Maral Eslamlo, a food and hospitality content creator and entrepreneur, met John Hunter Nolan, a documentary filmmaker, in the most unexpected place—a dentist’s office. “I was seated with the bib on and all, when Maral walked in and stole my heart,” Hunter shares. “When I walked out of the dentist’s office trying to figure out the fastest way that I could go back, I knew that something was going on!”
They met in May 2023 and, four dates later, traveled together. “We linked up in Europe for a visit to Amsterdam and Southern Italy,” Hunter says.
21 months later, Hunter proposed in Brazil on an organic coffee farm—a place that reflected Maral’s deep love of coffee and the community it creates. “Some of my earliest memories are of my grandmother making coffee in Iran,” Maral says. “She built community every time that coffee was in hand.”
On their third day at the farm, Hunter suggested they hike to the top of a hillside at sunset for a photo. “I thought to myself, ‘I love that he knows I want a good shot before we leave;’ if only I had known.” After reflecting on their journey together, he reached into his back pocket and proposed with a custom ring he designed with Sarah Ysabel-Narici of DYNE. “It was one of the most memorable and special moments of my entire life."
Wanting to marry before the end of the year, the couple chose a property in Tarrytown, New York that has been in Hunter’s family for generations—known as “The Playhouse,” “Abeyton Lodge,” or “The Rockefeller Estate.” They partnered with Over The Moon The List Planner Marcy Blum to bring their vision to life. “She really plucked the vision directly from my dream and brought it here to Earth,” Maral says. “I knew what I wanted, but Marcy knew how to take my vision and keep building beyond it.”
The estate’s art, gardens, and architecture guided the aesthetic from the start. On August 2, 2025, guests gathered on the croquet court beneath an arbor full of roses and hydrangeas for a ceremony that blended Persian and American traditions. Floral designer Jenevieve LLC created arrangements that felt both romantic and grand, complementing the historic surroundings.
“Our favorite part of the ceremony was when we did our own version of a traditional Persian custom—sofre aghd,” the bride shares. Their mothers brought yogurt and honey, symbolizing both sweetness and hardship. “The honey represents the sweetness of the good times and the yoghurt represents the bitterness of the difficult times and our commitment to be there for each other in both.”
For her walk down the aisle, Maral wore a Varca dress from LOHO Bride in Los Angeles. “I knew it when I saw it, I confirmed it when I put it on, and I loved it when I walked with it.” She later changed into Tom Ford and then Reformation. Guests were encouraged to lean into black tie with the couple’s direction, “Get fancy, be yourself.”
After the ceremony, the space was transformed for the reception. Marcy and her team layered in candlelight, with lighting by Power Posse, creating the exact atmosphere Hunter loves most—where the flicker of a candle becomes the brightest point in the room. Custom dance floor vinyl by Bombshell Graphics mirrored the tile work of the reception space, with linens from Theoni and Nuage Designs, rentals from Smith Party Rentals and Regal Candelabra, and paper goods by Meghan Carey Design completed the look. Every moment was captured by Luis Zepeda and filmed by Gooden Cinema.
The couple made their entrance to “Aroma” by Valeron. “They announced for the first time, ‘Mr. and Mrs. Nolan,’ and Hunter and I strode in and made our way to the dance floor,” Maral says. Their first dance was to Elvis Presley’s “Can’t Help Falling in Love.” “We didn’t plan for how hard it would be for me to move backwards in a dress . . . we realized that we were going to need to improvise.”
Dinner by Sterling Affair featured American cuisine with Persian nods, including lamb, seabass, and risotto. “It was an exquisite meal . . . and we’re no easy critics when it comes to food!” The cake by Pistachio Studio followed before the party fully ignited.
Entertainment by On The Move carried the celebration late into the night. “The DJ put four on the floor and turned the reception into a discotheque that had friends and family, older and younger, all calling the dance floor home base,” Maral says. “The reception was simply the best party we’ve ever thrown and the best party we’ve ever been to.” For Hunter, one moment stood above the rest. “Walking into the room of the reception for the first time was the highlight of the weekend and the year . . . when I walked in, I lost my breath.”
After the celebration, the couple spent the night at Sleepy Hollow Country Club before heading to Bermuda for a mini-moon. “It was so nice to have some alone time to reflect,” Maral says.
