New York Weddings

This is the kind of wedding that starts your work week off with a smile.  The sort of magical affair that boasts one meaningful detail after another, with a laid back meets elegant vibe that is all kinds of awesome.  It’s a day that was styled to perfection by the lovely + oh-so-talented sister of the bride (Experience Events) and is set against a stunning at-home environment that you can’t get enough of.  See it all captured by Casey Connell right here.

From Experience Events… What do you do when your sister wants to have her wedding at your family lake house with six weeks notice?! You get to work! I was, of course, thrilled to create this intimate celebration for friends and family at our Adirondack lake house – a place very special to all of us, especially since our Mom passed a few years ago.

We wanted to create a celebration that blended into the look and feel of our house, named Birch at Paradox. Of course birch details prevailed – we used wood grain for the invitation enclosures, birch straws for the welcome drinks, birch candles and birch vases were interspersed on the tables. We setup a simple ceremony space to really show off the beautiful mountain views. Courtney and Mike love to cook, so we used bouquets of local herbs in his grandmother’s mason jars as aisle markers. I had Rebecca, from The Pink Orange, create tags to hang from the jar to highlight the meaning of each herb. Courtney walked through an aisle decked out in wishes for patience, friendship, enduring love, etc.  It was my favorite touch of the whole day! We then saved the herbs and she and Mike have them to cook with all year!

Guests grabbed petals and filled envelopes with a custom stamp on them which read “toss one hundred wishes, then a thousand and then more.” As the happy couple headed up the aisle, we all showered them with petals and good wishes.

The self serve bar was set up in a family friend’s vintage canoe (originally used on Adirondack guide trips in the 1950’s) and used our farm table for appetizers right in front of the beach. Dinner and dancing on the beach followed – we kept the palette soft, yet not too feminine using pale blue striped linens from la Tavola which showed off the birch and mercury glass touches beautifully. Adirondack chairs scattered across the beach with soft pillows gave guests the perfect vantage point to enjoy the sunset. My event planner/designer/sister-of-the-bride mania may have gone into overdrive when I found myself sewing aprons for the waitstaff – but they looked so perfect in their seersucker aprons the day of the wedding!

Lanterns were scattered across the property and candles tucked into the walls of the beach to add a beautiful glow as the night progressed. We even had lanterns on our raft and torches in the water! The evening was capped off with cigars and coffee at the bonfire and each guest was treated to a t-shirt designed by the bride and celebrating the day and the place where we all gathered.

I used our Mom’s pin to fasten the ribbon on the bride’s bouquet and also tied our Mom’s signet ring into Courtney’s dress – simple touches to make sure she was included in the day. And when we saw that gorgeous sunset we could, of course, only think of her shining down on all of us as we danced on the very beach we played on growing up. It was a sweet and magical day full of family, friends and old and new memories.

Photographer: Casey Connell Photography | Catering: Black Diamond Caterers | Hair & Makeup: Sonya Heimann | Ceremony & Reception Location: Private Residence | Event Planning, Event Styling & Design, Floral: Herberger Event Co. | Invitations & Paper Goods: The Pink Orange

This, my friends, is one very talented bunch.  I’m talking a beautiful bride and groom (plus awesome friends and family) who really know a thing or two about crafting an amazing wedding.  Think DIY florals, homemade IPA and a stellar taco buffet and you are on the right track.  Add in a team of talented vendors (hello Wedding Planning Plus and Kent Meister Photography) and it’s a day that is alllll about the pretty.  See so much more in the full gallery.

From the Bride… When my new husband and I started our wedding planning, we were so excited to just think about the day and imagine our family and friends being there with us, it was hard to focus on the details about how to make it happen! We started planning by getting clear on how we wanted the day to feel, and what kind of experience we hoped for our guests. Both of us are pretty laid back and fun loving, and we envisioned a relaxed comfortable day, where our guests were well appreciated with delicious food and drinks. I grew up in the Hudson Valley of New York State, and we are both lovers of the outdoors, so we thought it made sense to get married upstate and enjoy the natural beauty.  Overall, we wanted our wedding day to be meaningful, relaxed and FUN.

We chose our venue at Oak Hill because it’s so incredibly beautiful. Saying our vows with a backdrop of the Hudson River and Catskill Mountains? Yes, please. The reception was held in a recently built two story wooden barn. Idyllic.

Our wedding really was the product of so many friends and family members lending their talent and contributing unique gifts and skills. Looking back, I’m pretty overwhelmed by how amazing my family and friends were! My close childhood friend and metal smith/jewelry maker extraordinaire Amelia Toelke made my husband’s wedding band. It was so special to have her craft this for us! She also helped me with a bunch of DIY projects for decorations. My stepbrother-in-law makes epic homebrew and brewed five gallons of IPA for us; we called it “Hoppily Ever After” ha! My dear friend Arielle and professional makeup artist did me up on the big day (it was so wonderful to have her with me while I was getting ready, as I was quite nervous!!). Our friend Kent Meister was our photographer, which was awesome because we know each other and he knows our style. My stepsister did the table flower arrangements; we designed them together over email! My parents gathered pussy willows from their land to use as decorations. A husband and wife duo we are friends with were our DJs for the evening, bringing a collection of old school R&B, funk and 80’s vinyl with them. Another friend, Mara Simons Jones is a farm-to-table caterer so we enlisted her help for our delicious taco buffet dinner that suited meat eaters, vegetarians, vegans, and the gluten free alike! My aunt owns a wine and beer boutique in Salem, MA and provided an incredible selection of wine. I’m so grateful for all the wonderful personal detail that filled our wedding day. All the help and assistance of my friends and family truly made our wedding day unique, personal, and heartfelt.

