to Perry through mutual friends. After the festival, the two texted back and forth until Rene returned to New York less than a month later, and the two have been together ever since.

With Coachella being a significant part of Perry’s life, Rene planned an intimate proposal during the week of the festival. On Saturday morning, the couple drove Perry’s dad’s old Mercedes and listened to “Harvest Moon” by Neil Young while making their way towards Joshua Tree for a hike. Once they reached the top, they sat down in the sand and took in the surroundings.

“A plane was flying overhead and I looked at him thinking… if it was ever going to happen, it’s going to happen now… and then nothing,” Perry describes. “I relaxed a bit; and then as soon as the sky was quiet, there he was with a diamond in a box.”

Shortly after their engagement, the planning process for a New York wedding began. Even though they never considered the Rainbow Room as a wedding venue, the couple knew it would be perfect once they walked into the renovation-filled construction site.

It was a classic New York venue that was going to be brand new and modern, while still being classic and glamorous,” says Perry. “I was dead set on a black tie wedding, because everyone just looks better; and once you put the effort into getting that dressed up, it really feels like a special occasion.”

On the morning of the wedding, the bride and groom woke up at the Park Hyatt Hotel, relaxed by the pool, and spent the morning together. The rest of the day went by in a flash, and everything turned out exactly as the couple had envisioned. A rainy day did nothing to damper the mood inside the Rainbow Room, as a stunning chuppah looked that much more dreamlike against the white clouds. Inspired by the Rainbow Room itself, the venue’s colors were used in a design scheme of purples, greys, Lucite and crystal, which was thoroughly enjoyed by a guest list that included Giada De Laurentiis, Flea, and Chad Smith and Josh Klinghoffer from the Red Hot Chili Peppers.

“One funny moment was when Henry Winkler and his wife were invited, but were unable to attend,” Perry recalls. “My mom told them, ‘If you’re in town, just come to the wedding – I don’t care if you come in jeans.’ And that’s what they did! They came by at the end of the night in jeans and rain gear, and we’re so happy they were able to make it.”

Although the rest of the details were a blur of happiness and celebration, the newlyweds remember their wedding as being the best day of their lives.