Jenna + Mike: Two Beautiful Families Become One

When we met Jenna and Mike, they came to us on a recommendation from one of our past couples, Kate and Tony.  Kate is Mike's cousin.  By the end of our first meeting, we learned that Jenna is the niece of one of our other past couples, Maggie and Tom.  Jenna and Mike's wedding was a very special wedding for us.  We recognized so many of the faces in the crowd that we felt like we were spending time with family.  That day, two of the most beautiful families were combined by the love of two of the sweetest people!

Maggie + Tom: Jenna'a Aunt and Uncle

Kate + Tony: Mike's Cousin

There will be another post to come from this wedding soon.  For now, here is a preview clip.

If you watched this clip, please leave us a comment here on the blog and/or on our Facebook Wall to let us know what you thought.  We have a link on our Facebook Page to this post for easy sharing with friends and family.  If you liked this clip, please like us while you're there.

Amy-Jo and Paul's Super Fun Wedding at Sacred Heart and Anthony's Pier 9

After being either friends or a couple, but mostly both, for the greater part of their lives (they've known each other since they were in elementary school), Amy-Jo and Paul were married at Sacred Heart Church and celebrated with their family and friends well into the night at Anthony's pier 9.  These two are so completely adorable together and a total joy to be around!  It's no wonder that when they found each other, they never let go! 

There were many cute and personalized items at their wedding.  Only some of them are featured in the clip, but I wanted to make note of a few of my favorites. 

Amy-Jo's something borrowed and something new was an anklet that belonged to her grandmother that had a new charm attached to it featuring her grandmother's picture.

There were MANY items that had their names or initials and wedding date on them, but it wasn't just the things you would expect it to be on, like invites, programs and engraved toasting glasses.  My favorite finds were on the rustic wood slice attached to their program basket, the stickers on the bottom of the Hershey Kisses and the planter box that held chocolate lollypops on their candy buffet.  That magnificent candy bar display was designed and built by the very talented Lauren from Lauren Paige Associates.  It featured just about everything that anyone with a sweet tooth could ever imagine; M&Ms, Chocolate Covered Pretzels, Licorice, Gummy Candies, Cake Pops made to look like a cake and Willy Wonka Pixy Sticks!

Amy-Jo was very excited about the props that she brought along for her photo shoot, like the frame in the photo at the top of the page, vibrant lime green umbrellas for the girls in the bridal party and my favorite one, the letters (one for each member of the bridal party) that spelled out their new status.  We worked at the side of Max from Maximillian Nucci Photography (along with his assistant for the day, Mark Kovner) to get some really cute shots with this very fun bunch!

Here is a preview clip from Amy-Jo and Paul's Super Fun and Sweet Wedding.  Hope you enjoy!

If you enjoyed this clip, please leave us a comment here on the blog and/or on our Facebook Page (Feel free to share the link there with your Facebook friends so they can see Amy-Jo and Paul's wedding too and please, don't forget to "like us" while you're there!)

Congratulations to Amy-Jo and Paul!!

 

The Productions Team
Ceremony Location: Sacred Heart Church, Highland Falls, NY
Reception Location: Anthony's Pier 9, New Windsor, NY
Day of Coordinator/Candy Bar Designer: Lauren Paige Associates, Middletown, NY
Photographer: Maximillian Nucci Photography, Kinston, NY

Kate + Tony: A Preview

The secret to having a great wedding is not in the location, the dress you wear, the decor of the room, the food you eat, the cake you bake or all the tiny details.  Don't get me wrong, I absolutely love all of the above and it adds a tremendous amount to the experience, especially when the details are personal, but without one key element from the couple, it's just not quite right.  Kate and Tony had the locations, the dress, the personal details, etc..., but they also had that one key element, the spark.  

From the moment Kate arrived at St. Mary's Church in Wappingers Falls for the ceremony, she was glowing, excited and ready to get married!  She was dancing outside the limo, dancing in the vestibule of the church, dancing at the alter (as you'll see in the preview) and dancing outside the church when the ceremony was over.  She was a ball full of energy from the beginning to the end of the day and when she and Tony finally got to see each other that day, it multiplied and spread to their guests.  It was clear to everyone present that this was one very happy couple.  In fact, I don't think there is a single shot from the entire wedding day where Kate and Tony aren't smiling, dancing, laughing or having a great time!

