The Fake Grey Lady's Real Love Story: From NYTimes Vows Parody to the Altar

The Fake Grey Lady Finds Love, Marries at Society Cafe

Selena Evelyn Coppock, known as "The Fake Grey Lady" for her humorous takes on The New York Times' Vows section, has a real love story of her own. Her satirical Twitter account, @NYTvows, poked fun at the stories of couples featured in the Vows section, but after meeting Aaron William Allietta at the Shade Bar in Greenwich Village, her views on marriage took a turn.

The two met at the bar, which Coppock had frequented for 13 years, and Allietta for three years. They initially just acknowledged each other, but the following night, they shared their first kiss. Their romance blossomed, with Allietta attending Coppock's comedy shows and Coppock writing jokes about their relationship.

Their love deepened during the pandemic, with Coppock dressing up in vintage dresses every Friday to visit Allietta. By April 2020, they were officially a couple and moved into an apartment in Brooklyn.

After four years together, Coppock's cynical view of marriage softened. Allietta proposed in December 2023, and the couple married on August 3 at Society Cafe in the Walker Hotel Greenwich Village, close to the Shade Bar where they met.

The wedding was a celebration of their love and friendship with 62 guests. The reception featured a family-style dinner, bite-sized cakes, and an after-party at the Shade Bar.

A Little More About the Couple

• Coppock is the director of editorial at The Princeton Review and a host of Betches Brides, a wedding podcast. She has a bachelor's degree in English literature from Hamilton College.
• Allietta is a bartender at Tavern on the Green in Central Park and a former musician. He attended the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign.

Highlights of the Wedding

• The ceremony was officiated by a friend of the couple who got a one-day marriage officiant license.
• The bride wore a feather-trimmed strapless dress from Poshmark.
• The groom wore a tan suit and striped tie.
• The Joelle Lurie Band, the lead singer of which is an old friend of Coppock's, performed jazz-influenced music during the cocktail hour.
• Coppock's mother, a poet, read a poem she wrote for the occasion.

From Parody to Reality

Coppock's satirical take on the Vows section may have been a source of amusement for many, but it always came from a place of reverence and fascination. Her wedding was a testament to the power of love and the beauty of finding your perfect match, even in the most unexpected of places.