Best Weddings | Bridal Stories | Hudson Valley NY
The Location – Castle on the Hudson, Tarrytown, NY
Michele (who just so happens to be my sister) and Jay picked their venue because, as Michele says, “Who doesn’t want to get married in a castle?!” The fairy tale, happily-ever-after-feel and gothic look were perfect for my sister and her new husband.
“The people at the Castle are on another level of awesome,” gushed Michele. Their adoration of the staff started on the day they did their tasting—which Michele and Jay unanimously decided was the absolute best part of wedding planning. The staff was so helpful and made the entire experience so easy for the jittery bride and groom.
“We didn’t have to worry about a single thing from the first day we met Gilbert (the general manager) until the wedding was over,” said Michele. “He literally had the entire day planned down to the minute and he listened to all of our wants and made them a reality.”
Another major perk at the Castle was the food. “It’s the best food we’ve ever had,” said Michele. “I highly recommend the raw bar for cocktail hour. It was a huge hit!” Michele and Jay were so excited about the food, but, like many brides and grooms, they didn’t get to enjoy their meals on the day of the wedding. They were so busy dancing and laughing with their guests, they missed out on their meal! The always accommodating staff arranged for the newlyweds to come back to Equus (the restaurant at the Castle) for their one-month anniversary. The trout dish Michele and Jay had so looked forward to is made differently at the restaurant but David Haviland, the chef, made it for them exactly the way it was made at their wedding.
Theme – Medieval Garden
The Castle provided the perfect inspiration for Michele and Jay, who went for a sort of medieval garden theme. If you saw their home, which is decorated in dark woods with a lot of gothic accents, you would know that a castle was the perfect choice for these two. It completely fits their personal style.
It was also really important to them to incorporate art. “We wanted a Van Gogh wedding because we both love art, especially Van Gogh,” said Michele. Playing off of Van Gogh, they decided to go with sunflowers and irises as their flowers of choice, two flowers that are found in many of his paintings.
The Photographer – Maximillian B. Nucci
From the second Max walked into the room my sister was staying in at the Castle, I knew he was the perfect choice. My sister was in the midst of a meltdown after seeing her bouquet (which wasn’t what she had envisioned) and the boutonnieres that were, in her words, “made for either clowns or ten-foot tall giants.” Let’s just put it out there: she was in full-on angry Bridezilla mode. Max immediately started 
cracking jokes and sticking the camera in my sister’s face, which totally put her at ease. His calm presence instantly diffused a situation that could have gotten a lot worse.
Michele and Jay chose Max because they were looking for something a little more artistic than traditional posed photos. Max set up an engagement session with the couple, explaining that it would make them more comfortable both with him and with being in front of the camera. It also gave Max an idea of how Michele and Jay photographed so that he could get the best shots possible on the day of the wedding. They loved their engagements photos so much that they bought the rights to all of them.
The DJ – Junior Molina, Soundwaves Productions
Michele and Jay knew exactly what they wanted in a DJ. “You know those really obnoxious DJs that sing and scream and practically drag you out by the back of your dress to dance the funky chicken? Yeah, Junior's not one of those,” Michele explained. They liked the fact that Junior is good at feeling out the crowd and knows what to play and (maybe more importantly) what not to play.
They also had a specific list of songs that they wanted played at certain times throughout the reception (starting with “We’re Going to Be Friends” by The White Stripes as people were finding their tables). “I was a mess as the wedding got closer,” said Michele “and I wrote him a new email like every five minutes with changes. He just took it all in stride.”
Michele and Jay also wanted to make sure that their guests had a good time and they knew their choice in DJ would be critical. “We had a day wedding, which can be tough to turn into a party,” Michele said. “Jay and I really wanted a party. We wanted everyone drinking and dancing and having fun at noon. Junior made it happen, and everyone had an awesome time.”
The Dress – David’s Bridal
I was really nervous about going dress shopping with my sister. She’s currently in school for fashion design so clothes are kind of her thing. She had a very specific look in mind and I was afraid she would either be disappointed or she would settle on a dress she wasn't crazy about because she didn't think she had another choice.
