This Minimalist Bride Wore a Custom Vera Wang Dress Inspired by Donald Judd for Her Marfa Wedding

May 09, 2023

By Elise Taylor

Nine years ago, William Jess Laird reached the register at Columbia University's library café, put his hand into his pocket, and panicked. He’d forgotten cash—the only payment they accepted—and, therefore, had no way to pay for his lunch. Embarrassed, he asked the person in line behind him for money. As it turns out, that was Sarah Levine. "She kindly agreed, and we’ve been together ever since," William says.

In August 2021, William, now a photographer, and Sarah, the global director of marketing and communications at Lehmann Maupin, were about to depart for vacation to Hydra, Greece, where William had an elaborate plan to propose. Twenty-four hours before their flight, however, they tested positive for COVID-19. What was supposed to be two-week vacation turned into a far-less glamorous two-week quarantine in their Brooklyn apartment. William fixated on the ring the whole time: "It was so hard to keep my mouth shut," he said.

So, on day 15—and unwilling to wait any longer—William suggested they fly spur-of-the-moment to Rome. On their final night in the city, William got on one knee in a quiet piazza. "In the end, the proposal was exactly as it was meant to be," he says.

In October 2022, the two wed in Marfa, Texas. The remote town—made famous by minimalist artist Donald Judd, who permanently installed his work in a former military fort now known as the Chinati Foundation—holds a special meaning to the couple, as they often visited William's family home there throughout their relationship.

It was important to them that they plan their wedding around Marfa, rather than the other way around. They set up private tours of the Chinati Foundation, the Judd Foundation, and Ballroom Marfa and worked with mostly local vendors. Then, finally, they just… didn't add much. "We always tried to work with the resources that the town has, instead of trying to overproduce. Marfa is at its best when you just get out of the way and let things be," William says.

On Friday night, they hosted a welcome barbecue at the home of acclaimed photographer and fellow Marfa resident Douglas Friedman. Overlooking thousands of acres of ranch land, guests ate pulled pork and brisket around a bonfire as the sun set. "We got lucky with an electric sunset that wowed our guests," Sarah says. "The high desert landscape is truly one of the most striking in the world."

On Saturday, they wed in the Arena at the Chinati Foundation. Previously a gymnasium for WWII soldiers, Judd restored the building in the 1980s into a minimalist gathering space defined by concrete and gravel. "It's shockingly beautiful in its simplicity," explains Sarah.

She wore a custom Vera Wang dress of silk faille inspired by Judd's clean lines and his philosophy of form, along with a custom tulle cape. "Over seven months, Vera and her remarkable team were so gracious to help me make it into the wedding dress that fit the spirit of the location," she says. One of its most unusual features? A raw edge at the bottom. "Since I knew I’d be walking on gravel in the Arena and on the Chinati grounds, I liked the idea that I could simply cut off the bottom of the dress afterwards." Meanwhile, William wore a dark suit and crisp white shirt by Jil Sander. For shoes, he donned the same pair of white Maison Margiela sneakers that he wears every day.

The bride walked down the gravel aisle arm-in-arm with her mother and father to "Wish You Were Here" by Pink Floyd, just as the beams of light from the windows shone on the crowd below. Then, the couple recited their own vows. At one point, William got so emotional that he "had to take a moment to blow my nose," he admits. Sarah found herself equally as overwhelmed. "In retrospect, I felt simultaneously like I was in the moment and above the moment," she describes. "Something about the combination of the light hitting exactly as we’d imagined, including across William's face—I was sure he’d get a sunburn—the faces of all of our family and friends staring up at us, and the sincerity of the tears from William's eyes. I remember being in disbelief when it ended because I had thought surely the ceremony had been too quick."

Afterwards, they had champagne on the Chinati Foundation grounds at golden hour. ("Marfa comes alive at sunrise and sunset," Sarah says.) Then, they drove away in a vintage Volkswagen Beetle to take in a quiet moment together before dinner.

The reception was held at The Capri, the critically-acclaimed restaurant owned by their friend and Ballroom Marfa co-founder Virginia Lebermann. They asked the local chefs behind Bardo, Michael Servo and Hannah Bailey, to curate a menu of Oaxacan cuisine. (It was perfect timing: the two had just moved into town a week earlier.) The bride changed into a Jil Sander dress and ballet slippers from The Row for the occasion.

Servo and Bailey's dinner was served along five long tables covered with foraged wildflowers. A 20-foot-long dried Yucca tree hung above—a statement, and last minute, decor addition. "Our florist, Cara Crossley, saw that it had fallen by the side of the road and carried it to the venue—genius," Sarah says.

The couple's first dance was to "Palavras No Corpo" by Gal Costa, DJed by photographer Stefan Ruiz on vinyl. Once the party got going, it never stopped—although the couple did pause to cut a 20-foot-long mille feuille. The unconventional wedding pastry was a surprise: "We had never really landed on a dessert idea, but knew we didn't want a traditional wedding cake. Michael presented us with a small plate to taste. It was delicious. He then told us to imagine the same dessert spread across a long table. We don't know how he pulled it off, but it was amazing!" Sarah explains.

The next morning—perhaps after too much tequila—Ballroom Marfa co-founder Fairfax Dorn and her husband Pace Gallery CEO Marc Glimcher hosted a goodbye brunch at their home catered by local café Aster.

Looking back at it now, William and Sarah say they’re thankful their guests witnessed such a significant moment in their lives. However, they’re equally thankful that they got to witness the magnitude of Marfa: "The most important thing to us was to try to create a context for everyone to have their own experience with the art and landscape," William says.

In the West Texas landscape.

The scene outside of the Friedman Ranch (Douglas Friedman's home) where we hosted a welcome BBQ for arriving guests.

We told guests to don their Texas tuxedos for The Ranch night. It fulfilled many fantasies.

We erected a stage out in the field for live music. You can see Haystack Mountain in the distance.

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Caught dancing during The Ranch night. The sunset was electric.

Our friends took the dress code seriously. Here is our dear friend and designer Vicente Muñoz's bolo tie.

We asked our friends in the band The Grand Tourists to play live during the BBQ. They were terrific!

The best BBQ is Texas BBQ—and the best Texas BBQ can be found at Convenience West in Marfa.

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