Elizabeth, actress from Netflix’s You, and her fiancé Nieku, a paediatric dentist, met at a mutual friend’s party and got engaged during the pandemic. They set the date of April 24th for their big day, choosing Hasbrouck House in Stone Ridge, New York as the venue, a sentimental place as this is where they spent their first anniversary.
Typical of any COVID wedding, the guest count was limited to 22, making the whole affair incredibly intimate. Most of the guests were vaccinated and others were told to test and quarantine before the celebration. Check out all the beautiful details of Elizabeth and Nieku’s spring wedding below!
Wedding dress shopping for Elizabeth wasn’t straight forward, she had a feeling that the initial dress she bought wasn’t right. But thankfully, U.K designer Andrea Hawkes, was on hand (via zoom) to create a custom gown and the final result was stunning.
Elizabeth kept her accessories simple and elegant, with a Tiffany & Co. bracelet, which was a gift from her mother-in-law. She also opted for neutral heels for a classic look.
Inspired by spring, the bridal bouquet was the basis for the wedding design, with tulips and daffodils. To add to the sentimentality of the day, Elizabeth had a piece of lace from her mother’s wedding dress wrapped around the stem of the bouquet.
As well as these bright blooms, the venue itself was in full bloom on the big day- it was the perfect spring scene.
Nieku opted for a dark navy suit from Freemans Sporting Club, along with a black bow tie, watch and Oxford dress shoes.
For the wedding morning, Nieku went hiking with a few of the guests whilst Elizabeth had a tea ceremony with some of the women in her family. Before the ceremony, the couple met for a first look and photo session in the gorgeous gardens.
The couple wrote each other letters and exchanged them before the ceremony, allowing them a moment to connect before the hectic day.
Elizabeth used Pinterest for wedding ideas, but says that everything came together when they booked the venue, as all the vendors were recommended by Hasbrouck House.
Luckily, the couple were blessed with great weather so were able to hold the ceremony outside. Their florist, Dark and Diamond, created a stunning ceremony background with an arch of falling flowers.
Elizabeth had her parents walk her down the aisle, and she and Nieku exchanged both traditional an Baha’i vows.
Elizabeth says the hardest part of pandemic wedding planning was that they weren’t able to have all their friends and family attend. But she also says that they were incredibly lucky not having to postpone and that the majority of their guests were vaccinated.
The couple gifted their guests upon arrival with a few of their favourite things; Sadaf Persian tea, Mast Chocolate and Upstate Stock hand sanitiser.
The wedding dinner was held at the venue’s own restaurant Butterfield. The whole space was so cosy and intimate, giving the dinner a very homey feel.
The menu used delicious local produce and the bride’s best friend hand-calligraphed each place card.
The newlyweds opted for a small cake which was decorated with fresh florals and topped with cute animal figurines.
As a last-minute idea, the couple bought a Polaroid camera, which turned out to produce some of their favourite photos from the wedding!
As the wedding was so intimate, Elizabeth says that it allowed every aspect to reflect her and Nieku, a perfect example of how COVID weddings can still be incredibly romantic.
Wedding Team
Venue: Hasbrouck House // Officiant: Rachel Jesien of My Sacred Spine// Bridal Gown: Andrea Hawkes// Hair: Teddi Cranford of White Rose Collective // Makeup: Tiffany Patten of White Rose Collective // Rehearsal Dinner Attire: Reformation // Groom’s attire: Freemans Sporting Club// Engagement ring: Catbird// Wedding Bands: ILACrescent; Catbird// Florals: Dark + Diamond// Invitations: Paperless Post// Welcome Itinerary: Etsy// Catering: Butterfield // Cake: Maxine’s Catering/Bittersweet Bakers// Photography: Paul Simon of Forged in the North