Food Network star and celebrity wedding cake maker Ron Ben-Israel and senior pattern designer Hiro Aihara are married. Their Blue Hill Farm wedding luncheon was preceded by vows at NYC City Hall. Featured as an exclusive on People, Ron and Hiro discussed with the publication their intentionally planned weekday wedding.
Featured on People
The choice to exchange weekday vows followed by an elevated Blue Hill at Stone Barns wedding luncheon was the result of a hectic work schedule and Ron’s desire to forgo a traditional full dinner service.
He told People that he was in the midst of wedding season himself, curating his famed, elegant confections for couples getting married. Dubbed the Manolo Blahnik of wedding cakes, Ron’s work is in high demand through his studio in NYC. Here, his cakes, which are works of art, have been enjoyed by celebrities such as Britney Spears, Uma Thurman, and LaLa Anthony.
Meanwhile, Hiro was busy with his work during New York Fashion Week. However, through bustling schedules, they managed to find an opportunity to take time for themselves and plan their vows at Manhattan’s City Hall with an intimate yet celebratory Blue Hill Farm wedding.
There is something so essentially pure about a weekday wedding at city hall, isn’t there? It strips away at the idea of planning and timelines. Instead, the focus shifts to the root of a story. The coming together of two souls in love, thus committing to a lifetime spent together.
There was one additional element driving the decision for a weekday wedding. The upcoming Jewish holiday was rapidly approaching. Ron and Hiro found a chunk of time in their otherwise hectic schedules and saw it as an opportunity for them to get married and approach the high holiday of reflection as newlyweds.
Ron later told People that his wedding day was “a dream come true” and “a celebration of two kindred spirits from opposite sides of the world who by fate became whole as a couple in NYC“.
The feature also showcased images, captured by me, of beautiful behind-the-scenes moments from their wedding day.
NYC City Hall Wedding Photos
Before exchanging vows, we traipsed through the streets of NYC. Every step became an opportunity for wedding portraits on our way to City Hall.
The waiting area at NYC City Hall has a sense of electric energy to it. It’s filled to the brim with dozens of beautifully diverse couples. All patiently waiting for their number to be called for their wedding. The anticipation is nothing short of palpable. As Ron and Hiro awaited their turn, I captured pre-wedding photos filled with a sense of excitement only experienced in those just before moments.
In the days before the pandemic, a wedding at Manhattan’s City Hall allowed up to 25 guests in attendance. Now, however, they allow up to 4 guests, which includes your wedding photographer. There’s no denying that being one of only four people to witness Ron and Hiro recite their vows and exchange wedding rings, while capturing each extraordinary detail, was incredibly humbling.
The limit on attending guests ensures an intimate ceremony experience. However, that did not deter cherished friends from arriving for a mini post-nuptial celebration, just outside the doors. As we exited the doors of NYC City Hall, friends waited in the wings with enthusiasm and vigor. There were rose petals floating through the air in honor of Ron and Hiro, side by side with effervescent bubbles. All to shower the newlyweds with good cheer and adoration on the next step in their journey together.
Blue Hill Farm Celebratory Wedding Luncheon
The bubbles and flower petals proved to be an opening to the celebration that awaited. Just an hour north of City Hall, and true to Ron’s vision, an elevated wedding luncheon experience awaited at Blue Hill Farm in New York.
The expansive property is a blissful retreat from city life. It offers a place of quiet reflection paired with an epicurious experience.
As a luncheon was prepared in honor of Ron and Hiro, we explored the grounds. Stopping along the way to capture wedding portraits at Blue Hill Farm. All of which aimed to showcase the idyllic, scenic backdrop, driven by Ron and Hiro’s love story.
An Organic Approach to Wedding Florals & Decor at Blue Hill Farm
The decor for Ron and Ben’s Blue Hill Farm wedding was elegant and understated. In fact, it was Hiro’s vision that brought their wedding day celebration to life. He dreamed of exploring the gardens at Blue Hill Farm and stopping to cut fresh flowers along the way. The gardens along the grounds are sweeping and expansive. It’s an almost fairytale-like experience with dragonflies floating through the air and bees pollination the lush flowers.
With a pair of shears in hand, Hiro carefully plucked florals from Blue Hill Farm. This organic approach to decor was directly inspired by the land. The fresh florals were used to create elegant bud vases and arrangements to accent Ron and Hiro’s private dining experience.
A Farm-to-Table Dining Experience
Blue Hill Farms’ scenery is perhaps only rivaled by its culinary experience. To enjoy a leisurely luncheon at Blue Hill Farm for a weekday wedding is to delight in the senses. For Ron and Hiro, their outdoor seating directly overlooked the vegetable fields and herb garden. Filling the gentle fall breeze with a light note of the surrounding sweet, earthy scent.
Plated lunch was courtesy of the farm-to-table experience that Blue Hill Farm is synonymous with, including wine pairings to amplify the flavors and complexity of the meal.
Undoubtedly, the wedding cake, of course, was courtesy of Ron’s artistry as a renowned baker. The wedding day confection was an elegant, white two-tier wedding cake featuring ornate details, including vintage-inspired piping and drapery accented by piped shells and bows. The beauty of the sugary confection represented the pure and austere overall approach that Ron and Hiro took when planning their wedding day.
When it was time for Ron and Hiro to cut into their wedding cake, there was a brief moment where exuberant laughter filled the air. It was exactly then that Ron realized this was the first time he had created a cake for himself.
True to tradition, Ron and Hiro saved the top layer of their wedding cake. Presumably, to take home and freeze, later to be enjoyed on their first wedding anniversary.
The elegant cake made by Ron was just one of the many treats awaiting guests. Custom-illustrated chocolate bars were crafted by Darcy Miller, and beautifully decorated cookies by Elisa Strauss of Confetti Cakes were served to conclude an invigorating dining experience.
To learn more or to book me for your Blue Hill Farm wedding or weekend wedding getaway, contact me here.
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