
Few weddings eminate such a strong feeling of utter happiness and love as Em and Olive’s. From their unique choice of venue to their exuberant parent dances, the couple’s close bond with each other and their community shined thoughout the day. The Housing Works bookstore was the perfect setting for Em and Olive’s wedding, Olive herself being a librarian and the couple sharing a deep love for queer literature.




Getting Ready & First Look








Newlywed Portraits
Smack dab in the middle of Soho, you could feel the city energy throughout the day. As Olive passed crosswalks with her white gown trailing, bouquet in hand, the slieu of “congratulations!” from stranger after stranger created an infectious joy.



For newlywed portraits, we wanted to find a tranquil spot within the city bustle (somewhere devoid of tourists and trashcans). We ended up ubering to an East Village community garden, a short drive away. It was the perfect location for Em and Olive, allowing us to document them in a romantic nature setting, a rarety for New York City weddings. The couple blended in to the greenery and autumnal florals of the garden perfectly.














Em and Olive had a selection of their own LQBTQ+ books on display for the wedding. Even inside a retail space, the couple managed to make it their own.



The Ceremony
Bookstores often illicit a cozy energy, and a bookstore wedding ceremony was no different. With limited seating space, guests took to lining the back wall and crowding the upper level of the store. It made the ceremony feel like an intimate production, the audience watching from above. It helped that the officiant read aloud the couple’s love story in the form of a narrative, Em and Olive being our friends-to-lovers protagonists.









Marriage License Signing




The Reception








Cake Cutting




Dancing

Both the brides made a point to honor both of their parents at the wedding, not just their fathers. Em and Olive walked down the aisle linking arms with their mom on one side and dad on the other. Later in the night, they both performed a dance with their parents as a trio. Em’s song was Marlo Thomas’s “Free to Be You & Me” and Olive’s was “American Pie” by Don McLean .

After Em and Olive’s first dance to Waxahatchee’s “Right Back To It,” everyone crowded the floor, dancing away the rest of the night to gay classics like “Dancing Queen” and “Hot To Go.” Em and Olive’s wedding day ended the way it began, brimming with laughter and excitement.


Details
Venue: Housing Works Bookstore & The Mercer Hotel
Planner: Emily Monus Events
Florals: Flower Aggregate
Cake: Dreamy Figs
Catering: Comparti Catering
Entertainment: Mon Amie Events NYC
Stationery: Minted Weddings
Rings: Automatic Gold
Attire: Bindle and Keep & Marta Marti
March 7, 2026