Hudson Valley Ceremonies

Congratulations on your engagement! You must be floating on clouds but with a million things on your mind. You’re probably working on your wedding checklist. One being your venue: When selecting your perfect venue for your reception and ceremony, you will be asked and should ask some important questions.

Budget
What is the maximum amount you wish to spend on the reception and ceremony?
Your Budget is a very important part of venue selection. As you begin your search for that perfect site, it is important that you advise the venue how much you have budgeted for your reception and possibly your ceremony. Do not put yourself through the stress of finding the perfect site and then discover that it is out of your budget.

Create your wish list.
What do you want included in your reception and ceremony?
You may not achieve all the items on your wish list but this will give you an outline to determine what are important to you and what can be eliminated. Your wish list could be as simple as tray passed appetizers, champagne toast, dinner and your wedding cake. The venue may have charges that you are not aware of like room rental, linen charges, dance floor rental, cake cutting and service. Make sure that if you are considering the ceremony site at the same venue, you must include the cost of renting the space and set-up into your budget.

Number of Guests
What is the maximum number of guests you will be entertaining?
This does not mean that the guests list cannot decrease; this just determines whether the venue can accommodate your total guests list if needed.

Wedding Dates
It is important to inform the venue of your wedding date when you are calling or e-mailing. If your date is not available, are you open to other potential dates? This small but very important piece of information will save you time when touring venues for the first time.

Research
Always research your sites before making that first contact. Use the internet; it is a good source of information for Brides and Grooms.

Appointments
Schedule all your appointments in a specific 3-4 week period when at all possible. It is easier to remember pros and cons of each individual venue if they are close together than separated by months.

The Tour
Avoid surprises; ask questions about time lines, food minimums, available dates, rentals and any hidden charges. Don’t leave without a proposal from the venue; especially if you were offered special incentives.

Before signing the contract
Read it carefully and if at all possible meet with the venue to finalize the contract. It is important that the initial contract or confirmation of event, time and date be specific. Make sure everything you’ve discussed is on the contract. If you don’t see an item that was discussed, discounts or offers they may have included, ask them to include it. But most important, if you do not understand a clause or phrase, get an explanation.

What is most important… You are unique and one of a kind. The day of your wedding should be created just For You.

One of the most overlooked décor elements when planning a wedding is lighting. Wedding lighting can completely transform your venue from ordinary to spectacular and make everything look even more beautiful on your big day. Lighting can have a very powerful impact on the overall look and feel of your event space as well as the mood of your guests.

The proper wedding lighting not only enhances the look of your venue, it also highlights the important elements of your décor, like the centerpieces, or makes certain areas of the room focal points, like the dance floor or head table.

Photographers love wedding lighting because it gives them additional visual elements to use in their pictures and makes for beautiful wedding photos.

Finding a Wedding Lighting Designer

When considering wedding lighting you should discuss your vision for your wedding décor with a lighting designer who can take your ideas and turn them into reality. Some people opt for a more subtle lighting design for their wedding while others choose a more flamboyant one. It is important to work closely with your lighting company to make sure they understand your vision.

When selecting a lighting company for your wedding, make sure to go with a reputable and experienced company. What kind of experience do they have? What kind of equipment will you be getting for your money? What is their background in lighting design? You will be trusting the look of your entire wedding reception to this company; make sure they will do a good job.

Lighting Your Wedding Space

As you plan your wedding lighting you and your lighting designer should visit your venue in the evening so you will know how things will look when the sun goes down and the lighting elements come more into play. You should also consider the following:

-What room features do you want to highlight?
-What features do you want to de-emphasize?
-What areas of the room do you want to make focal points (the head table, the dance floor, etc)?
-What décor elements do you want to highlight (a backdrop, the centerpieces, etc.)?
-How does the venue’s lighting play into the design?
-Do they have fluorescent or incandescent lighting?
-Can the lights be turned off or dimmed as needed?
-Can the different types of lighting fixtures in the room be controlled individually (i.e. wall sconces, chandeliers, overhead lights, etc.)?
-What type of power is available in the room?

Wedding Lighting 101

The following is a list of some commonly used lighting elements used at weddings. Familiarize yourself with these basic terms and you will be able to impress your lighting company with your extensive knowledge in wedding lighting:

Gobo – A specially designed metal or glass insert that goes into a special lighting fixture to project an image. Many couples use a custom gobo to project their monogram onto the dance floor or the wall behind the head table. This is a very impressive effect that always has the guests commenting as they walk into the room.