There were many DIY elements that we focused on. I love crafting, so our wedding was a wonderful opportunity for me to enjoy some crafting time with my friends. We created small animal place card holders, garland to decorate the barn, cute satchels filled with lavender that our guests pelted us with after the ceremony, chalk board cutouts for the bar, blue and white mason jars wrapped in twine, and of course all the stationery that my friend Miriam designed for us!

My husband and I love nature and that was the biggest inspiration for our wedding. We knew we wanted to get married outside in a beautiful setting. We also wanted our family and friends to be relaxed and comfortable so the feeling of the day shaped our planning as well. During the planning we kept a couple questions to reflect on when making decisions-is it worth it? Is it meaningful? Is fun?

The best advice I received was to be in the moment during the whole wedding day and take it all in. This helped keep me from stressing too much and also slowed the pace of the day. Our wedding day felt spacious and I have so many wonderful memories of my husband and I together, and also time spent with family and friends.

My advice for other brides?  Get your Thank You cards printed as soon as possible either before the wedding or shortly after if you are using a photo–this really helped me be timely. I was overwhelmed with gratitude from everyone who came to support us on our wedding day. I actually looked forward to connecting with my family and friends via the Thank You cards. Also choose awesome vendors that you trust, it pays off big!

Photography: Kent Meister Photography | Wedding Planner: Wedding Planning Plus | Wedding Cake: Verdigris | Caterer: Carlucci-Simons Catering | Hair And Makeup: Arielle Toelke | Officiant: Rev Diane Epstein | Barn: Oak Hill | Desserts - Vegan And Gluten Free: Piece Of Cake Bakery And Cafe | Florist - Centerpieces: The Rosary | Florist - Personals: Park Deli | Groom's Ring: Amelia Toelke

This wedding is amazing.  It’s cozy and warm, totally gorgeous and seriously overflowing with those heartwarming, make you smile moments we sort of live for.  Even better?  Above and beyond all of that awesomeness, it’s a true labor of love from a super crafty bride and groom, plus wonderful friends and family.  Think DIY paper goods, burlap touches and some seriously yummy treats.  See it all captured beautifully by Rebecca Yale right here in the full gallery.

From Rebecca Yale Portraits… I have a very special wedding to share with you today full of beautiful fall colors and DIY touches. The bride planned and designed the entire wedding herself using Pinterest. The event was truly a family affair with the bride and groom’s families arriving in the early morning to set up the barn – everything from laying out the burlap and lace table runners to arranging hydrangeas in mason jars. Every detail of the day had been thought out and made beautiful by the bride. From the handmade invitations, which she designed and printed herself, to the cones of lavender made from the pages of an antique copy of Don Quixote to be sprinkled on the couple as they walked down the aisle together as husband and wife – no detail was left untouched. The true piece de resistance of the wedding was the dessert table created by the bride’s cousin, which in addition to a delicious wedding cake, featured three different types of homemade pie, cobbler, caramel corn, and five different kinds of cookies.

The bride and her bridesmaids got ready inside the Red House, a beautiful 19th Century home full of charm. The ceremony took place outdoors next to a beautiful grove of trees and the rain held out just long enough for the couple to say their I do’s. Then the party moved indoors for a cocktail hour on the lower level of the barn followed by dinner and and a whole lot of dancing on the barn’s upper level, which had been decked out in twinkly lights. The whole day was full of so much love, and even with the brisk fall temperatures, the day was all warmth and laughter.

From the Bride… Our theme for the wedding was “burlap and lace.” We stayed on budget by using antique decorations found in my father’s barn and by creating many of the decorations ourselves. For the table scape, we used burlap runners we cut from burlap we found on sale; the overlay was mismatched strips of lace from old curtains. Our centerpieces were mason jars and antique medicine bottles filled with dried hydrangeas and Russian sage collected from the gardens of our friends and families. We added a touch of white mums to bring in a bit of the fall season, and to liven the bouquets up a bit. The many chalk boards displayed around the venue were created from old picture frames purchased at the salvation army; we bought spray on chalkboard paint which created a very smooth surface when sprayed on the glass. In lieu of rice, we had our guests throw lavender which we stored in cones we made from the pages of a weathered Don Quixote book. We designed and printed our own invitations made from kraft paper and embellished with hand stamped hearts and initials, paper lace and twine to tie it all together.

Photography: Rebecca Yale Portraits | Floral Design: Flowers by Nature | Wedding Dress: Justin Alexander | Reception Venue: The Red House | Bridesmaids Dresses: Alfred Angelo | Catering: 3 C's Catering | Groom's Attire: Men's Wearhouse | Groomsmen's Attire: Men's Wearhouse | Make Up Artist: Jenny Wilson

Cupcakes, champagne and a talented photographer (the oh-so-wonderful Rebecca Yale) capturing every last beautiful moment… if this isn’t the world’s most romantic proposal, then I don’t know what is.  I guess that’s what happens when the fabulous city streets of Tribeca meet a duo this adorable and this in love… complete awesomeness.  See every love-filled moment right here.

From Rebecca Yale Portraits… I am thrilled to share with you the beautiful proposal of Jeff and Lindsay in Tribeca. Jeff contacted me about a month before he wanted to propose telling me he’d like to propose to his girlfriend and have photographs of the special moment.

Jeff and Lindsay have lived in Tribeca for three years and he wanted the proposal to be in the neighborhood that meant so much to them. We discussed all their favorite places – Marc Forgione, Warren 77 and Duane Park before settling on the quiet classic Tribeca street – Collister. It is a small cobblestone street that lights up beautifully in the late afternoon light. Jeff told Lindsay they were meeting friends at a bar and as they walked down from their apartment together he went on bended knee in the middle of the street to propose and of course Lindsay said yes! After the proposal Jeff set up another surprise of champagne and cupcakes for the two of them to enjoy just a couple blocks away at Duane Park patisserie, which they ate as the sun was setting over Tribeca. Truly a magical proposal straight out of a movie!

