Deena Jajou & Andrew Armenante’s New York Wedding
"Hearst Magazines and Yahoo may earn commission or revenue on some items through these links."
“We wanted an iconic New York City venue that was glamorous and fun,” Deena Jajou says of the choice to celebrate her wedding, to Andrew Armenante, at the Pool in the Seagram building. “It was a perfect backdrop for our theme of Vanitas, rooted in a Wagnerian interpretation of the transient nature of life and the passage of time. And it was a perfect allegory for the death of an opulent, decadent, and debaucherous lifestyle in New York, a life that we were moving on from as we started a new chapter as a family.”
To realize their vision, they turned to their interior designer, Adam Charlap Hyman, who orchestrated the transformation of the Pool with Baroque aesthetics, still-life floral arrangements, and hanging garlands and greens. At the center of it all was a very apropos Romanesque nude sculpture of the couple chiseled in ice, lending a literal metaphor to this concept of ephemerality. “Just as outrageous and beautiful as we had imagined,” Deena says. “We had been envisioning this space for so many months, and seeing it come to life better than we could ever have expected was incredible.”
Below, all the details on the couple’s lavish celebration.
The Couple
Though the two met a decade ago through a mutual friend, they didn’t start dating until a few years later when they reconnected during Covid. Andrew proposed in the fall of 2023 during a trip to Istanbul to celebrate Deena’s birthday.
The Dress
Theater costume designer Oana Botez created Deena‘s dream 17th-century-inspired gown in collaboration with draper Christopher Schramm. The taffeta dress was embroidered with beaded lace sourced from England and featured period-appropriate details like a structured corset and crinoline, and a dramatic train.
The Details
“The blusher and statement veil were a must,” says Deena, who kept her accessories simple with pearl earrings and a necklace and Simone Rocha’s Nano Egg clutch.
The Tux
Andrew wore a custom suit by Drake’s with a Brunello Cucinelli bowtie and Versace cuff links.
The Ceremony
“It was important for us to be married in the church, to honor the traditions of our ancestors,” Deena says of their ceremony at St. Monica’s on the Upper East Side. The music was traditional, too (Handel, Mozart, Bach), but with a twist: The bride made her entrance to Lacrimosa, from Mozart’s Requiem in D Minor. “It’s typically played in funeral processions, but for us, it symbolized the death of our single selves and our rebirth as one in marriage.”
The Reception
The floral team at Putnam Designs transformed the Pool into a verdant grotto, with artful tablescapes, hanging garlands, and orange trees surrounding a nude ice sculpture of the couple, courtesy of Okamoto Studio. “Our guests appreciated their comedic melting effects,” Deena says.
The Entrance
In lieu of a first dance, the couple chose to make their official newlyweds’ entrance in a giant clamshell, to the tune of David Bowie’s “Let’s Dance.”
The Menu
“A big reason we chose the venue was the food—Major Food Group never disappoints,” Deena says of the restaurant company, of Carbone fame, that now runs both the Grill and the Pool. Menu highlights included classics like filet mignon, lobster, and, of course, the famous spicy rigatoni. Cocktail hour took place around a Victorian-inspired shrimp-laden centerpiece—the crustaceans were purely decorative but apparently looked so enticing guests kept trying to eat them. “Which prompted the Grill to provide a security guard to keep an eye on it,” she says.
The Details
“Rather than working with a traditional wedding planner, we worked with our interior designer Adam Charlap Hyman from the start,” Deena says. “We felt tired of traditional wedding design and wanted to bring a fresh eye and different perspective that truly represented us.”
The Memories
“The energy in the room was insane, and I had never felt more love and excitement,” Deena says. “We felt like the luckiest people in the world to have the best friends and family.”
You Might Also Like
