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Historical Non-Fiction

The Bride: Erica Von Iderstein
The Groom: Michael Riley
Wedding Date: June 19, 2010
Venue: Boston Public Library

For Erica Von Iderstein, meeting Michael Riley was like coming home. Introduced by mutual friends in a bustling SoHo lounge while both were living in Manhattan, they quickly learned they had grown up in neighboring towns on the South Shore of Massachusetts (Erica in Marshfield; Michael in Cohasset) and that they both came from deeply rooted families from the greater Boston area (Erica’s even came over on the Mayflower). So it was fitting that the couple celebrated their June wedding surrounded by the city’s rich historical archives at the Boston Public Library.
Venue – A Novel Setting
With its dramatic fortress-like stone façade set on Copley Square, the Boston Public Library boasts grand Renaissance architecture and a long history, both of which Erica found completely unique and romantic.
Reception – Wide-Open Spaces
From the cocktail hour in the secluded courtyard to dinner and dancing in the Reading Room (where a wraparound balcony allowed the photographer, Lauren Killian, to take photos of everyone dancing), the couple and their 144 guests mingled among the library’s large, open spaces, writing their own history within its walls.
Ceremony – Past & Present
The couple hoped to exchange vows at the same church in Boston where Michael’s parents were married, Our Lady of Victories – a plan they stuck to even though the only available time slot came in early afternoon and created a three-hour lag before the start of the reception.
Cocktail Hour – A History Lesson
To fill the time between ceremony and reception, guests were treated to Beantown Trolley Tours around the city, followed by a pre–cocktail hour at the Oak Room Restaurant. Meanwhile, the couple went to the Boston Public Gardens and the library for photos.
Bridal Gown – Nick of Time
At her first fitting, Erica had quite the shock when she was told her gown couldn’t be altered to fit her small frame. “In the end, everything happens for a reason,” she says cheerfully, describing the Monique Lhuillier gown she found at a Saks Fifth Avenue trunk show just four weeks before the wedding as worth the added stress.
Bridal Gown – Nick of Time
At her first fitting, Erica had quite the shock when she was told her gown couldn’t be altered to fit her small frame. “In the end, everything happens for a reason,” she says cheerfully, describing the Monique Lhuillier gown she found at a Saks Fifth Avenue trunk show just four weeks before the wedding as worth the added stress.
Décor – Card Cataloged
The library motif continued with bright pink peonies and green orchids overflowing from the drawers of a vintage card catalog, and seating assignments printed with a vintage typewriter on genuine library cards ordered from a school supply store.
Stationery – Signed, Sealed, Bookmarked
The highlights of the vintage-inspired stationery suite designed by Cheree Berry Paper were undoubtedly the faux library card that included all the details on the time and location of the reception and the save-the-date bookmark, featuring a trio of unique fonts and a satin, navy blue ribbon tied at the top.
Stationery – Signed, Sealed, Bookmarked
The highlights of the vintage-inspired stationery suite designed by Cheree Berry Paper were undoubtedly the faux library card that included all the details on the time and location of the reception and the save-the-date bookmark, featuring a trio of unique fonts and a satin, navy blue ribbon tied at the top.
Photography – An Unforgettable Moment
While their guests were off on the trolley tours through Boston, the couple arrived at the library for a private shoot with their photographer free to explore the vast historic space hand in hand. Erica remembers sitting together in Bates Hall, a majestic reading room with high vaulted ceilings and green reading lamps, and feeling so lost in the moment that she forgot the photographer was even there.

Historical Non-Fiction

For Erica Von Iderstein, meeting Michael Riley was like coming home. Introduced by mutual friends in a bustling SoHo lounge while both were living in Manhattan, they quickly learned they had grown up in neighboring towns on the South Shore of Massachusetts (Erica in Marshfield; Michael in Cohasset) and that they both came from deeply rooted families from the greater Boston area (Erica’s even came over on the Mayflower). So it was fitting that the couple celebrated their June 19, 2010, wedding surrounded by the city’s rich historical archives at the Boston Public Library. Set against a sophisticated, modern color palette dominated by navy blue, they folded the library motif throughout their details, from a library card and bookmark in the stationery suite to bright blooms overflowing from a vintage card catalog at the reception.