New York Weddings

One look at this breathtaking Tarrytown soiree captured by Beaty Photography and it’s not hard to see why Blue Hill at Stone Barns rests high atop my list of favorite venues.  This fab location is ALL KINDS of perfect – and made even more so by these two lovebirds and their sweet, eco-friendly affair. From the organic details to the adorable puppies to the lovely fall hues, this is most definitely one for the books.  And don’t even get me started on the gorgeous bride and her oh-so-chic ensemble from Gabriella New York Bridal Salon. Simply. Stunning.  Click here for more.

Click here for the FULL wedding!

And a seriously STUNNING look at the day from Anecdotally Yours… Enjoy!

From the Bride… We were engaged at the Bellagio in Las Vegas. I knew something was wrong with Andrew, as he was anxiety-stricken the entire day. At one point, he handed me a wad of cash and told me to have fun at the slots while he stayed up in the room. We had a dinner reservation for Le Cirque, and I am the type who likes to relax, take my time, listen to music and just chill while getting ready. So you can imagine my surprise when I walked out of the bathroom, and there was Andrew on one knee holding my engagement ring. The room had been covered in red roses and there were strawberries, champagne, etc. Poor Andrew knew he would not be able to make it through the proposal, so he wrote down everything he wanted to say to me. He began crying, had to then return to his notes and finished with me standing there in utter shock. I had no clue it was coming and I immediately told him yes — and here we are today!

Our theme was “Country Girl Meets City Boy.” I am originally from Arkansas and spent most of my summers with my grandparents on their farm. Andrew is a native New Yorker who grew up in Manhattan on the UES. Nobody would have ever imagined that the two of us would get together. Our wedding was also completely sustainable, organic and environmentally-friendly. Our wedding invitations were printed on organic flour cloth that could then be re-used by guests. People have been sending us pictures of how they are using their wedding invites, and it appears that most of them are now using them as kitchen towels. The entire meal was completely farm-to-table, which is very important to Andrew and me, as we want to know where our food comes from. With regard to the bee/honey theme, I was always amazed with my grandfather’s beekeeping, so that was definitely incorporated into our wedding with bees, fresh honeycomb and with our colors of honey, wheat and tobacco.

When I began to walk down the aisle, it started to mist just a bit. The sun was setting, and everything was lit by candles on the farm. It was beautiful and felt magical. My now-husband screamed, “I do” during the vows. He had been waiting to get married for a while, so he was excited. Then when it came time for me to say “I do,” you heard nothing but this large flock of geese squawking. I couldn’t say it because I was laughing and the geese were flying over, but after they gave their approval I went ahead with the vows. The rabbi asked us to turn around and capture this one moment at our wedding. He said it was something that could not be captured by a camera, so we both turned to the guests and took in the entirety of everything that was happening. We were surrounded by nothing but friends, family and love. 

Wedding Photography: Beaty Photography / Wedding Venue: Blue Hill at Stone Barns in Tarrytown, New York / Wedding Coordination: Stephanie Weir of Sweet Bourbon Events / Floral Design: Ariella Chezar Design / Cinematography: Jeff Short + Erica May of Anecdotally Yours (Formerly Reclaim Creative) / Wedding Cake: Amy DeGiulio of Sugar Flower Cake Shop / Wedding Stationery + Genealogy Tree: Everett Weng of Lucky Luxe Couture Correspondence / Transportation: Luxury Ride NYC / Band: The Atlantics via John Ragusa Music / Lodging: The Standard Hotel / Wedding Gown: Claire by Anna Maier Ulla-Maija via Gabriella New York Bridal Salon / Veil + Hairpiece: Sara Gabriel via Gabriella New York Bridal Salon / Moonstone Stud Earrings: Emily & Ashley / Diamond Bracelet: Underwood’s Fine Jewelry / Bride’s Wedge Shoes: Aruna Seth via Gabriella New York Bridal Salon / Bride’s Flat Shoes: Aruna Seth via Gabriella New York Bridal Salon / Hair + Makeup: Jane White of Cosmetic Therapy Institute / Bridesmaids’ Dresses: 57 Grand “Waverly” (Custom Color: Antique Gold) / Bridesmaids’ Citrine Drop Earrings: Emily & Ashley / Groom’s Suit: Ermenegildo Zegna / Groom’s Tie: Zegna / Groom’s Cufflinks: Heather Moore / Wedding Rings: Underwood’s Fine Jewelry / Brooch Bouquet: The Ritzy Rose

Today ~ all the elegance a wedding should be … the church, the gown, the maids, the accessories … the shoes (!) … everything! This blending of two cultures from Ulysses Photography is all that and oh-so-much-more!

