A Romantic-Meets-Industrial Wedding in Brooklyn

Over a decade after they started dating, Cory and Max finally tied the knot

Can you know your "type" when you're only a teenager? Cory Zuckerman thinks you can. In August of 2006, when she was 14, Cory met Max Berger (then 17) at summer camp. "He had a 'bad boy' persona while I was more of a 'goody two shoes,'" she recalls. "Opposites attract!" The pair stayed "friends" for two years—but had late-night phone calls reminiscent of any teen romance!—before starting to date when she was 16 and Max was 19. "We were long distance for six years, as we both went to college at different schools," Cory adds. 

But visits, video chats, and joint family vacations (including a cruise with both of their families within the first year of them dating!) helped the time fly.

In 2018, after a decade of dating, Max proposed in the couple's Upper East Side apartment, taking inspiration from Cory's favorite scene from Sex and the City. "I love the moment when Carrie and Miranda are at a restaurant on Valentine's Day and the ceiling is covered in balloons, so Max had my best friends take me to brunch while he filled our apartment with over 100 champagne-colored balloons," she says. He then showed her a video filled with pictures and clips from their ten-year relationship, wrapping it up with a proposal. 

"Max had thought of everything, including picking out the perfect outfit for me to wear to a surprise engagement party with our families and closest friends," Cory adds.

After Cory's sister dropped a hint about the Liberty Warehouse in Redhook, Brooklyn, she knew it would be the perfect venue for their wedding on April 6, 2019. "The views of the city and the Statue of Liberty are incredible, and the industrial architecture was such a beautiful juxtaposition to the more romantic décor we'd envisioned," she describes. The couple planned the Brooklyn wedding themselves, with Cory's mom and sister playing a major role alongside the venue's in-house coordinator. The result was a stunning event featuring soft fairy lights and lush white and ivory flowers alongside the industrial city venue. 

"The decor softened the space so beautifully," says the bride.

Keep reading to see all the details from Cory and Max's romantic Brooklyn wedding, as photographed by Pat Furey Photography!

The subtle texture of letterpress gave the couple's invitations an airy and modern feel that was enhanced by a sheer vellum overlay.

Cory's bridesmaids donned matching robes as they tossed confetti in celebration of their BFF's big day.

Though two other gowns nearly made the cut, Cory says she is happy she held out until she found this Maggie Sottero wedding dress, featuring lace appliqués, a scalloped hem, and beaded straps. "The sample I tried was actually in champagne, not white, but everything about it was so perfect that I took the plunge and ordered it without seeing the white version in person," says Cory. She paired her dress with ivory satin Manolo Blahnik pumps, a gift from bridesmaids Danielle (of We Wore What!) and Samantha.

Cory's bridesmaids wore shades of silver, with each choosing their own floor-length gown in a fabric and silhouette that suited them best. "They are all so fashionable, so I wanted to give them the freedom to pick something they loved," Cory explains. The women all carried white bouquets of roses, ranunculus, sweet pea, and muscari. The flower girl, Sloane, paired her lace and tulle dress with a top knot and star-embellished sneakers.

Max looked classic in a navy tuxedo with black lapels and a black bowtie, chosen to coordinate with the groomsmen's black tuxedos. "He wore a Cartier Roadster watch that used to be my father's," says Cory. "My dad had it refurbished and put on a new leather band, then gave it to him as a wedding gift."

"The planning process was overwhelming for me, but Max took to it so easily," Cory admits. "He helped handle all the decisions and kept us on track!"

Before their Brooklyn wedding ceremony, Max and Cory gathered with their families to read and sign a colorfully illustrated ketubah.

Ivory curtains parted to reveal an aisle edged in sprawling greenery. Two columns held overflowing arrangements of white and blush flowers and vibrant greenery, accented with climbing branches. The candle-lit aisle led to a stunning floral chuppah made up of roses, hydrangeas, garden roses, and white cherry blossoms (a fitting choice for the spring season!).

Following Jewish tradition, Cory walked down the aisle with both her mother and father, choosing an instrumental version of "She" by Charles Aznavour for her grand entrance.

"After ten years together, Max and I have really started to think alike," says Cory. "We wrote our own vows, and started them in almost exactly the same way!" They each began with a sentiment about their future together being as incredible as the decade they've already shared. After they broke the glass and shared their first kiss, they recessed back down the aisle to Beyoncé and Jay-Z's "Crazy in Love."

Guests' table assignments were hand-written on an acrylic board that was decorated with trailing greenery and lush white blooms.

Sparklers glowed as the couple made their grand entrance and headed to the dance floor for their first dance. The evening's entertainment featued an Israeli DJ, who spun alongside an electric violinist and a drummer.

Cory raves about the delicious food at the Liberty Warehouse, which guests enjoyed at tables decorated with lush and romantic centerpieces. Round tables were topped with sprays of white cherry blossoms, while bare wooden tables featured low arrangements of lisianthus and roses between gray taper candles. The head table was topped with an elevated installation of greenery, complete with votive candles in hanging glass orbs.

Guests swarmed the dance floor for the Hora, then stayed there all night long. "Max's mom surprised us with a 'Fiddler On the Roof'-inspired performance —none of us had any idea it was going to happen!" says Cory. The bride's family is Israeli, so plenty of Israeli music was woven in between top 40 hits. "You could feel the energy vibrating through the floor!" Cory recalls. "The whole day was so much fun, and was so incredibly special."  cheap ball dresses nz