8.23.08 Jessica & Ryan The Grandview

Jeff and I were back at the Grandview after our week at the beach, nicely tanned and relaxed after a week of slackerdom. And so ready to celebrate with Jessica and Ryan!

Jessica and Ryan stole a few moments alone on the dance floor underneath the tent. I watched (from a discrete distance, of course) as Ryan dipped his new wife and kissed her neck, savoring the elegance around them.

The couple's wedding was in blue and white, with sea shells strewn across the tables. Each centerpiece was a HUGE bottle of wine topped with blue and white flowers. Fitting, since Ryan is a wine merchant. Bottoms up!

The Love Letters that Jessica and Ryan shared with their guests couldn't have been more different. In poetic, romantic words, Jessica described how, "life melted away and left just the two of us, standing, breathing as summer melted into fall," when they first met. Ryan, on the other hand, wrote a rhyming poem revealing how he knew she was the one when they met at a Halloween party...where Jessica was dressed as Catwoman. MEOW!

Jessica shared a special dance with her seventeen year old son, Michael, who had walked her down the aisle. She dedicated the song, "You Raise Me Up" by Josh Groban to her late father. Michael tried to fight his tears, but by the end of the song both he and his mother were crying and hugging each other.

Later on the couple treated their guests to a Gourmet Ice Cream bar, and everyone stuffed themselves on bowls of ice cream with sprinkles, caramel and whipped cream.

It was great working with photographic team Rich Michaels and his wife Stacy www.rmichaelsphoto.com who captured these beautiful shots of Jessica and Ryan. (We love husband-wife teams!)

P.S. I just got an email from Jessica's honeymoon where they are swimming with dolphins, drinking tequila and getting massages on the beach in Cabo San Lucas. Wicked!

8.16.08 Michelle & Brian The Grandview

Our second Grandview experience of the weekend; the perfect send-off for the beach vacation we would begin later on that night. (Hooray for LBI!)

Michelle and Brian braved cloudy skies and held their ceremony outside on the patio beside the tent. A light drizzle began as Jeff played the Canon in D for Michelle's walk down the aisle. Father Rich dubbed it a "unity rain" and sped through the hand fastening and sand ceremony to get the guests out of the wet, and Michelle and Brian ran down the aisle as husband and wife, laughing and happy as the rain fell harder.

The bridesmaids wore sand colored dresses and the tables were adorned with lovely peach and white roses.

As always, my favorite moments came with the couple's Love Letter Dedications. Michelle listed her Top 10 Reasons Why She Loves Brian, among them the fact that he let her throw out 90% of his wardrobe and dress him however she wanted, that he still lets her drive his car...even after she backed it up into a fence post, and that he lets her sleep in the middle of the bed. Brian confessed that he fell in love with Michelle at first sight and proclaimed himself the luckiest man in the world because, "today I married my best friend and soul mate."


I (barely) managed to resist the Grandview's Tableside Temptations dessert display of fresh berries, chocolates, and cookies, served with international coffee. (Probably only because I knew the Long Beach Island beach was in my near future.)

What a beautiful night it was!

The lovely photos are courtesy of Myles of Myles Studio. Thanks!

8.15.08 Suzanne & Jason The Grandview

A perfect Grandview wedding.

Suzanne was gorgeous in her old world European style gown. She wore the headpiece from her mother's wedding dress, rebeaded with pearls from her grandmother's veil, and carried pieces of her grandmother's veil in her bouquet. She was the image of a beautiful Italian bride straight out of the 40's.


The bridesmaids wore sage dresses and carried yellow cala lilies.



The Reverend Stickney officiated the ceremony, guiding the proceedings with his deep, distinguished voice. Suzanne and Jason chose beautiful readings for their ceremony, the first had a line I love:"Love is an ancient delerium." (How true, I thought, watching Jason gaze at Suzanne, transfixed.) Then, one of Suzanne's bridesmaids read a poem she had written for the couple. It told how Suzanne would watch Jason sleeping and wonder if he would sleep as soundly in sixty years, if he would still find her beautiful with lines on her face. The poem ended, "'Grow old with me,' he said to her. And she said, 'Yes.'"

Suzanne and Jason's wedding day was filled with romance, tradition, and a celebration that embraced both their past and their future. Beautiful!

Check out these photos by Elissa Davidson http://www.eidphotography.com/. Elissa has an eye for beauty; she really loves what she does and it shows.

8.11.08 Onteora Mountain House Christine & Alex

We didn't get to meet Christine and Alex until the day of their wedding, since they were planning from California and all our communication was via phone and email, but they were every bit as sweet as I imagined them.

