Nick Cadmus and Joni Smith, October 22, 2011
Location: Poughkeepsie Grand Hotel
We had a 3 pm ceremony at Blessed Kateri Tekakwitha Roman Catholic Church (officiated by Msgr. Desmond O’Connor) followed by a reception at the Poughkeepsie Grand Hotel. Cocktail hour was at 6 followed by dinner and dancing from 7-11pm.
The Poughkeepsie Grand is known for their weddings…. great food, attentive staff, and gorgeous ballrooms. What else could you ask for? Also, a family friend had her wedding at the Grand and raved about it.
Dress: David’s Bridal Galina
I shopped at several boutiques before deciding to purchase at David’s. Their prices are fantastic and I fell in love with the classic design of the A-line dress I ended up purchasing.
Jewelry:
My engagement ring and both of our wedding bands were from Delicate Gem Corporation in NYC. Nick spent many hours with Ari of Delicate Gem Corporation picking out the perfect engagement ring. With a stunning selection of the highest quality diamonds and great customer service, you simply can’t go wrong.
The pearl drop earrings I wore were from a seller on Etsy called madebysam3. I also bought my bridesmaid gifts from her, which were the same drop earrings and a gorgeous dainty silver bracelet with a silver leaf stamped with the first initial of the bridesmaid, a small pearl and an amethyst briolette.
I also wore a blue sapphire ring that was my grandmother's. She gave it to me shortly before the wedding as my something blue.
Tux: Men’s Wearhouse
The guys wore classic black suits with no vest. The groomsmen wore lapis ties, which matched the bridesmaid dresses. Nick’s tie was plain black.
Bridesmaid dresses: David’s Bridal
The bridesmaid dresses were also from David’s Bridal. I allowed each girl to choose her perfect dress. I love the visual interest different dresses creates in photos. My only requirement was that it was lapis and long. The lapis, a deep purple, was a great contrast to the fall colors we had selected.
Cake: The Pastry Garden, Poughkeepsie, NY
It was a white cake with chocolate mousse filling and a butter cream icing. It was decorated with fresh flowers from Lucille’s Floral in Fishkill.
Paper products: Foxglove Design
I wanted something unique for our invitations and I knew exactly where to get them! I am an avid shopper on Etsy a website similar to eBay with handmade items. I found a graphic designer, foxglovedesign, who designed gorgeous save the dates, invitations, reply cards, and menus.
The save the dates and invitations had a tree with multi-colored leaves, perfect for our fall themed wedding. The accompanying response cards and direction cards had scattered falling leaves. She simply emailed us the formatted document and we had them printed locally. It was very inexpensive and we loved the outcome.
Flowers: Lucille’s Floral, Fishkill, NY
We chose fall-inspired flowers and colors: citrus roses, circus roses, berries, mini green hydrangea, spider mums, and mango calla lilies. I had a photo of an inspiration bouquet I found in a bridal magazine. Lucille used that photo and created stunning bouquets and centerpieces. She was fantastic!
Entertainment: DJ Bri Swatek, Spinning with Style
A DJ can make or break a party. DJ Bri was amazing! Our guests absolutely loved him!
Photographer: Cheryl Bolton-Reuter
I cannot say enough great things about Cheryl. She is such an amazing photographer! Full of ideas, she captures moments that take your breath away.
Other vendors
Hair and makeup: Davide Salon, Wappingers Falls, NY
Limo Company: A Special Occasion Limousine Service, Fishkill, NY. Our driver Chip was hilarious. He kept us entertained the entire time.
Hairpiece: The cathedral veil I wore was actually made by a friend of mine. It was perfect!
Shoes: A gift from my mother. They were Banana Republic chiffon ruffle strappy heels in a rose gold color.
Color inspiration
Nick and I both love everything that fall brings. We chose colors you would see on the changing leaves: oranges, greens, and chocolate brown.
Wedding finds
Etsy is great for wedding finds! It’s a great place to find unique invitations and gifts at reasonable prices. It’s possible to have a beautiful wedding and not break the bank. You have to think outside the box and be open to suggestions. Use flowers that are in season and plentiful.
What would you do differently?
I really don’t think I would do anything differently. We were happy with every choice we made. We tried not to stress too much about the little details. We were surprisingly relaxed and were able to enjoy everything!
Do you have any advice for future brides?
Look through magazines for ideas. It’s easier to decide on flowers if you have examples of what you like.
All photos courtesy of Cheryl Bolton-Reuter
