Claude Monet, The Artist’s Garden at Giverny, 1900 · Yale University Art Gallery · Public domain
Claude Monet, Poppy Field in a Hollow near Giverny, 1885 · Public domain
Caption TK
The Portrait Gallery
A Few Likenesses
I.
Prologue
In which the story comes back around
“Not quite what one expected, but once it happened one realized it couldn’t be any other way.”
Donna Tartt, The Secret History
When Shannon was twelve,she stood in Bryant Park on Poem in Your Pocket Dayand read a very angsty poemto a small crowd of listeners.
The library on the same block5was already a place she loved,though she didn’t go inside that day.
The years to come would carrythe details of Josh and Shannon’s stories:a rogue Facebook message,10a nervous boy under a clock,a bundle of hair in a Ziploc bag,and a trip or two on the Metro-North.
On the day Josh proposed,he brought Shannon back to that corner15and handed her poemshe asked her bridesmaids to write.
In May, they get married next door.
Colin Campbell Cooper, New York Public Library, c. 1915 · Public domain
II.
The Day
Contents
Black tie optional. Saturday, May 20, 2028, at the Stephen A. Schwarzman Building, 476 Fifth Avenue.
“If you have a garden and a library, you have everything you need.”
Cicero, Letters to FriendsSi hortum in bibliotheca habes, deerit nihil.
Claude Monet, La Grenouillère, 1869 · The Metropolitan Museum of Art · Public domain
III.
Travel
Tips for finding your way to Fifth Avenue, filed for easy reference.
“I am not afraid of storms, for I am learning how to sail my ship.”
Louisa May Alcott, Little Women
No. i · Arrivals
By Air
Three airports serve the city: LaGuardia (LGA), John F. Kennedy (JFK), and Newark (EWR). LaGuardia is closest to Midtown, typically 30 to 45 minutes by car.
Our recommendation. For guests flying through JFK, note that yellow taxis have an official flat fare of $70 for trips between the airport and anywhere in Manhattan. (This applies only to NYC Taxi and Limousine Commission yellow cabs — it never hurts to confirm with the driver that you are in an official cab before getting in the car!) Alternatively, for our most transit-savvy travelers, you can take the AirTrain at JFK to Jamaica and then transfer to the Long Island Rail Road to Grand Central.
S&J
No. ii · Lodging
Where to Stay
We have reserved a block of rooms at Hotel TK, a short walk from the library. Mention code TK and book by TK.
The library is located at 476 Fifth Avenue, on the corner of 42nd Street. Take the B, D, F or M to 42 St–Bryant Park, or the 7 to Fifth Avenue. Grand Central is two blocks east.
Look for Patience and Fortitude, the lions on the steps. Evening entrance TK.
S&J
Swipe sideways to see the whole plan →
Endpapers · An illustrated plan of the blocks around the library. Not to scale.Your hotel · TK
Sommers · Kaufman
IV.
Registry
Your presence is the gift. For those who have asked, some special things for the home we are building live on our registry.
Ex Libris
Shannon & Joshua
and Ruthie, Keeper of the Stacks
Contribute what you wish, toward whatever chapter calls to you.
Claude Monet, The House Among the Roses · Public domain
V.
Marginalia
Things to do, annotated
“It is for love. You are doing this for love.”
Paul Murray, The Bee Sting
1
The Conservatory Garden
Six formal acres at Fifth Avenue and 105th Street. The closest thing Manhattan has to a secret garden, gate and all.
2
The Morgan Library & Museum
Pierpont Morgan’s private library, three tiers of walnut shelving, six blocks south of ours on Madison Avenue.
3
The Museum of Modern Art
Home of Monet’s Water Lilies, a panorama of his pond that stretches across an entire wall. A short walk up Sixth Avenue.
4
Albertine
A French bookshop sits beneath a ceiling of painted constellations. On the Upper East Side, just blocks from where Shannon and Josh live.
5
The Strand
Eighteen miles of books at Broadway and 12th. Plan to lose an afternoon.
6
Where We Eat
Our favorite tables in the city: TK, TK, and TK.
Chapter VI
Notes & Queries
No. VI.New York, Saturday, May 20, 2028Price: One Reply
Query I. On Attire
What should I wear?
A Guest in Want of a Gown
Reply.Black tie optional: tuxedos or dark suits with ties; floor-length gowns, elegant cocktail-length dresses or dressy separates. Above all, wear shoes you can dance in all night. Our palette is lavender (worn by the bridesmaids, but all are welcome), periwinkle, blush, and deep forest green, should you wish to join the garden.
Plate I. Suggestions for the Evening
Query II. On Themes
Is there a theme?
One Who Loves a Brief
Reply. If you are looking for inspiration, our theme is something along the lines of secret garden library.
That being said, please do not worry if you find themes more stressful than soothing. As Josh’s mother (and Shannon’s honorary bridesmaid), Janet, wisely put it: “The theme of the wedding is marriage.” Our top priority is celebrating with you, in whatever clothes make you feel comfortable and confident — everything else is secondary.
Query III. On Replying
By what date ought I to reply?
Punctual, of Park Slope
Reply. Kindly reply by TK through our RSVP page, linked in the final chapter.
Query IV. On Companions & Children
May I bring a guest, or my children?
A Party of More Than One
Reply. We have made every effort to include partners, companions and families, where possible; your invitation envelope will reflect exactly who is invited, children included. If you believe there has been an oversight (or there are any personnel changes!), please reach out to us directly; we would be more than happy to help.
Query V. On Access
Is the library accessible?
A Careful Planner
Reply. Ramp access is available at the 42nd Street side entrance, between Fifth and Sixth Avenues; a street-level accessible entrance is available at 40th Street. All levels of the building can be accessed by an elevator at the north end of the library.
Query VI. On Photographs
May I take photographs during the ceremony?
An Amateur of the Camera
Reply. Because we would love for you to be fully present with us during the ceremony, we kindly ask that phones and cameras stay tucked away as much as possible. Seats near the aisle come with a small responsibility: please choose one only if you can trust yourself to keep your phone in your lap and the aisle clear for our photographer the whole time. Our lovely photographer will capture every moment, and we will be sure to share the pictures with you afterward. For cocktail hour and all that follows, we would be thrilled to see the evening through your eyes.
Query VII. On the Weather
What is New York like in late May?
A Traveller from Afar
Reply. Usually mild, with daytime highs around the low 70s °F and cooler evenings. The wedding is entirely indoors, but you may do well to bring a wrap for the walk home.
Please note that Astor Hall, our ceremony space, is not air conditioned. (We do not anticipate this being a problem in May, and the marble floors help keep things temperate even in the event of a heat wave. We have tested this ourselves during some of the hottest days of summer and can confirm it is true.) The Bartos Forum, where the reception will take place, does have air conditioning.
Query VIII. From the Household
Speaking for the felines, may we attend? And will there be tuna?
R., a Long-Haired Correspondent
Reply. The Library, regrettably, admits no cats. Even the famous lions must wait outside. Our cat, Ruthie, will attend in spirit. Tuna is not on the menu — we do not wish to add insult to injury.
Claude Monet, Bridge over a Pond of Water Lilies, 1899 · The Metropolitan Museum of Art · Public domain
VII.
Kindly Reply
by TK
“Reader, I married him.”
Charlotte Brontë, Jane Eyre
We would be so glad to know you will be with us. Kindly send your reply, meal selection, and any notes through our RSVP page.