Somehow on the very first day that we walked into a David’s Bridal (more for her to get a feel of the styles and fits out there than anything else) she bought her dress. Even stranger is the fact that she tried only one dress on. As she stood on the little pedestal looking at herself in the mirror, she asked us if she should try out any of the others we had seen. One of the other women in the store piped up and said “Why bother? That one's perfect!” She was right. We left once we could tear Michele out of the dress.
The Shoes – Seychelles 
I have to tell you, Michele’s choice in shoe shocked me. She has a soft spot for shoes (OK, it’s more than that. My nephew recently said to Jay “Daddy, why does mommy have so many shoes?”), so I knew they would be fabulous. But the awesome fish scales totally threw me for a loop. They were something I would pick—and a pair I can’t wait to borrow!
I love the fact that they're not at all traditional. It suits my sister. A cool pewter color, they definitely don't scream "bridal!" The scales at the top and on the sides added really interesting detail and texture, something most bridal shoes are lacking. Just look at them! They’re totally drool worthy! If you're interested in these beauties for yourself, they just so happen to be featured in our shop!
The Hairpiece – Tessa Kim and Jennifer Garry
Michele borrowed the birdcage veil by Tessa Kim that I wore at my wedding (check out the link to see how different our weddings were!). She was torn for awhile on whether to do a long, dramatic cathedral veil or something short. On a whim, she tried on mine and loved the versatility of it. There were a variety of different ways that she could wear and she could definitely make it her own.
Michele also wanted a dramatic, feathery headpiece. Since I make accessories, we decided to design a piece together that I would make for her. After a few different incarnations (my dear sister first wanted a headband, but decided—after I had made it—that she would wear her hair up instead of down and so she needed a comb), Michele cried when she saw the final product, which made me one very happy sister.
A Bride's Advice:
- Make it personal: “As a way to incorporate more art into our wedding we printed our own table numbers, each table having a different painting with a number. Jay used the same paintings (all of which are my favorites) during the proposal.”
- Wishing tree: Make a wishing tree instead of having a guestbook! “It's much more interesting and people can write down their wishes for you andyour spouse on little cards and hang them from the tree,” she said. “It was really fun and romantic to take the wishes off the tree and read them with my husband over a bottle of wine.”
- Cake: Fight the urge to have a traditional white wedding cake. GO CHOCOLATE!
Jennifer Garry is a writer and accessories designer living in Westchester, NY with her husband and daughter. When she's not up to her ears in kiddie crafts, you can find her swimming in a pool of beads. Her obsessions include tea, chocolate, sarcasm and her daughter's giggle--any of which can be used to coax her from her little jewelry-making fantasy world.
Our Wedding at Full Moon Resort
We got married in the Catskill Mountains over a 3-day getaway, kidnapping our guests so they could join us in the world of our own we created at Full Moon Resort. (You can read about our planning process in the “before” section of planning my Full Moon wedding.) Our wedding festivities started with a very mellow casual 4th of July BBQ, one of our favorite holidays.
The Location – Full Moon Resort in Big Indian, NY
Our friends and family reunited over the three days. I think this had a lot to do with the environment. Full Moon doesn’t have cell phone reception, TVs, or room phones, yet we were able to transform our guests with the richness Full Moon has to offer.
On the first night we added glow necklaces and bracelets and campfire with s’mores, so all the adults could remember what it is like to be a kid. We also splurged on kites, soccer balls, foot balls, ladder golf and frisbees so kids of all ages had fun. Guests also enjoyed the spring fed pool and the natural streams, lakes, and waterfalls nearby.
Many times guests kept commenting to us about “this place” and how it is a perfect combination of beautiful surrounding, amazing nature, charming accommodations, friendly staff, outstanding service, incredible food, and laid back atmosphere.
As operations manager of Full Moon Resort, I found it really hard to let go on my wedding day; however, Full Moon did an amazing job running my wedding and Jerry took on a lot, so that I could really be the bride. So make sure to delegate to those you trust and don’t sweat the small stuff on the day of your wedding.
