The so-called “first look” is a romantically sweet but orchestrated element of most modern-day weddings, and Jessie Zarrelli and George Poor knew exactly how they wanted theirs to go. “We wanted our first look to be a private moment we shared,” says the bride. Only her sister was present when the couple secretly rendezvoused on the lawn of the Hasbrouck House, where they would later celebrate with a quiet dinner just the two of them.
“George was so emotional and cried the second he saw me,” Zarrelli recalls. “That was a really special moment.” The bride remembers being especially surprised by her groom’s reaction, as “he’s not normally a crier.” She adds that even though he wasn’t expecting to see her in a big gown and veil, as they had planned an unfussy elopement (he donned a suit from his closet; she wore a vintage dress), she’ll never forget the moment their eyes locked for the first time as bride and groom. “He couldn’t take his eyes off me!”
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