Their Story
Amy and Sterlyn first met on Bumble in December 2019 while they were both living in Colorado. “One of our first dates was me going to his apartment to watch a basketball game while putting together his new Ikea couch,” Amy remembers. Since Sterlyn was new to Denver, the couple went on the typical tourist Colorado dates: museums, zoos, hikes, explored mountain towns and went to different restaurants. “We moved in with each other right before the shutdown, and welcomed an Australian Shepherd puppy into our home that summer,” she adds. “We went from a two-household to three.”
Will You Marry Me?
On a crisp December evening, Sterlyn made reservations at Range Restaurant in Denver. As Amy was getting ready, the thought crossed her mind that he might propose, but she quickly dismissed it. “Of course we got every red light on the way there and it was hard to find parking, so I was stressed!” Amy explains. “I thought we were going to miss our reservation. We got to the restaurant and had a lovely dinner. As we walked back to the car, snowflakes began to fall. Since we both love the snow, we walked around downtown before heading back. It felt like the perfect, magical ending to the night, or so I thought.”
Once they were back in their apartment, they started to settle in. It was then that Sterlyn said to Amy: “Can I ask you something?” “I was suspicious and replied to his question with a question, ‘Yes?’ thinking he was going to ask me to take our dog out since that was his responsibility at night and it was getting late,” Amy explains. “He told me to give him a kiss and that he loved me. Still suspicious, I kissed him back and told him I loved him, too. He then said, ‘Let’s get married.’ He got down on one knee and before he could finish asking if I would marry him, I wrapped my arms around his neck, tears in my eyes, and blurting out, ‘YES!’
They decided to keep the news to themselves for the time being, wanting to savor the moment before sharing it with anyone. Since they were seeing Amy’s family the next day, they planned to tell them in person. “The following evening, we met my family at the Denver Botanic Gardens for Blossoms of Light, a holiday tradition we try to continue each year,” Amy says. “We were curious to see how long it would take them to notice my ring. After wandering through the glowing displays, we grabbed hot chocolate and settled into the Boettcher Memorial Center. My sister casually complimented my nails and continued talking. Moments later, she suddenly gasped and shouted, ‘Wait, what is that!?’”
Details of the Day
Amy and Sterling chose to celebrate their wedding at the Park Avenue Club in Florham Park, NJ. “We wanted a clean, minimalist look,” Amy explains. “We didn’t want bunches of flowers everywhere. We wanted to be strategic on how the flowers were bunched together and utilize empty space, so that’s why we included pin-frog arrangements. I wanted our flowers to be something different than what I normally see as a wedding planner in Colorado.”
For cocktail hour, the couple chose an Asian and pasta station because that is their go-to food when going out to eat. They also had a custom Dominican station with tostones, moro de habichuelas and pork, thanks to their venue coordinator, Tiffannie Diaz. “Sterlyn and his family are Dominican and we wanted to include his culture into the food,” Amy says. “We had complete trust in her coming up with that menu and ensuring the taste was 100% accurate since she is half-Dominican.”
The Cake
They decided on white cake with whipped-cream mousse as one layer, and white cake and a chocolate mousse as another since those were the lightest, not-too-sweet flavors. One of the whipped-cream mousse layers also had fresh strawberries. It reminded Amy of the fresh fruit and whipped cream her family used to eat as dessert in the summer.
Amy and Sterlyn opted outed of a ceremony since neither of them likes to be the center of attention. Instead, they had their closest family and friends join before cocktail hour to get to know each other and share a couple of toasts.
First Dance
Their first-dance song was “Strangers in the Night,” by Frank Sinatra and “La Quiero a Morir/Si Algun Dia la Ves,” by Sergio Varga. “We love Frank Sinatra and dancing to Merengue so we had two first-dance songs,” Amy explains.
Her father-daughter dance was “You’ll Be In My Heart,” by Phil Collins. “My parents and I would watch Tarzan growing up and listen to the soundtrack on car rides,” Amy adds. “It was a no-brainer that was going to be our song to dance to. During the song, I started singing and the tears started falling.” Sterlyn’s mother-son dance song was “Barquito de Papel,” by Joan Manuel Serrat because his mom loves Merengue and loves this song.
Favorite Moment
Amy’s favorite moment was the father-daughter dance. “We danced to ‘You’ll Be In My Heart,’ by Phil Collins,” Amy says. “I love Disney and my parents and I would watch Tarzan growing up.”
Favorite Detail
Amy’s favorite wedding detail was her florist: Sarah from Park and Bloom in Hoboken. “She was so patient and creative,” Amy says. “I was having a hard time figuring out what I wanted for décor. I knew what I didn’t want because I’ve planned/seen so many weddings. I knew I wanted something different. She was absolutely amazing.”
Another vendor Amy couldn’t live without was Tiffannie Diaz, the event coordinator at Park Avenue Club. “I knew I was going to be in great hands with her when we toured the venue,” Amy explains. “She helped us create a custom Dominican food station for cocktail hour, she made sure Sterlyn and I both ate on the wedding day, made sure food came out in a timely manner, there weren’t any lines at the bar, and set out and cleaned up our personal items.”
Why Did You Choose the Park Avenue Club?
The modern look, the high ceilings, natural light, first impression of the staff, and the food were all reasons why the Park Avenue Club won Amy and Sterlyn over.
Advice for Others
“Communication is key,” Amy says. “Be clear about what you need, want and don’t want. Pay attention to your words and tone, and make sure you’re being direct but respectful. Good communication helps avoid misunderstandings and builds stronger connections.”
Honeymoon
Amy and Sterlyn took a mini-moon after their wedding to the Grand Canyon. “It was cold, but Sterlyn and I both like the cool rather than the blistering heat,” Amy explains. “Because we went during the off-season, there were hardly any people there. We went to an animal sanctuary, went on a Jeep tour, sat in on the Night Sky talk, and toured the Grand Canyon.”
The Team
Photographer | Kitsul Studio, Brooklyn, NY
Venue | Park Avenue Club, Florham Park, NJ
Planner | Amy (the bride) of Cloud 9 Weddings & Papers, Denver, CO
Day Of Coordinator | Tiffannie Diaz at Park Avenue Club
Deejay | Elite Sound Entertainment, Saddle Brook, NJ
Wedding Dress | Jenny Yoo from Anthropologie Weddings
Seamstress | Donna Beth Creations, Denver, CO
Party Dress | Bella & Bloom, Denver, CO
Alterations | Marie Margot Couture, Denver, CO
Hair | Michelle Elise Artistry, Morristown, NJ
Bride’s Makeup | The Bride
Videographer | Blissfort Films
Florist | Park & Bloom, Hoboken, NJ
Linens | BBJ La Tovola, NYC
Cake | Calandra’s Bakery, Caldwell, NJ
Save the Dates | Minted
Hotels | Archer Hotel Florham Park & Hyatt House Morristown
Transportation | Hyatt House Morristown
