This gorgeous day hits all of my wedding sweet spots. The perfect combo of laid-back and totally elegant, it’s a breathtaking Hudson Valley setting mix and mingling with lush florals from Pola Rebisz, crazy gorgeous colors and an 80’s cover band dance party. Did someone say Journey? Yes, please. See it all captured beautifully by Raquel Reis in the full gallery.
From The Bride… As long-time city residents (I’m from NYC and Mat’s from London), we wanted to venture outside our usual stomping grounds for our wedding celebration. The majestic setting of Onteora Mountain House was exactly what we were looking for — not too far to travel for our NY area friends and family, but distinctly non-urban and, frankly, breathtaking. It was more of a trek for our UK based guests, but we knew that they would appreciate having an excuse to get off the beaten tourist track to experience the natural beauty of the Catskills.
We wanted the ceremony to express our personalities, so we didn’t pay too much attention to the conventions of traditional wedding ceremonies. I walked down the aisle to an 80’s classic — Yaz’s “Only You”. One of Mat’s oldest friends officiated (so there was lots of humor), and Mat’s sister sang Elton John’s “Your Song”, accompanied by my brother on keyboard.
The weather held out long enough for our ceremony and cocktail hour to take place outdoors, but drizzle set in shortly after we moved into the rustic pavilion for our party, which — if anything — made the warmth of the barn-like interior even cozier and more welcoming. We partied like it was 1999 to an 80’s cover band, closing out the night with a group-rendition of “Don’t Stop Believin'”. It was an amazing night.
DIY Elements… A friend of ours helped us design our wedding invitations, which we letterpressed ourselves at The Arm in Brooklyn. I also (painstakingly!) handmade the escort cards by embossing our guests’ names on different colored paint chips, and packaged our party favors in mini-brown paper bags.
Photography: Raquel Reis | Videography: Yasuaki Nakajima | Florist: Pola Rebisz | Wedding Gown: Birnbaum and Bullock | Bridesmaid's Dresses: Jenny Yoo | Catering: Blue Mountain Bistro | Graphic Design: Sarah Clingman Perla | Manor: Onteora Mountain House