The Theme – Northern California Woodlands Inspired
We got engaged on the beach in northern California and spent the rest of the week exploring the redwoods. Both of us will remember that trip for forever, so we decided to bring all of that into the design of our wedding. Our colors were green and brown with an earthy, natural, woodland valley theme featuring ferns, moss, birch, and monkey tails (which look like fiddle head ferns.) We brought the beach into it with beach glass and sand decorations as well.
The main colors had special meaning to us; green for the growth in our relationship, brown was for the stability we found in each other, and blue for loyalty and trust. We also added purple (my favorite color) for the passion and orange (as a gift from the garden of my mother who passed away) to symbolize endurance and happiness.
Hair & Makeup – Karen Neblung
Karen was amazing! She went way above the call of duty to give the ring bearer a hair cut and trim the officiant's bangs as well as do our hair and makeup. I couldn't have navigated my way through that stressful time right before the ceremony without Karen. She did an amazing job of ruling the roost to keep us on time and looking amazing. I highly recommend her.
The Dress – Bridal Cottage in Kingston, NY
Gladys from the Bridal Cottage really helped me. I was a busy bride and I didn't have much time to shop. I drove all the way to Long Island to go to some bigger stores, try things on and be done with it. I found most people unhelpful and rude.
Who knew I would find the best service and the best dress in a small town like Kingston?
Dress shopping was very emotional because my mother couldn’t be there. Gladys was very flexible with my sister, my dad, and my future mother in-law coming to assist me; she handled it all with ease.
I had billions of fittings because I kept losing weight, but Gladys did an awesome job. In the end the dress fit like it was custom made. I love to dance, so it was really important that the dress wasn't going to get in the way of that. I would recommend using Gladys any day.
Custom Jewelry – Seashaped & Sue Arkwright
All of the wedding party’s jewelry was custom made. Kristy Landerkin from Seashaped personally designed all our wedding day jewelry other than my barefooted sandals, which were designed by Sue Arkwright.
The jewelry was incredibly meaningful to me and one of the best parts of this wedding planning. I struggled to find a way to 
commemorate my mother who had recently passed without getting everyone upset, including myself.
Kristy designed jewelry that tied in so many tributes to my mother: the theme for my and the maid of honor's (my sister) necklaces was a butterfly, my mom's favorite symbol, and she etched half of my mother's favorite saying on the back of our necklaces. Our jewelry used sea glass from the beach where we got engaged, beads from Africa where I worked years ago, and my birthstone amethyst.
At the last minute when I decided not to wear shoes, we needed a way to dress up my feet. The barefooted sandal idea was the best! This piece of jewelry was the highlight of so many shots of the day. I couldn't be happier with how the jewelry turned out.
The Flowers – Elderberry Florist
Jim from Elderberry went above and beyond and really took the time and energy to understand what we wanted and made things more meaningful. He used live plants so we would have them after the wedding to plant. He gave as an amazing gift of a live cluster of my mom's favorite flowers used in the landscaping of the escort card structure, and we planted after the wedding at our home.
The Ceremony – Reverend Puja Thomson, Roots & Wings
We originally planned to have our friends officiate the wedding, but they were unable to come. So at the last minute we were trying to find someone for the ceremony, which was very stressful.
However, Puja Thomson was a calming force. She stepped right in and adapted to what we had already designed to help us create a heartfelt ceremony. Puja, amazing lady that she is, produced a beautiful ceremony for us. I am so grateful for her services.
We drove to our processional in our father’s vintage cars, a 1968 Camaro and 1968 Corvette while the DJ played "Life is a Highway" and "Born to be Wild." I am not one for being the center of attention, so it made the procession fun instead serious.
We parked the cars and the wedding party walked between them. My father made the arbor we got married beneath.
One of the highlights of the ceremony was the programs, handmade fans our guests were grateful for on one of the hottest days of the year! A friend helped us design the reception menus and ceremony programs, both of which couldn't have come out any better.