Photography: Rebecca Yale Portraits | Makeup Artist: Jenny Wilson | Restaurant: Duane Park Patisserie

When a location holds memories of your first date, your family’s home away from home, and is right down the street from your house (and the  reason you moved to that neighborhood) why not get married there? This couple did. With help from Daughter of Design, they turned The Bowery Hotel into a wedding locale to die for, and Susan Stripling Photography worked her magic on every single perfect image!

From the beautiful bride… Colin took me on a date to the restaurant in Bowery Hotel when we were first dating. I fell in love with the hotels warmth and character immediately. Since then the hotel and the Bowery area of New York has held a special place in our hearts and few years ago we decided to make a couple blocks away from the hotel our home. Family and friends also decided to make the hotel a part time home, staying in the hotel, eating in the restaurant and using the bar as a type of living room as much as possible. As the hotel soon became a home away from home to so many of the people that we love we figured it would be the perfect place to get married. I was so excited to have a place where so many people already felt comfortable and a place that held those special memories of Colin and my beginning, when everything was new and we were just falling in love. Also, it didn’t hurt that it’s old romantic style was exactly what we love. It truly is one of my favorite buildings in its lovely, unique beauty.

Once we settled on the venue I began googling, pinteresting and blog hunting immediately (Style Me Pretty was one of my favorites of course!) and I was lucky enough to come across our beautiful and extremely talented planner, Annie Lee of Daughter of Design. As soon as we met her she began to make all of our wedding dreams come true. She is in love with the hotel just as we are and we quickly decided to keep the wedding in the intimate, vintage quality of the hotel. Coming from a crafty family, we wanted to make as much as we could for the wedding and involve the guests in the crafting fun as well! We used craft paper over lace as our tablecloths. We had stamps made of doilies and the dinner menus and stamped them at each place setting onto the craft paper. We put pencil crayons on the tables and invited everyone to doodle and play while eating their dinner. My husband and I are completely in love with our very handsome bulldog Eddie, so, we felt it was only appropriate to make him a part of our wedding. My mom made him a red velvet suit and he was a part of our wedding party. His picture was incorporated into our invitations and being a doll maker I made bulldog doll seating cards for each of our guests. I don’t think there is anything lovelier than lace so anywhere we could have lace in the wedding we did. Our inner envelopes of our invites were made from lace paper, the bridesmaid dresses were a crocheted lace, our tablecloths were lined in lace, it was snuck in everywhere! We put as many candles as we could fit and overflowed the tables with flowers. My wonderful brother in law wrote and performed our ceremony. I can’t say how special it was for us to have someone we love so much marry us.

What was most important to us was that the wedding felt authentic to us and that our guests felt all of our love and excitement! We wanted everyone to be as comfortable and have as much fun as possible! We couldn’t have done it without the amazing Annie and all of the special, talented people she introduced us to. And of course our wonderful families. The night truly was more beautiful in every way than I could have dreamed.

Photography: Susan Stripling | Floral Designer: Saipua | Wedding Dress: Vera Wang | Cake: A White Cake | Invitations: Atelier Isabey | Make up: MakeupNV | Hair: Jeff Chastain | Band: Dexter Lake Club Band | Venue: Bowery Hotel | Event Design and Coordination: Daughter of Design | Late night snacks: Pommes Frites | Photograph: Susan Stripling Photography | Video: Naz Films

Today is going to be awesome, and that’s a guarantee.  Because anytime we get to spend the day with an oh-so-talented photographer like Studio A Images, it’s a day that is beyond amazing.  That’s because this lovely lady happens to know a thing or two about snapping a beautiful image, and capturing those moments you’ll treasure for always.  So grab that cup of morning coffee, kick your feet up and join us for an entire swoon-fest of lovely. Oh, happy Saturday.

Studio A Images… Studio A Images is a professional wedding, event and portrait photography studio founded by me, Adena. I see myself as a storyteller with a camera. Every couple has a story, and I want to depict your unique love story. My style is heavily influenced by my degree in photojournalism and years of experience working for newspapers.

I strive to capture honest and intimate moments between people while remaining unobtrusive. I believe that the ability to tell a story through photographs requires a special passion and unique way of seeing the world. I combine my artistic eye and attention to detail in telling your story and do all I can so that the photos are forever a memento of this special occasion.

Based in Hoboken, NJ just across the river from NYC, I photograph weddings in both New Jersey and NYC.

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Welcome to the family, Studio A Images!  We are so happy to have you! xo

I dare you to watch this beautiful film from Expressions Cinema and not shed a single tear.  That’s right… I dare you.  Because this is the kind of film that fills your heart with sooo much happy, you can’t help but ADORE every last heartwarming, love-filled moment.  It’s a fairytale story meets a darling bride and groom (so cute) meets all kinds of pretty.  Don’t wait another moment and hit play to soak it all in.

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From Expressions Cinema… Angela was brought up in Guatemala. During college she decided to go to Hong Kong for a semester to study. While over there, she met Judah who was brought up in West Hempstead, NY. They became friends which eventually turned into a relationship. They were engaged after three long-distance years while scuba diving in Curacao… the ring was in a seashell! 

Photographer: Clean Plate Pictures | Cinematography: Expressions Cinema | Caterer: Genadeen Caterers | Band: Nafshenu Orchestra | Reception Hall: Genadeen Caterers

Landon Jacob Photography took a note from the simple elegance handbook and transformed it into inspiration for a gorgeous urban wedding. With gowns by Winifred Bean, design and styling by Jove Meyer and florals by 2H Flowers, this Brooklyn photo shoot is a blending of Fall, pretty rustic touches and the all out beauty of the Wythe Hotel. You can catch even more right here in the full gallery as well as in the film by Valerie Barnes below.

