Brooklyn Couple’s Love Blossoms from First Date to California Nuptials

From Orange Wine in Brooklyn to a Surprise Proposal in Rome

A chance encounter over orange wine in Brooklyn ignited a romance that traversed coastlines and continents, culminating in a picturesque wedding in California wine country.

A Long-Distance Beginning

Madeleine Kelley and Amar Singh first connected in the summer of 2021 when Amar, a product manager at Google, visited New York City. Their initial meeting at Have & Meyer in Williamsburg quickly led to a budding relationship.

“After just a couple of weeks, we started dating long-distance, traveling between L.A., where Amar lived, and the East Coast,”Madeleine, who works in documentary film, recalled. “At the time, it seemed natural, and was such an adventure together,”

The couple navigated their long-distance relationship for about eighteen months before deciding to settle down together in Brooklyn.

A Romantic Roman Proposal

Amar orchestrated a surprise proposal for Madeleine during her visit to Rome. Despite the considerable travel required—a five-hour drive and three flights—he saw it as the perfect opportunity.

“It would require a five-hour drive and three flights, but it seemed like the best opportunity for a legitimate surprise,” Amar explained.

Madeleine was enjoying a rooftop drink with a friend at Hotel de la Ville when a concierge unexpectedly led her to a suite. There, Amar was waiting, ring in hand.

“Before I had time to think, the concierge quickly ushered me out onto the terrace, and there was Amar, in a suit, holding a ring—definitely not in Canada! I was completely shocked,” Madeleine shared. “After the proposal, we had a private dinner in the suite, then went out all evening and celebrated with friends at the Soho Hotel rooftop.”

Amar further extended the romantic celebration by arranging for them to stay longer in Rome to celebrate their engagement.

Calistoga Celebration

The couple chose Madeleine‘s family home in Calistoga, California, as the venue for their wedding. The festivities spanned the weekend of June 14, including a sangeet at The Estate Yountville and a rehearsal dinner at The Charter Oak in St. Helena.

“The same location (then called Tre Vigne) as my parents’ rehearsal dinner 33 years earlier,” Madeleine noted. The wedding planning was entrusted to Shannon Leahy Events, who had previously organized Madeleine‘s sister’s wedding.

“Shannon has a unique ability to be both a creative force and a grounding presence–her team can dream up the fantastical while making the process feel genuinely easeful and fun,” Madeleine said. “They brought not only extraordinary vision to the process, but also a spirit of collaboration, curiosity, and joy, which was very important to us.”

The wedding industry is a significant economic driver, with couples in the U.S. spending an average of $30,000 on weddings in 2023, according to The Knot. The Knot 2023 Real Weddings Study