When Liam Mahoney Flaherty messaged Elizabeth Mary Stone on Instagram suggesting they get a drink, it wasn't totally out of the blue. They had grown up in the same Connecticut town, their mothers were in the garden club together, and their siblings were friends.
After two years together, Liam proposed at their New York City apartment. "I had a sense it was coming—I tried to convince all of my friends to search our apartment for the ring at various points leading up to the proposal—but I had no idea when it would actually happen!" Elizabeth jokes. One night, he pretended he scored a coveted 4 Charles reservation—Photoshop-ed Resy confirmation and all—and suggested they visit the roof before heading out. There, he got down on one knee and proposed, followed by an engagement party filled with their loved ones at Great Jones Distillery across the street.
Choosing a wedding venue proved to be a daunting task for the couple, and that's where Over The Moon Bride and Easton Events Executive Director Dawson Mitchell and Eli of Embark Beyond stepped in to help. Despite leaning toward an English garden aesthetic, the team landed on Chateau de Villette, 45 minutes outside of Paris. "I am a New York City gal, and I loved the opportunity to have a mix of both city vibes and country vibes," Elizabeth shares. "Having our rehearsal dinner, welcome party, and brunch, as well as my bridal luncheon, all throughout different bustling venues in Paris was the perfect juxtaposition to the calm and peaceful nature of Chateau de Villette."
The wedding day's design took cues from the venue's grandiose yet ethereal qualities. "Larry Walshe, his team, and Easton made our tent feel like an extension of the chateau grounds," the bride gushes. "The lush greenery and cream and blush-tone florals throughout the tent made it feel warm and inviting!" Cheree Berry Paper set the tone further with several different invitation suites.
With a four-day itinerary being planned, Elizabeth needed help for her multiple outfit changes. Julie Sabatino and D. of The Stylish Bride saved the day for Elizabeth, her mother, and her sister. "I fell in love with Oscar de la Renta’s rosette embroidered gown," the bride remarks. "The second I saw it, I could envision myself walking down the aisle in it. We decided to dye one of the flowers on the back of the gown as my 'something blue!'"
Elizabeth styled her dress with Brent Neale petal earrings, gifted to her by her mother—and an extra special touch, as Brent created her engagement ring and band.
The welcome party, reception, and after-party dresses were all by Patricia Voto and her team of One Of. "The vintage fabric for my reception dress that they had hand-beaded in-house was magnificent—it was impossible to capture just how stunning and intricate this dress was!" Elizabeth exclaims. And the latter look featured white velvet with crystal and pearl lattice beading. "Patricia also made custom gloves with floral detailing at the top to match the Chanel shoes I bought with my sister in Paris during our last site visit before the wedding!"
The nearly 100-foot-long aisle slightly intimidated the bride ahead of her promenade, but while getting ready, Elizabeth practiced walking down the aisle in a sheet mask with a croissant and that immediately put her at ease. Then, Claire Balest took the wheel with bridal glam, as the bride's sister, Justine—also an Over The Moon Bride—dressed in a green Markarian dress and the other members of the bridal party wore Amsale sage looks. Elizabeth also gifted her girls different Jennifer Behr earrings before they departed for the ceremony.
On May 11, 2024, the ceremony was officiated by Elizabeth's Uncle Mike, who kept the service thoughtful, light-hearted, and to the point! "I couldn’t wait to marry Liam, but we’re certainly not the PDA type," the bride smiles.
After Elizabeth and Liam were announced as officially wed, Grand Chemin served a delicious meal under the sprawling tent. And then the band from Élan Artists turned the volume up on the dance floor. The bride's parents and best friends all took turns soaking it up on the stage. One of Elizabeth's favorite moments was when she and Liam were up there, mics in hand, belting Blink-182. She recalls, "I know Zac, our amazing videographer at Current Films, has epic videos from that moment!"
Americans in Paris was the theme for the after-party at Club Chateau. DJ Jamie gladly kept everyone up until 2 a.m. "We had a dessert table Marie Antoinette would be jealous of, mini cheeseburgers, fries, and pigs in a blanket. We are Americans in Paris, after all!" Elizabeth exclaims. "
an absolute blast and an absolute highlight of the wedding weekend."