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Simple elegance, that is the focus of our beautiful Brooklyn styled shoot featuring gorgeous wedding gowns by Winifred Bean, stunning stationery by fourteen-forty, amazing hand made accessories by hushed commotion and wonderful planning and designing by Jove Meyer Events at the wonderful Wythe Hotel in Williamsburg, Brooklyn captured through the lens of the ever so talented talented Landon Jacob Photography.

We worked together to embrace the beauties of fall without choosing the obvious pumpkin and fall foliage. Instead we added our own twist to the shoot with fresh local, seasonal fruits on the cake and included in the centerpieces and florals made by the incredible 2H flowers. The pomegranate really stood out in this shoot as our version of fall, its unique shape and beautiful colors blended well with the natural look we were aiming to achieve.

Rather than using traditional paper products for stationery we went with a more nature inspired look. The name cards were hand written on wood chunks and the menus were printed on cloth. We added rosemary sprigs for a nice accent on the eye and nose!

The delectable and eye catching sweets were made by the talented pastry chef Erin Kanagy-Loux of Reynard at Wythe Hotel. When thinking about the wedding cake we really wanted to try something unique and fruit heavy so we took a naked cake and added our own twist to it, Erin used the frosting between layers to add an amazing texture that makes the cake come to life!

Photographer: Landon Jacob Productions | Event Design: Jove Meyer Events | Floral Design: 2h Flowers | Stationery: Fourteen-Forty | Shoes: Chromatic Gallerie | Makeup: Sally Duvall | Hair: Styles On B | Venue: Wythe Hotel | Desserts: Wythe Hotel | Dresses: Winifred Bean | Hair accessories: Hushed Commotion

When a wedding is this beautiful, it’s sort of an unwritten rule that you have to stop and stare.  And when that wedding happens to include a dress designed by the bride herself, it deserves an entire day of swooning.  Which is exactly what we have on the agenda today, lovelies – a swoon-worthy love fest with a gorgeous bride (+ dapper groom), an amazing gown and an entire gallery of lovely captured by Tracey Buyce Photography.  Join me there for more.

From Tracey Buyce Photography… Mary and Drew met in their church and the vicar who introduced them married them. Drew proposed on a cross country road trip on top of a cliff at Big Sur.  Mary, who trained formally as a fashion designer in London, runs a business in the UK called Party Pants that hosts knicker-making classes for hens (or bachelorettes) to quite literally stitch before they hitch and create their very own bespoke knickers.

The most important aspect to Mary & Drew on their wedding day was to have the wedding in a very special place where nature had been uninterrupted and where they would keep going to for the rest of their lives.  The location was deep in the Adirondack wilderness – a perfect location overlooking nothing but nature and pristine Goose Pond. It took over a month to build the platforms and infrastructure to set the stage with multiple tents that would indeed be a village when completed. The view from the boardwalk style deck was picture perfect.  Mary painted maps that were in all of the guests’ hotel rooms so that they could find the wedding site.

Mary trained as a fashion designer in London and so she naturally made her dress for her wedding day. It took seven months to make; five months perfecting the pattern and toiles (there were 65 pattern pieces in total) and then two months to sew! The lace alone took 3.5 months to be spun in France and once delivered to London she layered the lace over masses of cream silk crepe, fine crepe lining and a tulle underskirt. Mary said “it was amazing to be in complete control and to play with details, alter and work with the cloth in a relaxed way (starting early took the pressure off!) and finish with exactly the dress I initially drew up in my head.” Mary’s wedding dress epitomized her style with romantic tumbling lace juxtaposed with the structured duchess silk bands that wrapped tightly round her corseted top.

The bridal party was all the nieces and nephews of the bride, seven flower girls and three page boys. Mary made all of their outfits.

Mary’s countryside upbringing with shopping trips to London influenced the designs to be whimsical yet chic and refined like the rural/urban worlds. Mary designed and created the flower girl dresses similarly using super soft pale cream cotton, ballet pink silk linen sashes and then adding the all important detail in the top stitching, the covered buttons and She even made Drew’s morning coat.

The ceremony took place in a quaint chapel made of stone and glass and could not-have been more perfect. The ceremony was simple so the bones of the stone structure built in the 1930’s would not be interrupted with too much fuss. Fresh roping of variegated and Italian pittisporum wrapped the wooden porch to the west of the chapel as well as the iron rails below the high alter. The pulpit and stairs were lined with lush blooms of peony, garden roses, jasmine vine and David Austin roses. Pots of maiden hair ferns were set at the entrance as well. The hooks in the church that once held lanterns were ornamented with spheres of gypsophelia hung from vintage canvas strapping.

Their get a away car was Drew’s first car that he bought when he was 16!

The reception had tables with two distinct styles.  The farm tables were topped with a hemp runner and hand made drift wood lanterns, these were scattered on the tables with twine wrapped votives and assorted small vases with lush blooms. The chargers were made of woven rattan and each place setting had a cream tea towel as a napkin tied with ribbon. The chairs at these tables were custom made for the event, dark cherry finish with a ladder back. Each seat had a custom made cushion with a lofty 1.5” insert that were tied onto the chair.  The round tables were draped to the floor in bleached burlap lined cloths with an overlay of white swiss dot hemstitch linen overlays. The flowers were designed in a combination of vessels both enamelware and porcelain, layers of flowers cascaded from them in hues of white, cream, mint, and blush. Each guest had a charger of white porcelain with a taupe boarder topped with a white swiss dot hemstitch linen napkin. The chairs at these tables were also custom made but had an X back on them in the same beautiful cherry finish.

