Photographed by OK McCausland
It wasn’t exactly love at first sight for Edie Berlinger-Douglas and Tuxedo Murillo. In fact, their first date was an arranged meet-cute planned by their parents. Tuxedo, a puppy, was just a year old and had been told by his vet and day-care teachers to start integrating himself with other dogs for his social development. So his dad, Vogue’s casting director, Iggy Murillo, set off on a mission to find him some friends at the Vogue offices. And with there only being just a few dog parents at Vogue, senior fashion news editor Max Berlinger was the perfect match.
The first date wasn’t your typical meet-cute. (Edie, after all, was forced by her parents to attend the date.) Just a few years ago, she gave up her bicoastal life and settled permanently back in the city, meaning she’d been on the market for some new NYC friends. But as an introvert, she recalled that her first impression of nepo baby Tuxedo was one of annoyance. “He’s much younger and has a much more extroverted personality than I do,” says Edie. “He was just so excited and energetic when we met. I’m much more chill, and his energy was overwhelming.” So the bride left the date without even saying goodbye, thinking she would never see him again. But when she got home, she found herself thinking about the eager puppy throughout the week. Luckily for her, Tuxedo continued to follow up on plans. “I kept chasing her until she fell in love,” says Tuxedo.
The more Tuxedo played with Edie, the more eager he was to build a future together with the dainty dog. (Though this could also be because Tuxedo had yet to be neutered.) After begging his dad for days on end, he was finally given the greenlight to propose to his future partner. Together they set off to the closest grocery store to look for some of Edie’s favorite treats, like almonds and sweet potatoes, in lieu of the traditional engagement ring. Once acquiring the goods, they requested another meeting at McCarren Park (the location of the first date), where Tuxedo barked his love to the bride-to-be. It was an instant “yes” on her end. “Before I could even process the moment, I heard myself saying ‘yes,’” says Edie. “My heart knew even if my head didn’t, and I think it’s best to just trust your heart.”
The planning came quickly after their first meeting in July. The bride and groom had only that month to put together this spontaneous wedding, which needed to happen before Tuxedo’s neutering in August. For the planning, they looked to their parents’ work friends, including Irene Kim, Florence O’Connor, and Greg Birkhofer, who all jumped at the opportunity to help. “A nice advantage of being a nepo baby meant everyone was dying to work on our wedding,” notes Tuxedo. For her wedding dress, the bride called up publicist Claire O’Connor at Savi, who helped Edie’s dream look come to life in just three weeks. “I have always adored Rachel Antonoff’s and Susan Alexandra’s work, which I discovered during their Fashion Week dog shows. I couldn’t find anything quite right from the ready-to-wear collections, so I needed something custom,” explains the bride.
Luckily for them, both designers are parents to canine friends of the couple involved in the wedding party, so they had no choice but to agree to the endeavor. It was a momentous first for both designers. “Designing these looks for the bride and groom was absolutely the most delightful job of my summer. It’s so rare to get to design formal attire for a bride and groom who are likely to pee on it,” says Antonoff. Susan Alexandra designer Susan Korn, meanwhile, was keen to channel the spirit of American royalty. “Because Vogue is an American institution, I wanted to create bridal looks inspired by American royalty: the Kennedys,” she says, pointing to the dainty pillbox hat that accompanied the bride’s gown.
The fitting process was surprisingly easy for both the bride and groom. For the groom, his knit tuxedo by Antonoff fit on the first try, and his beaded top hat and bow tie made by Korn finished off the look perfectly. It also went seamlessly for the bride: From the first moment of Edie trying on her gown, which was a knitted bodice with a scalloped hem, ruffle collar, and silk charmeuse train, she knew she had found her dream look. “I felt like myself, but also like I’ve never felt before—regal, elegant, and like a star,” says Edie. “Susan even made me a portrait of Tux to wear as a necklace, which was just a lovely touch.”
The hunt for a venue was a trickier endeavor, after their initial hopes of an outdoor wedding in Central Park were dashed due to availability over the first weekend of August. Soon afterward, however, they were connected with The Surrey, a Corinthia Hotel, which had an unexpected slot available—and as one of the few truly dog-friendly hotels in the city, it was the perfect venue to host the intimate ceremony. “The Surrey was not only super luxe but really refined,” says Tuxedo. “They are dog-friendly, and we felt utterly welcome, from the cute doggie bags (with a squeaky toy!) and the little cookies to the dog bowls and beds provided for us.” Their wedding planner was able to secure them the never-before-photographed penthouse unit of the hotel, which came with four bedrooms to also house their maid of honor, best man, and officiant for the night. And because of the three outdoor patios, there was also room to run around without getting in one another’s way.
When it came to choosing a photographer, they knew they had to hire one of the best, given the likelihood their wedding would be featured in Vogue. (What did we say about nepo babies?) They quickly came across the work of OK McCausland, who had photographed Anna Wintour’s dogs for Dogue a few years prior. “We loved her photos—they’re just so dynamic and a little quirky,” says the bride. Luckily for the bride and groom, McCausland said yes and their dream photographer was secured.
Both Tuxedo and Edie describe the wedding as “magical,” with the couple spending the entire day prancing around the penthouse. While there was almost a runaway bride moment, Edie quickly came to her senses and knew that she was marrying the love of her life, returning for her final fitting in the morning. The ceremony began at 11 a.m. sharp on Sunday, August 2, beginning at the bottom of the penthouse staircase, after which they were guided up by their officiant, Lafitte Antonoff, to their after-party on the terrace. The after-party not only included Sophie James wine for their parents but a cake made by Aubrey Thompson, whose three-tier confection with dog-friendly ingredients like peanut butter, pumpkin puree, and mashed potatoes—all topped off with roses and snapdragons—was a resounding hit.
Reflecting on their wedding day, the couple says it was everything they hoped it would be. “It was exactly what we wanted—something casual, something impromptu, and most of all, fun!” Edie says. Regarding their honeymoon? It will have to wait until Tuxedo’s neutering takes place. But rest assured they will be celebrating at McCarren Park as soon as he recovers.
This article was originally published on Vogue.com.
Frequently Asked Questions
Edie and Tuxedo are dogs belonging to Vogue staffers: Edie to senior fashion news editor Max Berlinger, and Tuxedo to casting director Iggy Murillo. The two met through an arranged play date and later “wed” in a wedding-themed Dogue feature.
Rachel Antonoff designed Tuxedo’s knit tuxedo, top hat, and bow tie, while Susan Alexandra designer Susan Korn created Edie’s knitted bodice gown with a scalloped hem and pillbox hat, inspired by American royalty and the Kennedys.
The ceremony was held at The Surrey, a Corinthia Hotel in New York known as one of the few dog-friendly hotels in the city. The couple secured the hotel’s penthouse suite, which included multiple outdoor patios for the celebration.
OK McCausland, known for photographing Anna Wintour’s dogs for a previous Dogue feature, photographed Edie and Tuxedo’s wedding, chosen for her dynamic and quirky visual style.
The after-party featured Sophie James wine for the human guests and a three-tier cake by Aubrey Thompson made with dog-friendly ingredients including peanut butter, pumpkin puree, and mashed potatoes, topped with roses and snapdragons.
Irene Kim
Irene Kim is a production and editorial coordinator at Vogue. She is also a contributor at Vogue Runway.