Every couple is happy on their wedding day without a doubt, but you don't see energetic bursts of continuous joy like this all the time. Once the two of them were together in the church, their energy and the presence of love between the two of them became infectious to everyone around them. It was electric!  From the moment Kate and Tony said their vows to the very last dance at their reception at The Links at Union Vale, it was hard for guests to not get caught up in the intense feeling of love and joy.  To look at their smiles put a smile on your face and seeing them having fun on the dance floor made you want to join in.  That spark drove the entire day and made their wedding one that guests won't easily forget.   It was abundantly clear to everyone at the wedding that these two are very much in love, super happy when they're together and have a lot of fun being around each other!  It's this infectious joy and energy that really makes a wedding memorable!

I usually write up a long post about our weddings showing all the many details, but to me, Kate and Tony's wedding was really all about two very simple and pure things; the love Kate and Tony have for each other and their want to celebrate their love with family and friends in a really big way!  I honestly can't describe the feeling or atmosphere of their wedding better than the looks on their faces or the energy these two had all day can.
 

Here is a preview clip from Kate and Tony's wedding day!

It puts a smile on my face every time I watch it.  Hopefully it will do the same for you!

If you enjoyed this clip, please leave a comment here on our blog and/or on our Facebook Wall (Don't forget to "like us" while you're there).

Congratulations to Kate and Tony!  May the joy and love of your wedding day remain with you both for the rest of your lives!

Lauren + Mike's Grandview Wedding Preview

We were so excited for Lauren and Mike's wedding to arrive!  It wasn't just because they are so adorable and sweet and that after meeting with them, getting to know them and learning about all the plans for their day we were anxious to see it all come together.  It was also because we would be reunited with some friends we haven't worked with in a while, photographer Lori O'Toole and Stephanie and Jeff from The DJ Solution, and were super excited to be teamed up again.

We began the day with Lauren and Mike at Locust Grove as they had their First Look and Formal Photography with Lori O'Toole.  What a beautiful location for photos!  So many different areas to work with from the gardens and greenhouse to the home itself and the river view, there is so much to work with on this property that you could spend an entire day and not be done finding new and interesting spots. 

Lauren and Mike were like pros as they were getting their pictures done.  Having been out with Lori for their engagement photos, they felt at ease with the cameras on them and knew exactly what to do.  At one point, Lori said to them, "snuggle spontaneously", they laughed and then did just that!  Since they were up for having some fun with the shots, we had them walking and running around the grounds for us.  The skies were blue, the clouds were billowy and the lighting was perfect.  It all made for some really pretty shots and some great footage for their wedding film.  Please check out Lori's stunning photographs from their beautiful wedding.

Lauren could have put Aphrodite to shame.  She looked simply elegant in her chiffon dress by Maggie Sottero.  I'm a big fan of light weight dresses for a summer wedding and this dress was the perfect gown for a hot July day.  Chiffon looks great no matter what you do with it.  It drapes naturally, looks ethereal as you walk and when a breeze hits it, phenomenal.  What goes better with a beautiful and flowing chiffon gown than a pair of Jimmy Choo sandals?  Not to be outdone, Mike was handsomely dressed in a smart gray suit and tie, but the best part of his attire had to be the awesome green and aqua argyle socks!  So fun!! 

Being the first in their group of friends to get married, we weren't sure what to expect from their bridal party.  Most first timers just want to get to the party and have no interest in posing for pictures, but this group was quite the opposite, especially the guys. Totally unexpected.  They were all so much fun and absolutely willing, even going so far as to suggest what they could do for a picture!!  The boys kept asking us if they could do a shot with flair.  Lori and I weren't completely sure where they were going, but we're game for fun.  In the photos above, the lovely ladies on the porch and the guys on the lawn, with their flair (as requested).

Once we all had our fill of picture taking, it was time to get to The Grandview for their ceremony which took place on the patio overlooking the Hudson River.

Lauren's mom walked her down the isle as The Dorian Quartet played "Here Comes the Bride".  Father Rich Hasselbach performed the ceremony which was both sweet and entertaining.  At one point he made mention of the weather and said, "Thank you, Lord, for sending the cloud and the breeze".  It was a much needed break from the sun and just in time for their vows.  One of my favorite parts of their ceremony (besides the pronouncement, always my absolute favorite part) was their recessional.  Lauren and Mike walked out to the quartet playing "Ants Marching" by Dave Matthews Band.  Never heard it before on strings alone and it was quite unexpected and very impressive.  I love when couples add personal touches like that!

