Bride Of The Week: Katie Newman

When you think of a love story, most people think of love at first sight or finding the perfect match instantly. Well, that was not the case for Alex and I. Our love story took time and effort — however, I would not have it any other way because I know we will last forever. We are partners, best friends, and now husband and wife. It takes a village of support, ups and downs, good and bad days to get through marriage each day, but we are ready for it all. 

Alex and I met on Hinge, a dating app, I went on a few that did not work out at all. Therefore, I ended up becoming scared of the “app life,” and did not stay on for long. One man, who I ended up giving my number to on the app, never failed to try and ask me out for a drink/coffee. His name is Alex Adam, and I blew home off almost every time with the”I’m too busy with work” excuse. His consistency was weird and annoying at first; I later caught myself liking it. I finally agreed to meet up with Alex because I had a good friend visiting me from Los Angeles. She demanded, with love, we meet up with Alex because I was so single. She kept reassuring me that if it went badly, we would leave, considering my prior dates. We met at a bar called the “Rusty Knot” where he forgot to mention he was all his friends. I mean all of them for someone’s birthday party….

We had great chemistry, and we hit it off. I did like his outgoing personality and charm. The next morning, around 10 am as I am half asleep still, he knocked on my door with flowers and took my friends and I to a late breakfast. My roommates both agreed he was cute, but old, considering we were ten years apart. He was 32 at the time, and my dating profile said.I was 25 when I was really turning 22…whoops!

Alex continued to chase me and wanted to see me almost every day. He took me out to dinners, museums, and texted me back constantly — I started to realize this is the type of man I deserve and have always wanted. After so many years of living in New York City, especially being from Los Angeles, we all know how hard it can be to find the right person. Truly, I thought he was too good to be true but it turns out, he was the real deal.

After only a few months of dating, my mom and grandmother came into town to visit and I told them I would be inviting an “Alex” to dinner. I told him NO, it is way too early, but he would not take a no for an answer. That is Alex for you. When they met Alex, not only were they glad it was not just another friend of mine that is a girl or co-worker, but a handsome and successful man. They almost fainted, especially my grandmother. We had a long dinner filled with laughs, and it’s safe to say he won them over instantly that night. Annoying, but very sweet. 

To meet on a dating app means you do have to get to know each other, quite literally. You have to become vulnerable over time spent together and there are things that unravel and obstacles you face that you either fight to stay together or break up. One day, my roommate walked into my room when Alex was over and asked me what I was doing for my 22nd birthday. Thankfully, at this point, Alex liked me enough to look past it but he did say “it all makes sense” now from some of my actions. I think that was a fair statement.

Alex’s family immigrated from Romania (just his two parents) to give Alex the best life he can have. Family means everything to my husband and always will. We had that in common. I was at a point in my life I missed my California friends and family so much, and to have his family open his arms to warmly to me for our first Christmas together meant the world to me. I felt like I was at home. Almost six years later, I’m honored to call them my real second parents. They got the daughter they always wanted and I got the New York family I wanted. We are now permanently a pack of four, and I have grown to love them with every bone in my body like my own parents.

Backtracking a bit, after four years of dating, Alex asked me to go on a trip with him to Paris. We have been on many trips to Europe before, but I knew this was the “one.” It was late March, a very random time for us to travel. My family was also acting very, very strange. The plan was to go to Paris and Cassis for two weeks, so I thought maybe he would propose a week in or maybe in Cassis. Knowing Alex, he ended up proposing to me on our second day of the trip in front of the Eiffel Tower because he knew how obsessed I am with Emily in Paris (thanks, Alex!).

He surprised me by flying my entire family out to Paris which was so….beyond. However, my amazing yet American family who never traveled to Europe before could not locate the tower right in front of them and missed it all. They were there in spirit. I remember them all running twenty minutes after it happened. It was a gorgeous proposal I will never forget. Alex was shaking and forgot his speech as he kneeled down on one knee, and I had to physically help him put my ring on. Oh, do I love him dearly.

Our wedding took sixteen months of planning, but it was so worth it in the end. We had a fantastic, patient planner who owns So Smitten (Marni Farmer), a talented photographer (Kathleen Geiberger), a lovely florist (Melanie Ruth), the talented Amari Productions, the established Amy H. Make Up and team, and an incredible band known as Entourage. Every single person who helped with our wedding, thank you from the bottom of our hearts. You made our day perfect.

My family and I ended up deciding on Bel Air Bay Club as our wedding venue, not only because of the obvious beauty it has and a memorable aroura when you step into the building, but for another reason too. When I was a young girl, I worked across the street at a surf shop. I remember starring at the Bel Air Bay Club thinking one day a prince would marry me there. After a lot toads along the way, my prince and I made my dream come true on August 13th, 2023.

It also did not hurt that I picked the most beautiful wedding dress I ever laid my eyes on. I remember trying on about seven Galia Lahav dresses and kept going back to the first one because I knew it was for me and fit like a glove. I cried, my mother cried, my mother-in-law cried and we all knew it. One day, in the future, I hope to pass it down to our daughter and cherish it forever. It is not only an elegant dress with every detail carefully crafted, but an exquisite piece of art to me.

Cheers to love, as it is the one thing that will always conquer all. Remember to stay open-minded and that love comes in many forms. It doesn’t have to be like the movies, and as a very impatient person, the saying “good things take time” may really be true after all….