With two ceremonies in one gorgeous upstate New York town, this multi-cultural celebration infused two distinct family backgrounds into one amazing soiree. With the help of Tinsel & Twine, this couple took on the challenge and with bright blooms and invitations by Printerette, they created a whimsical, romantic style all their own. Closer to Love captured every sparkling second; see it all right here.
From Closer To Love Photography… Joanne and Manan are one of those couples that leave such a lasting impression that when we look back on the time we spent together, it’s a surreal feeling of endless gratitude. We are so thankful for these two! Their intentional love for each other and for those around them… and their genuine thoughtfulness and generosity since the very beginning, has been a pure treat for us. They invited us along for their beautifully modern and cultural New York wedding day and, although a hurricane almost uninvitedly showed up for the weekend, the sun shined through and a shower of blessings prevailed. Below Joanne, the stunning bride, gives us a glimpse of all the awesomeness that took place on the wedding day of their dreams. It was one we will never forget!
From The Bride… When Manan and I set off to plan our wedding, we knew we had a herculean task in front of us. Due to our different backgrounds, we needed to have both an Indian and Filipino Catholic wedding in one day, which meant blending cultural traditions with our own desire for a romantic, whimsical, and relaxed outdoors affair. Indian weddings tend to be these large, colorful, and festive gatherings with strong traditions, so by nature it can automatically dictate many visual elements of the wedding. But we were up for the challenge and determined to take that foundation and make it our own.
With this vision in mind, finding the perfect outdoor venue that provided the level of customization and flexibility we needed was tricky. We focused on the Hudson Valley, a little north of Manhattan, as we have always loved its charm and rustic beauty. Although Manan and I were both raised in New York City and met there, the idea of having our wedding surrounded by nature felt special and a departure from our frenzied day-to-day city life.
After weeks of searching and almost giving up hope, we found Red Maple Vineyard and knew it was the perfect fit. The vineyard/farm had everything we were looking for: breathtaking views, an elegant but relaxed atmosphere, lots of space for our 250 guests, and most importantly, phenomenal food (the number one priority for us!). One of our favorite features of the venue is their farm-to-table approach – many of the ingredients from our dishes were sourced right from the venue grounds. Furthermore, the vineyard was only a few minutes away from the loveliest quaint stone chapel where our Catholic ceremony would take place.
Once we locked in the venue, everything fell into place based on the feel we had in mind. Our decor was inspired by the outdoors with an elegant take on the vibrancy of Indian weddings. This led us to a palette of sage greens, summery peach/orange tones, and gold. All of our florals, beautifully crafted by the Tinsel and Twine team, were loose, lush, and incorporated my favorite flowers – garden roses and dahlias.
Every detail was carefully thought out with a decidedly personal and playful touch. We wanted each element to represent us as individuals and even more so as a couple. Our invitations had whimsical, hand-drawn illustrations of us, the NYC skyline, and the vineyard. We worked with the Red Maple Vineyard team, as well as a separate Indian caterer (Moti Mahal), to create an amazing and diverse menu featuring local, seasonal food and ethnic dishes – they were even able to incorporate a family recipe for my favorite Filipino dessert! A dear friend’s beautiful calligraphy graced our invitations and escort cards, and the centerpiece of the wine room was a marquee LOVE sign my husband made. Throughout the reception, there was a flipbook booth and a s’mores firepit, and we capped off the night with sparklers. Overall, we wanted a meaningful and fun experience for our guests, as not only were they sitting through two ceremonies, but they’ve supported us all 12 years of our journey together.
Ultimately, we got the wedding of our dreams, and it came to life in a way that we couldn’t even have imagined. Two days before the wedding, a hurricane was looming and seemed to threaten the weekend, but the skies cleared up and the storm actually cooled the air so that we were blessed with a gorgeous sunny summer day with no stifling heat and humidity. As a cool breeze wafted through the tent in the evening and guests danced under the stars, I remember feeling blessed to be surrounded by all my favorite people under one roof celebrating the next chapter of our lives. We are so grateful to our family, friends, and incredible team of vendors who were up for the challenge. Their creativity, passion, and collaboration really allowed us to pull off the perfect mix of traditional, whimsical, and romantic. It was a day we will cherish forever and we couldn’t have asked for anything better.
Photography: Closer to Love Photography | Videographer: MPW Media Group | Invitations: Printerette Press | Calligrapher: Persimmon Studio | Lighting: Vivid Events | DJ: Bollywood DJs | Bride And Groom’s Indian Ceremony Outfits: Various Shops In Iselin, NJ | Bride’s Shoes: Prada | Day Of Paper Goods: Erin Braun Design | Flipbook Booth: Ovation | Floral Design And Event Planning: Tinsel & Twine | Flower Girl Outfits: Olivia Kate Couture | Groom’s Suit (Western): Vera Wang | Indian Caterer: Moti Mahal | Makeup/Hair: JAC Beauty | Vineyard: Red Maple Vineyard | Wedding Dress (Western): Pronovias