Here is a preview clip of Lauren + Mike's wedding.  I felt it appropriate to use DMB since they're big fans.  Hope you enjoy!

If you enjoyed this clip, please post a comment here on our blog and/or on our Facebook Page (don't forget to "like us" while you're there).

Cocktail hour began the moment guests left the ceremony patio and were greeted at door with several beverage choices.  The Grandview always does a fantastic job with service and getting the party started right away.  Another area they excel at is presentation.  Have a look at some of these stills.  Above is the seafood bar complete with fish ice sculpture and bottom lit ice table covered with Colossal Shrimp, Oyster Shooters, and Littleneck Clams.  My favorite; the Seafood Martini.  How pretty! 

The fruit at The Grandview always looks too pretty to eat, but is also so fresh and delicious.  I love that Lauren and Mike also included some good old comfort food at their cocktail hour, expertly dressed up for a wedding by The Grandview, of course.  How cute are those sliders and the mini mac and cheese plates?

The tables in the ballroom were adorned with one of two types of centerpieces by Flowers by David Anthony.  The table numbers were very personal; double sided, tri-fold frames with the table number in the center and a picture of Lauren on the left and Mike on the right.  Great idea!  My favorite picture had to be the very special one at the sweetheart table of the two family members who had to stay at home for the night. (Mason, on the right, makes a special appearance in their engagement photos by Lori O'Toole).

The amber glow of Lauren and Mike's reception, designed by Hourglass Lighting, was both beautiful and dramatic.  Uplighting completely changes the look of any ballroom.  I love when a reception space has more than just the ambient lighting.  Uplighting makes the room pop and makes everything in the room stand out more.  As you'll see in the stills above and below, uplighting creates depth and drama.  

By the end of the cocktail hour, everyone in the crowd was ready for a party and who better to deliver than Stephanie and Jeff from The DJ Solution.  Fresh from playing acoustic guitar during the cocktail hour, Jeff took his place at the controls as Stephanie got the crowd ready for the bridal party entrances.  Check out Stephanie's post about this wedding on her blog where she writes about how Lauren and Mike personalized their entrance.  I'll have to dedicate another post to the dancing at this wedding because stills just won't do it justice.  Everyone had so much fun and were all so full of energy all night long!

Who can resist pictures by the water?  Lori and I grabbed Lauren and Mike for a quick set of shots on the docks and sidewalk at the marina.  When we did the photo below, Lauren said that this was probably Mike's favorite part of the day so far because he got to just lie down and relax.  Sometimes you need to just have a short break away from the crowd just to be together on your wedding day and while you do it, why not have a few photos taken.  It does look very relaxing. 

One last surprise Lauren and Mike had for their guests was the Viennese Hour.  They stood behind a curtain and as it rose, music was playing and flames came up from the ice cream station.  Talk about drama!  That was only the beginning though.  Look at all the precious little treats below!  Heart shaped individual cakes, mini cupcakes and creme brulee just to start.

These sweet treats were yet another clever presentation by The Grandview.  Who can choose between fresh peaches (below on the left) and sweet desserts made to look like them (on the right)?  Fresh fruit tarts covered with powdered sugar and stuffed chocolate chip cookies, there really was something here for everyone no matter the level of your sweet tooth.

There were several stations set up including the ice cream sundae station, a coffee and dessert drinks station, the many tables of cakes, pastries and cookies, but probably the most fun was the chocolate fountain.  Most people would expect to see strawberries, bananas and marshmallows, but the Twinkies and Ring Dings were a surprise.  I'm positive that no one left this wedding hungry.

I'm sure there will be another post on this wedding since there was just too much to fit in this one (even if only to show off some of the dancing and reception fun).  Congratulations to Lauren and Mike for setting a high standard for the rest of their friends by pulling off a fabulous wedding!

The Production Team

The Wedding Location: The Grandview
The Picture Location: Locust Grove
The Flowers: Flowers by David Anthony
The Officiant:Father Rich Hasselbach 
The Photographer:  Lori O'Toole Photography
The Ceremony Musicians: The Dorian Quartet
The Officiant:  Father Rich Hasselbach
The Uplighting:  Hourglass Lighting
The DJ + MC:  The DJ Solution


Please, don't forget to leave a comment for us below.