The head table was a massive yards or baltic ivy with blooms that cascaded off of the table and on to the floor. Above the tables were wreaths of birch and blue berry had assorted size round bubbles with votives in them dancing over head.

The room was opened to the elements and soft breeze of Goose pond. Barcelona lights were draped in the ceiling in a whimsical pattern to illuminate ceiling of the tent while it was washed with blush lights to enhance the effect of sunset.

Photographer: Tracey Buyce Photography | Wedding Planner: Christine A. Wheat Special Events Firm | Cake: Hope Stanley | Stationery: Paper Dolls of Saratoga | Catering: Lake Placid Lodge | Transportation: Premiere Transportation | Tent: Clifton Park Rental Center | Bride's Wedding Business: Party Pants | Floral and Design: Renaissance Floral Design | Hair and Make-up: Make Me Fabulous | Music: Cafe Wha Band | Music: Lindsay Webster Music | Paper: Kensington Paper | Rentals: Party Rental | Video: Philip Coltart Films

These two are really, really ridiculously good looking. Like so good looking, these engagement photos from Clean Plate Pictures could be from the pages of J.Crew’s lookbook. But you know they are real… because they are so sweet and so in love and so adorable. It’s the make your day kind of engagement shoot and it’s all right here.

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From the photographer… Patrice and Jonny’s engagement shoot was so fun! We started in DUMBO, Brooklyn where we hit all the great spots, including the roofless Tobacco Warehouse that has since been fenced off to the public so that construction of a new theater can begin. We then headed to the East Village where we took some street shots near where these two sweethearts live and got engaged. Can’t wait to shoot their wedding in Tarrytown next May!

When it comes to cozy farm affairs, the Catskill Mountains is where it’s at. A little gem of New York state, it’s perfect setting for this rustic beaut made even prettier through the lens of Colette Kulig. And while I don’t think I’ll EVER get over this wedding’s understated elegance, or that cake from Desserts by Danielle, allow me to introduce you to the full gallery filled with sooo much more.

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From the Bride… From the beginning we wanted to make sure our wedding was personal & a great party for our guests. So even though Jeff and I live in NYC, it seemed only natural to have the wedding on my family’s farm in the rural Catskill Mountains. Luckilly Jeff agreed as Spring Lake Farm is just a few miles down the road from his own parents.

While the farm was still under deep snow (we got engaged around Christmas), we picked a spot overlooking both the lake & down the valley. We set immediatly to planning. My musts: Caterers that would be willing to source the meat from our farm; And Jeff’s: A DJ that would keep our friends and family on the dance floor. Thanks to my graphic design background and Jeff’s event planning skills, everything was going swimmingly (even with the tight timeline of 6 months!). But then, three weeks before the day, we realized just how much our site slanted – In order to correct a five foot slope we had to move heaven & earth (literally 100 tons of it) to make a level platform for the tent. To say it was an unexpected stress that threw off our planning timeline is an understatement. However, thanks to the help of many family members (my father worked on it for 2 weeks straight during haying season), supportive friends and AMAZING vendors, we pulled off the wedding of our dreams.

The loose color theme of ivories & gold was inspired by how the tips of grass turn a beautiful faded gold in late July (the time of our wedding). The simple centerpieces, all lovingly arranged by the ladies of the wedding party, were a mixture of large white roses with pale floral accents set in galvanized metal pails amid mercury glass tea lights.

Jeff and I were both so happy to share our special day with friends and family at this beautiful location that we worked so hard to put together. One of Jeff’s oldest childhood friends flew from Cambodia to be our Officiate. Cousins & friends (and all of our beautiful flower girls & handsome ring bearers) traveled from up and down the East Coast, California, Switzerland and Iceland to celebrate and support us on our special day. Even the amazingly beautiful wedding cake was made and gifted to us by the Best Man’s girlfriend. In the end the food was delicious, the views breath-taking, the music set the perfect spell and our memories of the wedding leave only happiness.

Photography: Colette Kulig Photography | Wedding Cake: Hale Koa phineas Estate | Jewelry: Marks And Spencer | Jewelry: Art Deco Engament Ring: 1920s Old European Diamond Platinum Engagement Ring | Wedding Bands: Doyle And Doyle | Bridesmaids' Dresses: Harsuccthing | Venue: Spring Lake Farm | Bride’s Dress: Watters | Bulk Flowers: Wholeblossoms.com | Groom’s & Groomsmen Suit: Tzarelli | Rentals: Scratch Weddings | Wedding Catering: Sunrise Specialty Catering

I love a wedding that has an air of simplicity. One that truly allows the love of the two people saying I do to really shine through. And even though the gown is stunning, and the details are divine, it’s the couple that really sparkles. This beauty from Melani Lust is the perfect example of just such a day, and every moment sitting in this gallery proves my points that sometimes simple is oh-so-sweet.

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From Melani Lust Photography…I love a small wedding, with the focus on family, closest friends, beautiful details and the most delicious award winning food. This one, tucked in a corner of Westchester County at Richard Gere’s Bedford Post Inn, focused on the bride and groom, without a formal wedding party. The couple discovered the Inn while on a hike, which is something they love to do together as the proposal was at the Temple of the Sun in Machu Picchu, Peru.

While the wedding was influenced by the Gatsby era, it was not a Gatsby wedding. The bride’s dreamy Fillmore gown set the stage for casual elegance. The rain ebbed and flowed allowing dragon flies and flowers to flourish, within a dreamy atmosphere, guests enjoyed the charming property and the romantic tent ceremony.