I would describe our wedding as combining ‘traditional elegance’ with a ‘cultural’ spin. When I envisioned my wedding, it always took place in the Fall, in a church, followed with a reception at a grand castle. The time of year and reception setting became the easier to execute, since the man I fell in love with and decided to spend the rest of my life with is Jewish. Matt understood how important the Church aspect was to me, and we agreed early on that if we could find a church that would allow both a priest and a rabbi, and if we found a rabbi that would come to that church, we would have our ceremony in one.

Interfaith weddings are still not for the faint of heart. It was very important that the church we picked be the kind of sacred space that would not make any guest (or family member of ours) feel uncomfortable. We were so lucky to find the nicest and most welcoming church ever, the Reformed Church of the Tarrytowns. They were happy to allow us to bring in both a Catholic Priest and Rabbi. I was able to track down the priest my family loved, who had been at my parish when I was making my earlier sacraments, and he was more than happy to be part of the celebration. We then met with several rabbis until finding one whom we felt had the same feeling about interfaith marriage as we did. The church itself was built in 1837, and it’s simplicity was everything we had hoped for. Our ceremony included a unity candle lighting, a katubah signing, breaking a glass and a bagpiper (not only am I Catholic, but Irish Catholic). Our priest opened with the best line of the day, how we were uniting two families and two religions, but that we all had one God.

The reception that followed at Sleepy Hollow Country Club was all that dreams are made of. Originally a private mansion of the Vanderbilt family, the clubhouse includes all the amazing original details with high ceilings, Tiffany windows and so much more. It is set on a hill overlooking both the Hudson River and their beautiful golf course. The October 9th date allowed for cocktails to be held outside overlooking the fall foliage until sunset, when our guests moved into the grand dining rooms. The escort cards they picked up were cut-out leaves and in keeping with the Fall theme, we offered hot apple cider to our guests, and their parting favors were candy apples. My father in-law opened the reception by cutting celebratory challah bread for our guests, followed by a blessing from Father Mark and a welcome from my Dad.

It was also very important to me that all of the details of the day remain elegant and timeless. Our invitations were classic ivory with black script and a hint of gold trim, my Monique Lluhlier gown was demure from the front but daring in the back. From the 1964 Rolls Royce to the clubhouse decor, I wanted people to remember a day that will never seem out of style.

I look at the amazing pictures today and would do anything to go back and do it all again. It was truly the most magical day of our lives. Every piece fit together perfectly. I found our photographers, Jenni and Ulysses, on Style Me Pretty this summer. They have taken the most beautiful pictures I have ever seen. Matt and I had met with many photographers last winter and had put down a deposit with someone that did not work out. We were panicked and doing as much online research as possible, as pictures were one of the most important elements of the day for me. It must have been meant to be that we found them, as you will see that our pictures are exquisite. They literally danced circles around everyone else we met with. I have Style Me Pretty to also thank for that!

Photography: Ulysses and Jenni – Ulysses Photography / Ceremony Location: Reformed Church of the Tarrytowns / Reception Location: Sleepy Hollow Country Club / Bride’s dress: Monique Lhuillier / Bride’s shoes: Christian Louboutin / Bridesmaids dresses: Priscilla of Boston from Bella Bridesmaid – Bridal jewelry: Earrings – David Harvey Jewelers (Darien, CT), Bracelet – A.E. Betteridge Jewelers (Greenwich, CT) / Hair & makeup: Michiko Boorberg / Florals: Carol Kelly / Stationery: Invitations – Write On (Larchmont, NY), Escort cards Fat Cat Paperie (Center Moriches, NY) / Cake: Lulu Bakery (Scarsdale, NY) / Band: Steve Delisi Band