The Tamesis
Maia found her primary wedding dress at Bergdorf Goodman, where she made appointments with her mother, sister and sister-in-law to try on Danielle Frankel gowns. “Towards the end of the appointment, I tried on Leighton and my sister immediately burst into tears. I don’t usually let other people’s opinions dictate my fashion choices, but her reaction was so heartfelt and I knew that spending that moment with all the women in my life who were there felt so special,” Maia said.
To celebrate their Hindu rituals, the couple went shopping together at Nazranaa, Maia chose a red lehenga decorated with flowers and crystals, and Neil chose a traditional sherwani with a red dupatta (scarf) to match Maia. For Saturday’s ceremony, Neal wore a custom-made suit by Craig Robinson of Brooklyn Robinson.
For the welcome party, Maia wore an ivory suit by Sandy Liang. “I loved the way Sandy combined tailoring with almost coquettish detailing, and how the subtle drop waist of the dress gave the whole look a hint of edge. The party theme was oyster shells and wedding bells, so I wore large silver oyster earrings that I found the day before while shopping with my sister at Mignon Faget, a local New Orleans jeweler I’ve shopped at since I was a kid, and paired them with an Elsa Peretti bracelet that Neil gave me for my 30th birthday,” Maia said. She completed the look with silver-blue Manolo Blahnik floral brocade slingback pumps from TheRealReal.
Her gown also has a story. “I pre-ordered a Rodarte dress with a central floral appliqué from Moda. The week it was scheduled to ship, it was delayed and wouldn’t arrive in time. As a contingency, I made an appointment with Eva Lopez at Cha Cha Linda vintage in Greenpoint, where I had one of the best shopping experiences of my life,” Maia said. “Eva made some pieces in my measurements and we spent the better part of two hours matching floral appliqués and tulle to create something close to Rodarte’s vision. We ended up with something better than I had planned.”
Eva introduced Maia to M&S Schmalberg, “the last remaining maker of handmade fabric flowers in New York’s Garment District, supplying major fashion houses and costume designers,” Maia says. “I went to their studio one afternoon and sorted through boxes of handmade flowers to find one that would complement the light pink embellishment on the dress I chose, which was a vintage David Fielden gown with a very floaty hoop-back detail.” Finally, at the after-party at historic dive bar The Gold Mine Saloon, Maia wore a white leather square-neck Bottega Veneta mini dress.
On Saturday, Maia walked the red carpet to The Cranberry’s “Dreams,” performed by a string trio. “My brother read from Shakespeare and Pastor Alan Barrera officiated our ceremony, which was definitely very relaxed but heartwarming,” Maia said. The newlyweds took a break to Mendelssohn’s “Wedding March” and the Beach Boys’ “Wouldn’t It Be Nice.”
After Saturday’s ceremony, their guests “formed a second line down the street and were greeted by a procession of costumed Mardi Gras Indians, led by the brass band Knockaz,” Maia said. They then enjoyed a cocktail-style dinner at a reception at Brennan’s, featuring pudding balls, raw oysters and turtle soup. Dessert was a Banana Foster – a dish that originated at Brennan’s, and they had a first dance to the Beach Boys’ “God Only Knows,” the song Maya wanted from the beginning.
Looking back on the wedding, Maya shared: “I am shy by nature and have never liked to be the center of attention. To be honest, I never thought I would have a big wedding. With two large families, it was inevitable. But the moment I saw Neil, everything slowed down.” She added: “Everyone from every chapter of their lives gathered in one place was an almost indescribable feeling. It doesn’t happen often. It might only happen once. Standing in that courtyard, during our celebration, I knew it.”