Photography: Melani Lust Photography | Florist: Fleurish Florals | Wedding Gown: Elizabeth Fillmore | Wedding Cake: Sweet Lisa's | Stationery: Lion in the Sun | Shoes: Jimmy Choo | Caterer: Bedford Post Inn | Groom's Attire: Marshs | Venue: Bedford Post Inn | Reception Music: Venus Ensembles | Wedding Designer + Coordinator: Ashley Douglass Events | Wedding Gown + Accessory Salon: The Plumed Serpent Bridal Salon

No matter how many times I see a minty blue I do, my heart still flutters. It’s the one hue I can’t seem to get enough of, but with weddings like this Long Island stunner from Lindsay Madden, there’s no reason I should. Decked out with fabulous paper goods from Momental Designs and neutral yet wildly stunning blooms by Sprout Home, I think we’ll all be doing some serious swooning right here.

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From Lindsay Madden Photography…. I absolutely love Long Island’s wine region. So when Allyza & Bobby asked for me to photograph their August wedding at Raphael Winery I was incredibly happy. Shooting out east is special. The North Fork is only ninety miles from New York City yet I always feel like I’m shooting a destination wedding. Allyza & Bobby’s day was was elegant and romantic yet, they still managed to incorporate the laid back feel the vineyard had to offer. With cocktails starting at 2pm and the party going to midnight, this couple knew from the very beginning that their family and friends were their priority. I am so grateful to have been able to photograph their perfect summer affair!

Photography: Lindsay Madden Photography | Florals: Sprout Home | Cake: Have Your Cake | Stationery: Momental Designs | Ceremony Venue: Saint Isidore | Reception Venue: Raphael Winery | Bride's Shoes: Jimmy Choo | Bridesmaids' Dresses: J.Crew | Entertainment: The Projekt | Groom's Suit: Armani | Accomodations: Hotel Indigo | Bride's Dress: Ines Di Santo | Floral Robes: Plum Pretty Sugar | Groom's Shoes: Hugo Boss

We are sending you off into the weekend with a soiree so sweet, I can barely hold in my squeals. Captured by Angela Newton Roy in a way that just makes me want to kiss this screen, it’s the kind of wedding that will inspire and then some. Romantic, darling, and filled with pretty blooms by Floral Cottage – it doesn’t get any better than this lovelies. See even more here.

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From the Bride…Kaylan and Matt were married on a gorgeous summer day! They are high-school sweethearts who wanted to host a wedding weekend that brought all of the friends and family together whom had shared in their journey over the years. The Victorian-esque Ardmore Mansion at MountainView Manor was the perfect spot for a beautiful outdoor ceremony and a festive reception. Each of the bridesmaids, who wore shale green dresses from J.Crew, were gifted adorable chevron and chain link patterned coral and grey clutches, filled with tons of wedding day goodies. The groom gave each of his groomsmen carefully selected bottles of wine from Brooklyn Winery, as a nod to both their love for their home in Brooklyn, NY and of the winery. The florals by Floral Cottage, provided beautiful burst of tangerine, peach, pink and ivory for both the ceremony and reception, and Kaylan carried a gorgeous bouquet of peach, purple and pink. They were the prefect summer colors! The bride looked amazing in her Jenny Yoo dress, accented by Kate Spade shoes and BHLDN earrings. She and her sister both wore special sentimental rings, created from their late mother’s wedding ring, as a tribute to her. After the heartfelt ceremony, the party continued into the night with music by the A-List Band from Around Town Entertainment. It was such the perfect day as these two were surrounded by so many loving family and friends!

Photography: Angela Newton Roy Photography | Flowers: Floral Cottage | Wedding Cake: MountainView Manor | Ceremony Venue: MountainView Manor | Reception Venue: MountainView Manor | Bride's Shoes: Kate Spade | Bridesmaid Dresses: J.Crew | Band: Around Town Entertainment | Groom's Suit: Tommy Hilfiger | Bride's Dress: Jenny Yoo | Bride's Earrings: BHLDN | Groomsmen Tie Bars: Mickey Chase Jewelry | Second Photographer: Sasha Felix

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I swear, this wedding is an absolute dream. I haven’t stopped thinking about it since the moment it hit our inboxes, and I am beyond excited that today is the day I finally get to share it with all of you. Because, lovelies, this one is a stunner. With seriously perfect images from Caroline Yoon Fine Art Photography and style that will stand the test of time, this gallery is just beyond. See it all here.

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From the Bride…Our wedding was simply an extension of our style as a couple. Some might call us “old fashioned” but we prefer to say “classic.” Neither of us grew up in NYC but it is the place where we both went to college, met and fell in love and made our first home together. We were married at our parish church, just a few avenues away from our apartment and the restaurant where we had our first date! Afterwards, we celebrated at a converted carriage house in the West Village that had been decorated in an eclectic, vintage style very similar to our apartment, albeit on a grander scale. We wanted our 80 guests to feel like they had been welcomed to our home for a dinner party as opposed to an impersonal banquet hall. We surprised everyone with a grilled cheese food truck waiting on the street after the reception. I had ordered grilled cheese on our first date so we thought it a fitting end to our wedding. At the end of the night, I held my new husband’s hand as we walked into the crowded lobby of the Waldorf. The entire room began clapping and cheering for us. It all still feels like the loveliest of dreams. By being true to ourselves, our wedding exuded a natural comfort. I have never felt more happy or loved than I did on that very special day.