The DJ – Pat Del
The groom picked this vendor, ladies. Our music was all planned out by our DJ, Pat Del. He was able to get people on the dance floor who are known as those people who just don't dance at weddings. He did an amazing job and worked with us to make everything we wanted musically come true.
The Dessert Buffet – Sweet Nothings
I highly recommend Linda from Sweet Nothings. Our dessert table was flooded with cheese cakes, tarts, truffles, cookies, peanut butter bars, and Linda's own V8 Bars. We had multiple cake toppers, smurfs, and rubber duckies...all of which had special meaning to us.
Fireworks – Legion Fireworks
If you are getting married around the fourth of July and think it's important to have fireworks, look out! Prices are crazy and many vendors book up years in advance. Many firework vendors quoted me $1,000 a minute!
Legion Fireworks' motto is that they tailor the fireworks display to fit your budget and design it for the biggest bang for your buck. They lived up to their motto and so much more.
Legion Fireworks had already worked at Full Moon Resort and knew what permits and licenses to get. They made the process very easy and stress free.
They kicked off our wedding festivities with an amazing fireworks display unlike any other we had ever seen. It was just for us and they threw in extras to make it last longer and be more unique.
People said our fireworks display was the best they had ever seen in their life. Imagine a mounting series of concussions that we hear not with just our ears but with our bodies and even our souls. It was simply OUTSTANDING and more then we could have asked for or dreamed of...Legion Fireworks are well worth the money. I would highly recommend them.
DIY Wedding Details
Jerry made the table numbers out of birch trees they cut down, burned and engraved. He also put together the escort card structure, signs and photo books. He also put together a digital photo frame that held up to 1,000 pictures as a surprise.
I bought glow sticks on Ebay for about $100 and even though we were very conscious about those “little details” adding up, I absolutely recommend it. They created awesome photos and it was so fun watching adults act like little kids.
It was so great to arrive in our dad’s old cars. Our fathers also felt really special, and now I’m even more attached to that Camero and Corvette!
Capturing the Day
We found professional videographers and photographers to shoot the whole 3 day event. Both of them were incredible and worked together to fit in so our guests didn’t feel awkward. Don't skimp on these vendors! Photos and video are the only lasting memories you will have of all the hard work you put into your wedding.
Photography – Max Nucci*
Max Nucci won us over and I'm so glad he did. He captured our event from start to finish, just the way we wanted. I really can't express in words how amazing his photos are, but his work speaks for itself.
*All photos in this blog post courtesy of Max Nucci.
Video – Reaching Roots Studios
Melanie and Jerry at Full Moon from Nathaniel Armstrong on Vimeo.
For me videography was a necessity. I want to be able to look back and hear the voices of people who have passed on, show my kids what a great time everyone had, or be romantic and listen to us saying our vows again.
Jerry wasn't sure video was worth spending the money on. However, now he says be sure to get a videographer because nothing captures real life moments like video.
One of my favorite memories of the whole event is Nate filming the kids flying kites. Just as he's filming, one of the flower girls changes direction and heads straight towards Nate with her kite. He ducks and rolls with the video camera, a big smile on his face.
Nate created a business that he has a passion for every day. And let me tell you, that passion really shows in the video. He is an amazing person who does amazing work and I was so pleased that he was able to capture our wedding memories.
Lessons Learned
Melanie’s Advice
- I never knew my groom would care what color my girls were wearing! Jerry was adamant about sticking to our California woodlands theme and it was really fun. Definitely help your groom get involved; Jerry finished a lot of our DIY projects and it was so helpful to lean on him.
- When you find your dream location that is out of your budget, DON’T walk away without talking about it. Having our wedding on a Monday really helped. They were really flexible and worked with us. Be clear about your budget and do your research to find realistic options.
- Hire a consultant or do a lot of research to get quotes and find out what a “realistic” price is. You can really do a lot with your money, so it’s worth spending the time or hiring someone to help get your money’s worth.
