Michelle & Joseph at Park Chateau Estate & Gardens

For their Park Chateau wedding, the ballroom reception featured elegant touches of gold, including a mirrored dance floor, and an abundance of white and off-white roses and orchids.

By Lisa A. Flam

Their Story

If not for a bold move on his part, this pair might never have embarked on the path to marriage. It was September 2019 when Michelle Koles, 30, of Tenafly, and Joey Grieco, 30, of Muttontown, New York, met on the dating app Hinge and had a first date at a dive bar in New York City. When he asked about her weekend plans, she mentioned an Alesso concert and casually invited him. To her surprise, he accepted and joined Michelle and her friends at the show. “That’s where we really hit it off,” she says. “From then on we were nonstop.” During their courtship, he embraced her love of food and restaurants, and he taught her to ski and golf and took her dirt biking. “I taught him more of the luxurious side of life and he pushed my boundaries in terms of trying new activities and being more adventurous,” she recalls. Michelle describes Joey as fun, thoughtful and charming. “He makes me feel safe,” she says. “My favorite thing about him is he takes what’s important to me and makes it important to him. I do the same for him.”

The Proposal

In May 2021, the couple took a trip to the Turks and Caicos Islands, where their hotel offered free photo shoots on the beach. Unbeknownst to Michelle, Joey had hired a wedding photographer to take their photos, and halfway through the sunset shoot, he got down on one knee to propose. Afterward, the surprise continued at the hotel bar, where both of their families were waiting with Champagne and balloons to celebrate. “He planned out every single detail and made it the most perfect engagement for me,” Michelle says. “I loved it.”  

Their Park Chateau Wedding

The couple tied the knot at a black-tie affair on October 1, 2022. Love was in the air as Michelle and Joey read their own vows before 240 guests. “Everyone was in tears during the ceremony,” she says. “Everybody felt the love.” Then it was time for the ballroom reception, which featured elegant touches of gold, including a mirrored dance floor, and an abundance of white and off-white roses and orchids. The room glowed with candlelight and, to the bride, it felt like an enchanted forest. The couple performed a choreographed first dance to “Amazed” by Lonestar and the crowd danced the night away. “I don’t think anyone sat down except for dinner,” Michelle says. Toward the end of the reception, an LED robot performer appeared on the dance floor to usher the guests to the after-party in a room that was turned into “Club Grieco,” where the fun continued with a DJ and food stations. Michelle loved her wedding and feels that the entire event was true to her and her groom. “The day was amazing,” she says. 

Favorite Moment

The first look. Her heart was racing in anticipation of Joey seeing her as a bride. “When he turned around, he was in full-blown tears,” Michelle says. “It was a very special moment.”

Favorite Detail

“I loved my dress,” Michelle says of her trumpet gown with sweetheart neckline and flower embroidery. “I felt like a princess.”

What Went Awry

Despite torrential rain, the event was flawless.

Advice

“Take a moment with the groom to look around at all these people who showed up for you,” Michelle says. “Take that all in as a moment of gratitude.”

Honeymoon

After a trip to Bali, Singapore and the Maldives, the couple are now home in New York City.