Photography: Caroline Yoon Fine Art Photography | Florist: Gardenia Organic | Ceremony Venue: St. Ignatius Loyola | Reception Venue: Manhattan Penthouse on Fifth Avenue | Bride's Shoes: Kate Spade | Caterer: Manhattan Penthouse on Fifth Avenue | Hair Stylist: Sabrina Gilbert | Groom's Suit: Saks Fifth Avenue | Bride's Dress: Allure Bridal | Bride's Veil: Priscilla of Boston Atlanta | Food Truck: The Morris Truck | Live Music and Entertainment: Manhattan City Music | Maid of Honor's Dress: Alfred Sung | Maid of Honor's Shoes: Badgley Mischka | Vintage Taxi Cab: Film Cars

Judy Pak is quickly becoming one of my favorite people in the world to spend the day with.  Not literally, of course.  I mean, she lives all the way across the country and even though I imagine we would be besties, we’ve never actually met in person.  It’s just that one look at her gorgeous imagery and, I swear to you, my entire day brightens.  It’s like every photo she snaps up has the power to fill your every second with pretty… and this gorgeous e-sesh?  It’s doing exactly that.  Click here for more.

From Judy Pak Photography… Hannah and Eric are a dream couple to photograph! They are one good lookin’ couple and so down to earth! Everything about them just feels so natural. For their session, we re-created their first (Eight hour!) date around the East and West Village. It was super cold and we even had a mini tornado hit us at the highline, but that didnt stop these two from having fun! I am counting down the days to their gorgeous vineyard wedding!

Photography: Judy Pak Studio

There is so much to love about this Alder Manor wedding captured by The Melideos I don’t even know where to start. But maybe we should start with that stunning blush gown from Monique Lhuillier. It’s what wedding gown dreams are made of. Or maybe we should just sit for awhile to soak in the garden glam feel of the fête. Wherever you decide to spend your swooning energies, this gallery is one fabulous place to do so.

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From The Melideos…We were absolutely thrilled to head back to the east coast to one of our all-time favorite venues for Jane and Jeff’s gorgeous wedding. Alder Manor is a historic home in Yonkers, New York that had fallen into neglect for many years before being restored as an event venue. The entire property is in various stages of disrepair and it absolutely takes your breath away at every turn. Jane and Jeff had their ceremony among the fallen pillars in the sculpture garden, then headed into the opulent dining room for dinner, and ended in the grand ballroom for an all-night dance party. We had so much fun exploring the property with these two love birds, from the empty swimming pool to the restored library, all with their adorable little pup in tow. And we were dying over Jane’s gorgeous blush gown…just look at it on that stairway! Perfection. This wedding was full of sweet moments and we were so happy to share them with the bride and groom!

Photographer: The Melideos | Videographer: Ryan And Heidi Studio | Floral Design: Cut1 Floral Design | Wedding Dress: Monique Lhuillier | Shoes: Givenchy | Catering: Chefs At Work | Makeup Artist: Soo Kim | Makeup Artist: Jennifer Kang | Hair Stylist: Linh Nguyen | DJ: DJ Gatsby | Suit: Louis Purple | Wedding Venue: Alder Manor

There are few things that beat a New York City Engagement session, and this stunning session from Jen and Chris Creed is the perfect example of why. The city just seems to come alive , providing the perfect backdrop for this newly engaged duo. It’s picture after picture of NYC engagement perfection, and it’s all waiting for you right here.

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From Jen and Chris Creed…We’re so excited to share this engagement session in NYC! Abby and Patrick will be getting married in Kentucky, where they met, later this year. But they both currently live in NYC–Abby works in fashion, and Patrick is a running coach. One of our favorite things to do is document people when they are in a stage of life that is unique, which fit them perfectly! They may not be living in NYC forever, so it was wonderful to be able to capture all the things they love most about living in the city, while also celebrating their engagement! They took us all over, highlights including Central Park, the Highline, the Empire State Building, the Flatiron Building, and my personal favorite, the Brooklyn Bridge. We ended the evening across the bridge in Hoboken, where they are currently living, to catch their favorite view of the skyline!

Photography: Jen & Chris Creed

Staring at beautiful wedding imagery is something that will never, ever get old… and when it comes to taking stop-you-in-your-tracks, seriously mesmerizing photos, Weddings by Two really knows how it’s done.  Maybe that’s because this husband and wife duo (and friends) are literal geniuses behind the camera, or maybe it’s because their clients are the perfect combo of oh-so-lovely and seriously stylish all in one.  My guess? It’s the very best mix of all of the above.  Spend your Saturday getting to know them, lovelies… and prepare to fall in love.

From Weddings by Two… Weddings by Two is the wedding photography company started by the husband-and-wife team of Ben Fraser and Laura Miller. They have expanded to include three additional photographers while maintaining the conviction that wedding photography be about exceptional imagery, period. Not about gimmicks and trends. Gimmicks and trends make them angry and smart-alecky! Normally though, they are so so nice and you will wonder if you actually hired them or if they are one of your beloved guests. Seriously. They love what they do and are grateful to be doing it!

About their photography: Their images might be playful, ironic, beautiful or absurd. In the end, they aim for classic, or better yet, iconic. They are big fans of Joel Sternfeld’s archetypal portraits, and also of big apertures and soft, natural, glow-y light. “Magic light,” even if it isn’t really magic hour. For fans of old-school photography, they will pull out their Hasselblads, Holgas, and maybe even a real Polaroid. For old time’s sake.

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Welcome to the family, Weddings by Two!  We are so happy to have you! xo

Plain and simple, this Sleepy Hollow Country Club wedding from Sara Wight Photography is beyond stunning. It starts with the Brides jaw-droppingly gorgeous Vera Wang gown and then just keeps the gorgeous going until the very end. It’s a soiree that has style for miles (and miles), and it’s surely a day their guests will talk about for years (and years). See why here.

