Born and raised in upstate New York, I know better than anyone that we are bombarded with dreadfully long winters, making it difficult to remember what the sun even looks like. But this elegant wedding at Highlands Country Club reminded me how downright stunning it can actually be. Kat Harris‘s photos made every moment shine, and from the Bride’s gown to these tables, this gallery captured my heart.
From Kat Harris Photography… Natalie and Jim got married in Upstate New York; they have a special place in my heart. I cried multiple times throughout their wedding… so many beautiful moments. They have something rare, deep, and true, something that can only come throughout years of doing life together which they have.
Upstate New York is gorgeous in the fall and winter. Leaves falling, hot apple cider, and rich jewel tones created an intimate and cozy vibe for Natalie and Jim’s wedding. Erin Braun Design did a fabulous job bringing everything together, from old photos of the couple’s parents and grandparents weddings, to hot toddies, to berry accents throughout the reception.
Cheers to Natalie + Jim and to your beautiful journey… thank you for allowing me to be apart of it!
From Erin Braun Design… When the inspiration for a wedding starts with the most endearing engagement story set at the New York Public Library, then you are bound to have an incredibly heartfelt, romantic, and memorable event. Natalie and Jim’s wedding day was nothing short of magical!
When I first met Natalie she described her vision as glamorous, romantic, and sophisticated with a touch of Southern charm and Victorian influences. She wanted to infuse tons of meaningful details into an elegant, yet cozy atmosphere. The beautiful ballroom, chandeliers, rich mahogany tables, french double doors, an old world Tavern, and a light-filled Solarium at the Highlands Country Club in the breathtaking Hudson Valley was the absolute perfect setting for this wedding. It was one for the books with sparkly details, crisp fall weather, hot apple cider, and a delectable farm-to-table meal. We developed a color palette of rich berry tones – reds, burgundy, and wine with touches of blush, champagne, and gold. Garden roses, ranunculus, and the most beautiful New Zealand red peonies filled the bouquets and tablescapes along with accents of fresh blackberries, cherries, and cranberries. Family vintage candlesticks and books wrapped in handmade gold papers were just a few of the personal touches that helped to tell their story. Three wood burning fireplaces and literally hundreds of candles created the most perfect glow for this oh-so-glamourous wedding!
I will never forget the moment when I revealed the ballroom to Natalie and handed her the bouquet. She just burst into happy tears, hugged me countless times, and said that everything was better than she could have dreamed of and it was the perfect way to start her marriage. There were many more happy tears and moments of sheer joy throughout that day, which were perfectly captured by Kat Harris! It was such an honor to play a small part in Natalie and Jim’s happily ever after and I cannot thank this talented team enough for making it all possible.
From The Bride… A true romantic, Jim worked for months planning the perfect proposal. My favorite building is the New York Public Library, and Jim knew it would be the perfect location to pop the question. In order to get me into the building, Jim told me we were offered a private tour. As we wandered the halls and entered the last room in the building, Jim pulled a book out from the stacks. He had made a gorgeous custom book that told the story of how we met and how life had brought us together. I was in disbelief – and frankly, in shock – of what was happening! After reading the story I turned to the last page and saw a beautiful velvet ring box tucked into the book. When I looked up, Jim was on his knee and had a gorgeous vintage diamond ring in his hand. It was the most incredible day, and we knew we wanted to use this story to inspire our wedding day.
My dream was always to have a beautiful and romantic fall wedding. When we came across the Highlands Country Club in Garrison, NY, we knew we had found our perfect venue! It was everything we were looking for – intimate, cozy, romantic and elegant. Danielle West was our onsite venue coordinator extraordinaire. She was always responsive and attentive to our wedding needs. We couldn’t have asked for a better venue! The food was sublime and the staff were amazing and incredibly helpful. The Highlands Country Club is truly a gem!
To make our vision come to life, we hired the incredibly talented Erin Braun! Erin was the best wedding planner I could have imagined. She was super organized, taking special care with planning every wedding detail, and understood my wedding vision from the start. She knew how important it was for me to have a “detail-filled” wedding. She creatively incorporated the inspiration from our library engagement story and nothing went unnoticed. From the tablescapes, place settings, décor, signs, florals, and cake decor, Erin captured our vision through every meaningful detail and created the perfect day. She also curated the most incredible team of vendors. Through her we were able to secure the amazing Sean Marquand and Gary Hoffman from 74events. They kept our party going all night long! She also introduced us to the amazing duo at NY Ceremony Music. Randy and Topu did a beautiful job creating custom arrangements that set the stage for our ceremony and cocktail hour. Our wedding wouldn’t have come together if it weren’t for Erin. She is one of the most talented and sweetest people that I have ever met and a dream to work with!
We were also incredibly fortunate to work with Kat Harris, the world’s most spectacular photographer! Jim and I consider ourselves a little camera shy, but Kat was able to capture some amazing wedding and engagement photos. She made us feel comfortable and we had a blast with our photo sessions. She knows exactly how to capture the little tender moments between a couple, and she definitely captured ours! We couldn’t be happier with our experience with Kat… we love her!
I was so grateful for the unique save the dates and invitations created by the talented, Lisa Purcell from Art Paper Scissors. Lisa is probably the most patient person that I have ever met. Throughout the process, Lisa made sure to capture our exact wishes for our stationery pieces. We love that our invitation suite is truly unique to our wedding day.
James and I got married on the most beautifully crisp fall day that we could have ever asked for. It was truly a magically romantic day and one that we will treasure for the rest of our lives. Every time I think of our wedding day, I smile. We can’t thank Erin, Danielle, Kat, Lisa and our entire dream team of vendors enough.
Photography: Kat Harris Photography | Videography: Unique Visions Studio | Event Design: Erin Braun Design | Invitations: Art Paper Scissors | Makeup: Erica Gonzalez | Hair Stylist: Milexy Couture Hair Design | DJ: 74 Events | Ceremony Music: NY Ceremony Music | Cake + Cookies: The Pastry Garden | Country Club: Highlands Country Club | Library Cards: Katz Meow Creations | Linens: Nuage Designs | Rentals: Events Unlimited Party Rentals | Table Numbers: Laura Hooper Calligraphy