Because live music is so important to them, Christine and Alex went back and forth between hiring a DJ and a band. I even helped them explore local band options. (I know, professional hazard.) In the end, they compromised by hiring a very talented mandolin folk duo for their ceremony and cocktail hour, and then had us for the reception.

Christine and Alex's families got to experience the beauty of the Hudson Valley from Onteora Mountain House's majestic views, despite the rainy weather. Instead of a Grand Entrance, the couple asked for a subtle announcement into their First Dance song, "I Will" by the Beatles.

Alex's brother proposed his toast to "another white, athletic, Saab-driving, lab-owning couple" in California.

To indulge the couple's love for live music, Jeff performed live acoustic guitar during dinner, which was a special treat for the kids. A little curly haired boy in a striped shirt and jacket, rolled trousers and sandals who looked like he had just stepped out of a Gap catalog, danced with a blonde toddler in a blue dress and ballet shoes, twirling and dancing as Jeff strummed. When he paused between songs, they stopped dancing and waited, staring at him until he began to play again so they could continue their interpretive dance. At the end of his performance, Jeff got a rousing round of applause!

Our Monday night wedding was awesome. We played some hip hop for the youngsters, rock and disco classics for the family, and even delved into the Cha Cha Slide and the Cupid Shuffle--new fangled line dances that taught the older generation a thing or two.

Toward the end of the night, we slipped in the old tune "Fascination" by Nat King Cole, in honor of a couple who had Christine's father as their Best Man at their wedding 48 years ago.

Love, family, making memories, and tying it all together with music: Alex and Christine ended our long weekend on a most satisfying note.

8.10.08 Dutchess Manor Christen & Jeremy

It was touch and go for a while under cloudy skies, but Christen's mom made the final call for an outdoor ceremony. Dean had a backup location ready to go indoors, just in case. The gorgeous view overlooking the Hudson River more than made up for the stress of impending weather.

Christen had a tough time deciding on the music for her processional, but I loved her final choice. A huge fan of Phantom of the Opera, she had her bridemaids walk down the aisle to a lovely instrumental version of "Think of Me," and then she walked down the aisle to the eternally romantic, "All I Ask of You." (I saw the musical when I was fifteen and have been hooked ever since. What a thrill to hear it at a ceremony!)

While Jeff was performing acoustic guitar for the guests during cocktail hour, Jeremy dictated his last minute Love Letter dedication to Christen. I furiously scribbled down his words.

(Normally, I prefer to have everything organized and planned ahead of time--blame my Type A side--but this was SO worth squeezing in last minute.)

Jeremy talked about the first time he met Christen, how he opened the door for her and looked at her for the first time. "It was the kind of look that makes you pause, and then with your eyes and expressions offer some of your love." He went on to describe Christen as, "a hidden paradise that is the most beautiful of all."

Reading words like that makes my night. *Sigh*

It was quite the party! We made new friends, Carlos of Custom Made Video and Michael and Nicole from Picture This Studios www.picturethisofct.com who took these awesome images. At the end of the night, Michael shot a "Die Hard" photo of all the remaining guests packed onto the dance floor. At the last minute, I jumped into the photo.

See, I'm a die hard partier, too!

8.9.08 Locust Grove Mya & James

Jeff and I were back at Locust Grove for the second weekend in a row--with Eddie from Lola's Catering again. YUM!



This was the first ceremony I officially coordinated. What a rush to be right in the middle of all the nervousness and excitement as Mya and her father readied for their walk across the lawn to join their waiting guests! I even got to carry her train across the gravel and arrange it for her procession.



Mya was lovely with a pink rose tucked into her hair. The Reverend Charles Stickley, a robust gentleman with a deep, compelling voice, officiated the ceremony. He presented the couple with a gift of Woodstock chimes at the end of the ceremony as a reminder that they listen to God's music in every situation.



Pink, yellow, and peach roses adorned the tables inside, and the flower girl wore a crown of roses.



Oh, the flower girl! Caroline was a RIOT. Just the cutest little blonde-haired angel. We played "Sweet Caroline" for her at the end of dinner. Not one to be shy, Caroline skipped onto the dance floor and twirled like a ballerina as the entire room sang to her. And after the cake, she insisted on singing for Mya and James. She lifted that microphone without hesitation and belted out, "Twinkle, twinkle, Mya and James. How I wonder what you are."



Another lovely Locust Grove experience. If we're not careful, this could become a habit...

8.8.08 Villa Borghese Maureen & Tom

It was that magical date...8/8/08.