- Take extra time with your photos. It was so much fun and we had family there who we never see. I wish we’d had more time because we were a little rushed toward the end.
- One of the most frustrating parts was trying to find an officiant at the last minute because my friends couldn’t make it. Stick with a pro! Hire them; the sooner, the better.
- I always tell brides to hold their bouquet and smile before going down the aisle. But now I tell them to look straight ahead as much as possible. My girls are all looking at their feet in the photos! Of course, they wore 3 inch heels to a ceremony in a field.
- I love yoga and so we picked Rob Greenburg to be our instructor for the wedding. This was one of my favorite parts of the wedding day. Rob's yoga class reminded me to breath deep and enjoy what I have. That feeling carried with me the whole day. I am so thankful we were able to practice yoga together as a group.
Jerry’s Advice
- Have a point person like a wedding planner handle the final payments on the day of the wedding. It was really stressful for me to worry about all that before the ceremony.
- Grooms, be a part of the planning process. It helps you know how things are supposed to go that day so that you’re not clueless. And make sure you tell your groomsmen when rehearsal is…or they won’t be there!
The Location - The Garrison in Garrison, NY 
Our ceremony and reception took place at The Garrison on July 12, 2009. My husband, Scott, and I drove up to The Garrison (after looking at many other venues) and knew immediately that it was the place for us.
We wanted an outdoor ceremony and indoor reception and a nice view surrounded by nature/simple things. The ceremony overlooked the Hudson River, the reception hall had tons of great windows that give it an "outdoor" feeling, simple chairs and tables. We were greeted by nice and competent people.
I would recommend all my vendors! The Garrison was perfect. Our wedding consultant, Michael Elbe, was great. He responded my questions on a timely manner, was very professional and listened to my ideas. He made sure we didn't have to worry about one thing the entire day of the wedding. All went smoothly and I got to just enjoy the day with my husband, family and friends. (The way a wedding day should be...especially after a year of planning!)
The Photographer - Janet Skinner of Ashley Studios in Poughquag, NY *All photos in this blog post courtesy of Ashley Studios. 
Janet was so amazing! She did a pre-shoot onsite at The Garrison the week before. It made the wedding day pictures run really smoothly.
She captured great candid shots without us even realizing she was there. Made us feel very comfortable.
The Flowers - Flowers by Reni in Fishkill, NY.
Caroline was very helpful because I knew nothing about flowers and she was able to pull my vision together in my price range. The arrangements on the tables and around the ceremony looked just as I envisioned.
The Band - Noiz Entertainment
Noiz Entertainment from Long Island was so fun! The dance floor was always crowded and they covered songs from The Hora to the Blackeyed Peas to Frankie Vallie. Everyone wanted to know where this band came from!
I got my dress at The House of Botticelli. The women there were extremely nice and knowledgeable. I told them what my style was and only tried on 3 dresses before I knew I had the one. I had already gone to a different dress place that same day...won't mention the name...but I tried on a million dresses there I never thought that I would find a dress I liked (I don't think the women understood my style.) But the women at the House of Botticelli got it right away!
The Theme - Nature Inspired
The theme of the wedding was simple and nature inspired. My husband and I like to spend time outside together, hiking, walking, biking, kayaking, picnicking...so I chose white (simple and clean) and green (nature) as the colors. We added a dash of yellow to brighten things up too.
I wouldn't change a thing about the wedding experience. In fact, I would do it all again in a second. Thankfully, we have an amazing album that captured all the great moments and allows us to "relive" the special day whenever we want!
Ashley's Advice
Do your research and plan the wedding to please YOURSELF! Planning a wedding has its stressful moments, there is no need to give yourself anxiety and to try to meet the needs of the world. It may sound selfish, but everyone else involved will (hopefully) 
enjoy the day as long as YOU are happy!
Make sure there is someone (not the bride or groom) that will "run the show" on the wedding day...You don't want to worry about ANYTHING! Just have fun and enjoy every minute!
Want to see more REAL Hudson Valley weddings like this one?
More Articles...
Page 1 of 8
