The Bride Wore a Custom Dress by Hermione de Paula to Walk Down the Delphinium-Lined Aisle at Her Bedford Wedding

Alexandria van Starrenburg and James ‘“Bud” Vallely’s parents knew each other for many years, but it wasn’t until early 2019 when their “kids” officially met, as the latter had been living in China for seven years. “Shortly after he relocated to New York City, and we found ourselves sitting next to each other at a New York Rangers game,” Alexandria remembers. “It didn’t take long for us to connect the dots.”

For Alexandria, it was almost love at first sight—or so she thought. But the couple’s love story didn’t truly begin until years later. “We ran into each other occasionally, but our first date wasn’t until April 2021,” she remembers. “Bud was on a golf trip in Florida and cut it short to make it back in time for dinner, and we discovered we lived only a block away from each other in the West Village.” Bud was on West 11th, and Alexandria was on Perry Street. After their first date, the relationship moved forward quickly, and they were essentially living together within a few weeks.

In 2022, the couple spent the holidays with Bud’s family in Jackson Hole, Wyoming. It was Christmas Day, and after celebrating through the afternoon, they went snowshoeing on the Shooting Star Golf Course. “About 10 minutes in, we noticed a moose resting in our path,” Alexandria remembers. “Bud rerouted us to an open area and before I knew it, he was on one knee…sinking under more snow by the second! It was the perfect Christmas.”

Their wedding was held at the end of the summer in Bedford, New York. “Having grown up in Bedford, I knew I wanted to get married there and have a backyard-style wedding,” Alexandria says. “My father’s property turned out to be the perfect setting. Since Bud grew up in Greenwich, it was also an easy trip for many of our guests.” The bride’s father, Daniel van Starrenburg, is an arborist and the executive chairman of SavATree, a tree, shrub, and lawn care company. “The trees on the property are absolutely spectacular which made for the perfect venue and several trees were planted just for the wedding,” the bride explains.

The couple planned the whole wedding in just eight months. “Once I was connected with event planner Chris Hessney and his team it was relatively easy,” Alexandria says. “Since my mother was going to do the flowers, it was important to me to work with a planner who shared a passion for unique florals and had exquisite taste.”