Coolest venue ever? Marisa and Sam hosted their wedding at (wait for it) a llama and alpaca farm! The celebration was joyful, fun and completely unique. It's no surprise, considering Marisa Morrison is the founder of The Neon Tea Party, a company that's making crafting cool and inspiring people to get creative. The Neon Tea Party provides fun DIY ideas, kits, and classes to help customers make on-trend, globally-inspired products for your home and wardrobe. It's safe to say we are obsessed! Watch Marisa and Sam's colorful and larger-than-life wedding day shot by Kiss The Bride Films and then read on for our interview with the bride to learn more about what went in to bringing this party to life!
How did you meet and fall in love?
We met in Sam's best friend's basement at a party one summer during college when we were both home in New Jersey. We went to different high schools in the same area and had plenty of mutual friends but it took years until our paths finally crossed. We chatted the entire night, saw each other a few other times that summer then went back to school in different cities. We stayed in touch, saw each other occasionally when we were both home from vacations and dated the following summer. We still had a couple years left of school to go after that, but I had a feeling in my gut about Sam and made a power move going to visit him in Prague while he was abroad to show him I was serious. It was a magical trip. Sam booked us flights to Paris, where I'd studied abroad the previous semester, for the weekend and the first snow fell in Prague the night we got back. Needless to say when Sam returned from Prague we made it official. After a year and a half of long distance we found ourselves both in New York and the rest is history.
Tell us how the proposal happened!
It was epic! Everyone says that but Sam pulled off something incredible. Under the guise of us having dinner with his dad and stepmom, I was told to meet him at Pianos, a Lower East Side bar and music venue, one evening in January — the weekend of our dating anniversary. Even though my best friend took me to get a manicure before meeting up with them (so obvious right?!) I honestly had zero idea he was proposing anytime soon. When I got to the bar, Sam said he ran into some friends in the back where the stage is. Our favorite local band, Canon Logic, was on stage and we were the only other people in the venue space. They started playing for us, and soon enough, Sam was down on one knee. After saying \"DUH!\" to his question, in rushed our family and friends (including some from out of town!) for a private concert filled with laughter, happy tears, and lots of rock and roll. My dad, a guitarist, got on stage to play with the band and I got up to sing. We continued the party at another bar nearby with more celebrations and lots of takeout pizza. Aside from our wedding, it was the best night of both of our lives.
How did you find your wedding dress and how did you know it was ~the one~ ?
I knew I wanted something boho and lacy, and I went to five different salons, but Shareen of Shareen Bridal in NYC made me feel at home and taken care of. (NYC brides, Shareen is the BEST!) I pretty much knew mine was the one the moment I tried it on as it was unlike anything else I’d seen. It was unique and flattering and in-budget. The bell sleeves are everything and the plunging neckline worked well with my small bust. It also fit the bill that my shoulders were covered , which was required for our Orthodox Jewish wedding ceremony. In short, it was a no-brainer once I found it!
You have the COOLEST special guests at your wedding: LLAMAS! Where did you get the idea to have a llama wedding and how did you make it happen?
The llamas were the hit of the party! We were looking for a beautiful, rustic venue in New Jersey and just happened upon WoodsEdge Farm from a lucky Google search. Immediately after touring the venue we sat in the car, looked at each other and agreed it was the one! We called our family and bridal party on the way home to make sure there weren’t any major conflicts on the available date and sent a deposit the next day!
We loved playing up the llama theme. We had llamas on our save-the-dates, ordered llamakes (yarmulkes with a gold llama embossed on them), and had a friend bring back authentic llama tassel adornments from Peru for our llama photo shoot. Our guests loved feeding and taking selfies with them at cocktail hour!
We’re obsessed with your bridal party’s all-white look! What direction did you give your ‘maids for their wedding day look?
Thank you! Our decor consisted of a lot of white and lace elements — such as the papel picado hanging in the barn — so I thought it would look nice for their dresses to match. I just told them to get an ivory or white dress as boho as they felt comfortable. I wanted my friends and sisters to love what they were wearing, to feel comfortable and to spend whatever amount they felt comfortable.
P.S. Did you know that it’s an old tradition for bridesmaids to all wear white? It was meant to confuse evil spirits trying to target the bride on her special day!)
Describe the moment from your wedding day that stands out to you the most.
Oh, so many. It’s a tie between our bedeken when Sam marched out with all the men to come make sure I was the right girl (a Jewish biblical custom) and when I performed with my dad’s band and sang to Sam. The ceremony itself and hitting our wedding cake piñata are runners up!
Your wedding reception décor is so bright and FUN. Which is no surprise, since you’re the founder of The Neon Tea Party. Your company’s mission is to make crafting cool and to empower people to get in touch with their creative side through colorful, globally-inspired crafts. Can you tell us about The Neon Tea Party and what your company does?
Yes! The Neon Tea Party is a colorful, crafting education business specializing in pom poms & tassels, fiber arts and other globally-inspired crafts (hence our wedding cake piñata, llama tassels, DIY-ed lace dream catchers and all other handcrafted, globally-inspired elements of our big day!). We teach adults how to craft in-person through workshops and events and online via our online courses and blog, as well as sell a curated selection of craft supplies to ensure you have everything you need to get crafty with us!
How can engaged couples partner with The Neon Tea Party?
We love partnering with brides and bridal parties to teach crafts at bachelorette parties and bridal showers! Even better if we can help brides to create festive decor for their big day or related celebrations, such as tassel garlands or macrame hangings. The Neon Tea Party is based in New York City and can travel the tri-state area to bring the craft party to your celebration. You can find more info on private parties here and contact us here!
What are your favorite design elements from the day? Advice for a bride out their who wants to create a similar vibe at her wedding?
Our favorite detail was the white papel picado garlands strung across the ceiling of the barn. Paired with the string lights they single handedly set the tone in the barn creating a playful yet dramatic look (for a relatively low cost). Our design scheme was boho white lace with pink and orange flowers, so we kept all elements within that scheme plus a few rustic details to tie in the barn vibes. If you’re going for a similar look, my advice is to keep the rustic details to a minimum and prioritize vintage-inspired elements such a small found-looking vases, wild flowers, and lace accents.
What is your best advice for making a wedding FUN?
Don’t take it too seriously! Focus your planning around your guests and prioritize their experience over formalities. Have great music and incorporate details and activities that are truly unique to you two as a couple. Don’t be afraid to think outside the box! After a while, weddings can tend to blend together so adding a unique element that your guests can participate in will make it extra fun and memorable!
If you had to pick, what's your favorite moment from your wedding video?
Seeing all our guests rocking out, dancing, checking out the llamas — all those moments we missed while we were busy being the bride and groom.
See the full vendor list for Marisa and Sam's wedding here.
Check out videos featuring The Neon Tea Party here and contact The Neon Tea Party for your wedding needs here.
Watch more wedding films by Kiss The Bride Films here.