Maureen and Tom chose "The Luckiest" as their First Dance song. It's one of my favorites by Ben Folds. So romantic! Guaranteed to wring tears from even the toughest wedding guest. It's that line about the old man who dies a few days after his wife because he misses her so much. "I know it's a strange way to tell you that I know we belong...but I know, that I am the luckiest."

It's no wonder Maureen and Tom were stealing kisses during their solo dance.

Our couple from last month, Kyle and Alicia, were guests in attendance. It was so good to see them again! Jeff was so impressed with Kyle's savvy Blue Ray buying skills (and his skillful justification of the purchase) that he's already planning his own campaign. "But, honey, we get FREE high def included..."

Though I knew what to expect this time, I was pleased that enough of Maureen's sorority was present to serenade her with an a capella version of their song. It was, however, the first time I've seen Red Hot Salsa in action. Apparently, Maureen took line dancing in college, and she and her group of friends suffered such a traumatic experience together that they are compelled to relieve their Red Hot Salsa group dance at every opportunity. "You're red hot. You're a red hot dancer...When you swing your hips, and you do the salsa."

I always say: there are no rules in weddings. There is the traditional, but you should do whatever feels right for you. Maureen shared a special dance with her mother to, "In My Daughter's Eyes," a moving song Martina McBride wrote for her daughters. (Another tear jerker. Darn it!)

It's your wedding. You get to make--and break--the rules. Dance with whoever you want, skip traditions that don't fit you, or make up new ones. It's all good!

Maureen and Tom are off to St. Lucia for "snorkeling and zip lining." Yippee!

8.3.08 The Grandview Maria & Joe

aOh, I love the Grandview!



The heat broke by mid-afternoon and the breeze off the Hudson River was delicious.



Maria and Joe were married on the patio overlooking the river by the Reverend Sara Henderson. Sara's sweet smile is infectious!



There were eight kids in the bridal party. The littlest girls were pulled down the aisle in a red wagon decorated with tulle and lace.

Maria remembered the kids at the reception, too. While the grown-ups had beautiful arrangements of pink and yellow-peach variegated roses and zinnias, the kids had Siamese fighting fish! The couple gave donations to Autism Speaks in lieu of favors, but everyone got bags of green and blue Jelly Belly beans. Each table was named after a winery Maria and Joe had visited together, and decorated with bottles of wine from each location.



Maria and Joe had fish on their sweetheart table, too, next to a stuffed bride and groom Teddy bear.



We played Italian waltzes, tarantellas, and polkas for Maria's Italian family. Then, of course...Bon Jovi for the bride!



The highlight of the night for Joe came after dinner. Joe invited "the boys" outside the tent for cigars. Before you knew it, a crowd of fifty people had gathered for a smoke to admire the river view. *cough, cough*



Maria and Joe were beaming with their family and friends around them as the sun set over the Hudson.
The photos are courtesy of our new photographer friend Vito Kwan. Check out his blog for more of the details (including cigars and fish!) from Joe and Maria's wedding.

The Grandview
Photos by Vito Kwan

8.2.08 Locust Grove at the Samuel Morse Estate Christine & Al

I was furiously scribbling notes for my blog after this wedding. Everything was just so...picturesque. It was a dream Hudson Valley wedding.



Christine and Al were married on the steps of the Mansion house overlooking the gardens. Three groomsmen in gray suits and three bridesmaids in sage gowns lined the stairs while Christine and Al stood at the top.



Jeff had a perfect view of the smiles and winks the couple exchanged during their ceremony as he played guitar behind them.



The simple elegance continued during the reception inside. The chocolate cake was gorgeous, accented with cream and sage to match the wedding colors. Al and Christine invited their guests to toast with mead, a honey wine, that they made themselves.



Instead of having her friends and family sign a guest book, she asked each guest to write their words of wisdom for the couple inside their place cards. After the wedding, Christine will put them along with the disposable camer pictures taken by guests inside a wedding scrapbook.



Christine wasn't kidding when she said her family loves to dance. There was so much energy on that dance floor that the guys' shirts were soaked with sweat. (Sorry for the image--that's just the reality of crazy dancing!) Swing ruled the night, along with some great 80's rock and disco classics.



We had the pleasure of working with our friend Eddie from Lola's Catering http://www.lolascateringandcafe.com/. He catered our wedding WAY back when. If you're looking for a caterer, you've got to call Eddie. It's impressive presentation and gourmet delicacies delivered with impeccable service. (Gotta love the perks of wedding entertainment with all the goodies we get to sample. Yum!)



Christine and Al are off to the Rivera Maya, Mexico. Have a wonderful trip, guys!