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From Sara Wight…From the moment I met Samantha and Mike, I knew their wedding was going to be spectacular! Not only are they the sweetest couple, but Samantha is very creative and knew exactly what she wanted – a wedding that no one would forget. Perched above the mystical Hudson River sits a remarkable Vanderbilt mansion, now part of the Sleepy Hollow Country Club. I can’t imagine a more magical setting for their swanky affair. You’ll swoon over her stunning Vera Wang dress and amazing Jannie Baltzer headpiece. And those Aperlai shoes! The bridesmaids wore sage Jim Hjelm dressed with custom hairpieces and necklaces.

The ceremony took place outside on the lawn overlooking the Hudson River. The bride and groom stood under a gorgeous rustic canopy created by In Full Bloom Floral Studio with a harpist providing the elegant music.

Not a detail throughout the day was left unnoticed, from custom cocktail straws with cutesy message banners, to programs with the message “All you need is love” printed on the base, to handmade limoncello favors made by the bride herself provided to the guests . Avid wine enthusiasts, wine bottles spelling L-O-V-E and others utilizing photos from their engagement shoot decorated the lobby table. Corks served as holders for the escort cards. Game baskets filled with toys were provided to all of the children in attendance.

Around Town Entertainment kept the crowd dancing in to the wee hours, while late night snacks such as popcorn, cotton candy and pretzels were served to the guests.

From the bride… Michael and I wanted to create a unique, romantically sweet celebration for our wedding, with a touch of vintage elegance. We pulled inspiration from our Italian honeymoon and tried to include personal touches of our love of travel. It was important that we added a sense of our own personalities into the details, to help create uniqueness to our special day. When we were searching for venues we knew we wanted a vintage mansion setting, which would allow us to carry out our vision. Sleepy Hollow Country Club was an absolute dream location, and once we found the old Vanderbilt mansion, everything just seemed to fall into place. Our color palate was inspired by a farmer’s market wooden crate filled with ripe peaches. The soft peaches, greens, and pinks encapsulated the overall feel we wanted for our late June wedding. As a bride I knew exactly what feeling I wanted to capture, and I can truly say that everything turned out better than I could have imagined.

The outdoor ceremony had the feeling of walking through a European garden in the early 1900s. The Around Town Band provided an amazing harpist and flutist to help add to the romantic ambiance we wanted to create. With the amazing backdrop of the Hudson River, and the gorgeous trees, it was easy to get lost in the scenery, so the flowers and ceremony space were minimalistic, romantically soft, and simply… perfect. The white birch arbor was an idea created by myself, and carried out by our amazing florist, In Full Bloom. We wanted to create a unique, lighthearted ceremony, which would show the importance of our two families being joined together by our marriage. We wrote our own vows, had a few close family members/friends perform romantic readings, and got our guests involved through pledges and our personalized sermon.

Following the ceremony our guests moved to the outdoor cocktail hour, which gave one the feeling of being in J. Gatsby’s backyard during one of his elegant afternoon soirees. Personal touches were added with personalized cocktails for the bride and groom, as well as vintage paper straws and cute personalized stirrers, courtesy of MissPrissyPaige. Our guests ate, drank, and walked around the amazing grounds with one another, which was exactly what we had hoped they’d do… A perfect start to our perfect evening.

Inside, our guests were seated at their tables with handmade cork escort cards, made by the bride and groom, to capture our love of wine, wineries, and our upcoming honeymoon in Italy. Our tables were named for different cities in Italy, and the guests had to match their corks to the wine bottle labels, also handmade. Our centerpieces were 3-4 multilevel arrangements, intertwined with candles, and vintage stands. Our handmade limoncello favors were also placed at each guest’s seat. The children’s table was equipped with table top games, disposable cameras, and silly props for taking pictures. Pictures of us over the years, our families, even loved ones we’ve lost, were placed throughout the rooms inside the mansion. We had a puzzle piece guestbook, and a card display which was created to capture our love of travel. Even the ladies’ restroom had handmade lip-glosses, which was made by the bride and a bridesmaid. Our guests were able to roam around the mansion, as if it was our own home, and take in all the personal details we had created. They enjoyed a 3 course meal, two types of out-of-this-world cupcakes, created by Lovely Cakes, and late night snack vendors supplied by Funtime Amusements. An authentic cigar roller was also stationed on an outdoor veranda to allow for guests to flow inside and outside.

Guests have been talking about our amazing day for weeks now, and that was exactly what Michael and I had hoped for; an evening where we could celebrate our love of one another, with our closest family members and friends. Our wedding was created from our vision, with our guests in mind every step of the way. Michael and I felt overwhelmed with the amount of love and support we received on our special day, and we believe our guests felt equally appreciated through the personal details we’d created with them in mind.

Photography: Sara Wight Photography | Floral Design: In Full Bloom Florist | Dress: Vera Wang | Shoes: Aperlai | Bridesmaids Dresses: JLM Couture, Inc | Makeup: Face the Day NY: Makeup and Hair Services | Hair: Eve Whittington | Entertainment: Around Town Entertainment | Groom's Attire: Vera Wang | Wedding Venue: Sleepy Hollow Country club | Bridal Hair Pieces: Jannie Baltzer | Bridesmaid Hairpiece: Darling Delilah | Bridesmaids Necklaces: Hisayo Tinsley | Cigar Roller: Connecticut Cigar Company | Drink Stir Sticks: Miss Prissy Paige | Flower Girl and Junior Bridesmaids Dresses: Olivia Kate Couture | Flowergirl Headband: EzaleeJoCo | Junior Bridesmaid Headpiece: Blessed and b.LOVE.d | Late Night Snacks: Funtime Amusements | Maid of Honor Headpiece: Tessa Kim | Puzzle Guest Book: The Missing Piece Puzzle Company