Actors Jamie Gray Hyder of "Law and Order: SVU" and Michael Trotter of "The Right Stuff" met on April Fools Day in 2017. Since then, their path to love has been full of surprises. Michael's proposal over Thanksgiving weekend in 2019 was followed by a surprise engagement party full of friends and family. "Thank goodness I said yes," jokes Jamie.
A not-so-welcome surprise came when the pair had to postpone their wedding during the Covid-19 pandemic. “After our first two attempts to get married were cancelled due to Covid, we weren't sure that it would ever happen," explains Jamie. "But, third time's a charm! We kept joking that every time we had to cancel, our ideas kept getting better, so we tried to embrace the changes and have fun with it."
The pair set a final date on June 27, 2021 in the West Village neighborhood of New York City. The ceremony took place at The Carriage House, followed by a reception at Les Trois Chevaux. “We live in the West Village and being an active part of contributing to our community has always been important to us,” says Jamie. “Both venues are local, female-owned businesses and we felt it was essential for us to support them on such a special day."
While the couple didn't hire a planner or coordinator for their wedding, they worked with some of their favorite local vendors to bring together their big day. “Honestly, we didn't find the planning process too stressful, but we learned that the devil's in the details,” shares Jamie. “It can be difficult to try and balance the schedules and needs of your guests with your ideal version of the event, so you have to remain flexible.”
The couple's vision for their wedding? “In a word, intimate,” says Jamie. “Our intention was a small affair, but one punctuated with elegant details that would create a memorable experience for our family and friends. Equal parts laid back and indulgent, we wanted to make sure the day captured our personalities and was full of our favorite things: good food, good wine, and good company.”
One final surprise? While the wedding itself was small with only 32 guests, the journey down the street between the ceremony and reception venues opened it up to a much larger celebration of love—the NYC Pride parade. “We processed through the streets—and the Pride revelers—with a brass band playing Beyonce's ‘Crazy in Love,'" says Jamie.
Ahead, explore the beautiful and celebratory big day, planned by the couple and photographed by Les Loups.
