Tiler Peck and Roman Mejia’s New York City Wedding Was a Balletic Love Story for the Ages
On June 22, Tiler Peck—one of the most accomplished and magnetic ballerinas of her generation, and a principal dancer with New York City Ballet since 2009—married fellow principal Roman Mejia. While Tiler has become a star through sheer brilliance and discipline, Roman was quite literally born into the world of dance—his father, Paul Mejia, performed with NYCB in the 1960s. Together, the couple represents not just a love story, but a new chapter in ballet’s living history. “We had the best day of our lives with the people we love the most and took in every single moment,” Tiler says.
The day began with a private first look inside the David H. Koch Theater at Lincoln Center, the very stage where they’ve spent countless hours in rehearsal and performance. “We wanted a quiet moment to ourselves with no distractions,” Tiler says. “To have the promenade for an hour to ourselves is something we will always remember.” Roman teared up when he saw her in her gown. “I couldn’t get over how handsome he looked,” she adds. “We took our time and absorbed every moment.”
From there, the couple made their way to Holy Trinity Lutheran Church on the Upper West Side, where they exchanged vows surrounded by pink peonies. After the ceremony, they crossed Central Park West on foot—bouquet in hand, veil floating behind—to Tavern on the Green, where a tented reception awaited in the restaurant’s lush back garden. It was, by design, an iconic New York wedding: intimate, artful, and deeply rooted in the city where their love—and careers—have flourished.
Their story began in 2016, when Roman joined NYCB. But it wasn’t until the pandemic that their relationship turned into something more. During lockdown, fashion designer Justin Alexander asked Tiler to choreograph a dance film for his spring 2022 bridal presentation—one that would convey the emotions of getting engaged in uncertain times. Tiler needed a partner, and Roman was her first call. At the time, the idea of portraying a wedding on camera felt more like performance than premonition. But the experience proved transformative. “I was shocked he was so up for it,” she remembers. “It was during that shoot that we both started realizing there was an attraction.” Four years later, they were starring in their own real-life love story.
Justin Alexander was not only the designer of both of Tiler’s wedding dresses—he was also in attendance, celebrating the full-circle moment he inadvertently helped create.
For the ceremony, Tiler wore a dramatic ivory gown with off-the-shoulder swags and a sweeping train adorned in three-dimensional rosettes and vines. Pearl beading glinted from the centers of rosebuds and traced the curves of appliquéd leaves. Her hair, parted deep to the side, evoked the silver screen sirens of the 1940s. Completing the look: pearl-encrusted Jimmy Choo sandals with serpentine straps that shimmered as she moved with the control and elegance of a true principal. Roman wore a black Dolce Gabbana tuxedo for the ceremony, then changed into a white jacket for the reception.
Her second dress, also by Alexander, traded structure for movement: a lace strapless gown with a sweetheart neckline over a soft beige slip. The sheer ivory overlay was embroidered with delicate florals and leafy vines—romantic, ethereal, and, as she put it, “built to dance in.” Plus, she pinned her hair up with a Jennifer Behr bridal comb.
The ceremony was deeply personal. Tiler carried a locket with a photo of her late father fastened to her bouquet, and walked down the aisle to his favorite song, played live by their dear friend and violinist Hilary Hahn. “I felt him strongly as I walked,” she says. “I will never forget the way Roman looked at me.” Roman’s vows included memories of the many cross-country trips he took with Tiler to visit her father in his final year—acts of quiet devotion that, in hindsight, revealed the depth of his love. “Even though I feel his love every day,” she says, “I had never heard it articulated like that before.”
Officiated by Reverend Timothy Weisman, the ceremony ended with cheers and kisses, and the couple stepped out into the sunshine. “It was a hot summer day,” Tiler recalls. “Quintessentially New York.”
Planned by longtime friend Claudia Hanlin of the Wedding Library—whom Tiler called “the MVP of our wedding”—the celebration was filled with thoughtful details and warm textures. Claudia sourced everything from hand-painted candles from Ukraine to custom block-printed cushions from India, and collaborated with Marcella Floral Studio on lush, painterly florals. “She knows my taste so well,” Tiler says. “I trusted her completely.”
The tented garden party behind Tavern on the Green struck the right note: elegant, unfussy, and anchored by a sense of place. Tables were layered in printed linens, softly glowing taper candles, and overflowing florals in blush, cream, and green. Escort cards, ceremony programs, and menu cards were all custom-designed by the Wedding Library in collaboration with Bella Figura.
Among the guests were some of ballet’s most brilliant stars: Isabella Boylston of American Ballet Theatre and NYCB’s Mira Nadon, Sara Mearns, India Bradley (who sweetly brought a disposable camera and snapped throughout the evening), and Justin Peck with his wife, Patricia Delgado. Also present were longtime friends and fellow NYCB dancers, many of whom have shared the stage with the couple countless times over the years.
The bridal party wore Azazie gowns in a soft blush chiffon, each with subtle ruffles or draping to suit their silhouettes. “It felt really special having them in something we had performed in before,” Tiler says, noting that she and Roman had once danced for Azazie and Christian Siriano’s bridal show.
As the night unfolded, the dance floor lit up—not surprisingly—with some of the most coordinated movement ever witnessed at a wedding. For the after-party, Tiler changed into a short dress by Siriano, added Briony Raymond jewels, and slipped on a garter passed down from ballerina to ballerina since 1951—gifted to her by the legendary Jacques d’Amboise.
And just before the night ended, the couple performed the ultimate lift—a recreation of the iconic Dirty Dancing moment. Friends cheered, Champagne flowed, and the couple truly had the time of their lives.
Photo: Sasithon Photography1/70Our home away from home.
Photo: Sasithon Photography2/70On Lincoln Square.
