Katya & Sean

This originally ran as a Local Love in the 2025 issue.

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Wedding Date September 1, 2023

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It was during the pandemic in 2020 that two Manhattanites, Katya Bilonog and Sean Woolley, matched on Bumble. Their first date consisted of a heat lamp, an outdoor December dinner in the West Village, and their respective dogs, Mischa and Louie. The next day they went out again and, on their third date, they celebrated her birthday. Katya, a sales director at a cybersecurity company, told her close friends after a few weeks of dating Sean that he
was “the one.”

A year after they met, Sean, a partner manager at a large retailer, was planning a surprise engagement that would bring their family, close friends, and two dogs to Brooklyn Bridge Park. However, Mischa was suddenly diagnosed with end-stage kidney failure and the couple was told she only had days to live. After Mischa’s stay at the animal hospital, she was able to come home for a few days for the couple to say their goodbyes. On a calm Sunday afternoon in their Brooklyn apartment, Sean popped the question in the presence of their pups and Katya said “Yes.”

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Sean and Katya had always dreamed of an outdoor waterfront wedding, and they quickly narrowed down the location to Annapolis, Katya’s hometown. Sean is also a big history buff, so hosting their 75 guests at Historic London Town & Gardens was the perfect setting.

The week before the couple’s wedding was filled with tumultuous rain clouds, which gave way to a clear and sunny 70 degrees for their garden party. Cocktail hour on the lawn consisted of oysters, chic paper parasols, a gaggle of floral-gowned bridesmaids, and three signature cocktails named after their pets, of course. But the most special part of the wedding was Katya’s babushka (that’s “grandmother” in Russian) Nina. Katya and her family are originally from Kyiv, Ukraine, and Nina was still living there when the country was invaded. Luckily, they were able to get her out with the help of a nonprofit called Project Dynamo. “One of the most special moments of our wedding was getting to dance with babushka on the dance floor,” says Katya. “I recommend leaning into your roots to cherish all that came before you—which ultimately leads to your special wedding day.”