Break Up Pattern – Using a gobo to project a large pattern onto the dance floor, a wall or the ceiling. This is a great way to differentiate different areas or bring focus to a specific area of the room. You can pick image patterns that go with your wedding theme and tie the lighting in nicely with the rest of the décor. Break up patterns work incredibly well for tented weddings where the entire tent can be used as a canvas to decorate your wedding.

Pin Spot – A miniature spotlight used to highlight important focal points such as centerpieces, the wedding cake, the sweet table, etc. Pin spots are an absolute must if you have beautiful tall centerpieces that you want to show off. By using pin spotting you can also dim the overall lighting in the room effectively hiding more unsightly features of the room and bring your guests attention to where you want it, the décor.

Uplighting – Placing special lighting fixtures next to architectural features or against the wall around the perimeter of the room to project columns of light upwards. The color of the uplighting should coordinate with your wedding color scheme. Uplighting is probably the most cost effective and dramatic wedding lighting element.

LED – LED is short for Light Emitting Diode and is the newest technology in wedding lighting. The fixtures are more expensive but allow you to achieve millions of different colors with just one lighting fixture. In addition they consume far less power than traditional uplighting fixtures and do not get hot to the touch.

Color Wash – Bathing an entire area in color. This can be a very powerful and dramatic effect and isn’t recommended for every lighting design but is a great way to bring attention to a specific area (think dance floor). Color washes work really well in a tent wedding where the whole tent becomes the canvas to decorate.

Intelligent Lighting –Lighting fixtures that can be controlled through the use of special controllers or software. This will allow your lighting designers to change the look and feel of the lighting throughout the reception. With the right intelligent lighting fixtures you can turn your dance floor into a high-energy, nightclub-style dance party at the flip of a switch!
Think Color

As you work on your wedding lighting design consider what colors you would like to use. You can opt for colors that match or compliment your wedding color scheme or go for something more neutral like rose or amber. Amber is a great color as it goes with almost any color scheme and creates a soft romantic glow that mimics candlelight.

If you are using intelligent LED lighting your lighting designer will be able to change the color of the lighting throughout your reception; imagine a soft amber glow during dinner that slowly fades into a more festive purple when the dancing begins. Your guests will be amazed at the transformation of the room into a festive party atmosphere.
Lighting for Tent Weddings

Lighting is an extremely important element for tented weddings and can range from subdued and simple to wild and flamboyant. A tent affords your lighting designer a completely blank canvas to work with and the ability to use a wide variety of lighting fixtures in their design to achieve just the look you want. Some common lighting elements for tent wedding include chandeliers, color wash, break up patterns, lanterns and string lights.
Lighting for Outside Weddings

If you are hosting an outdoor wedding reception you should definitely consider lighting in your plans. There are a variety of extremely affordable lighting options that will not only illuminate the reception area for your guests but will add to the beauty of the setting.

If there are pathways or steps consider using candles or luminaries to light the way. Lanterns or string lights look fantastic in an outdoor setting and are a great way to highlight the dance floor or the dining area.
Create Your Dream Wedding

Lighting can be a  way to completely transform the look and feel of your reception and create an atmosphere that will wow your guests. Make sure to do your research and find a quality wedding lighting company that will work with you (and within your budget) to help bring your vision of your wedding day to light!

1. Honeymoon Registry

Sites like HoneyFund allow you to ask for money without really asking for money. The site allows you to tastefully request cash for everything from airfare to a special breakfast.

2. Home Savings Registry

Sites like HatchMyHouse offer couples the opportunity to put money towards a future home or perhaps just furniture and home improvements.

3. Gift Card Registry

CardAvenue allows couples to register for gift cards from select stores and let friends know about their choices via email. It’s also offers guests a resource for buying fully-priced or discount gift cards.

4. Donation Registries

Through the I DO Foundation, guests can donate directly to a couple’s chosen charitable cause via a secure system. Charities are grouped into six focus areas including health, environment, social justice, community development, education and children, youth and families.

5. Wine Registry

Couples can create a wish list at WineEnthusiast and fill it with everything from stemware, corkscrews and accessories to selections from the The Wine Enthusiast Catalog’s wine cellars. Most items are available gift wrapped.

The WordPress.com stats helper monkeys prepared a 2012 annual report for this blog.

Here’s an excerpt:

19,000 people fit into the new Barclays Center to see Jay-Z perform. This blog was viewed about 86,000 times in 2012. If it were a concert at the Barclays Center, it would take about 5 sold-out performances for that many people to see it.

Click here to see the complete report.

Braids
Look around at the current popular movies and television shows – like Snow White and the Huntsman, The Hunger Games and Games of Thrones – and you’ll see braids everywhere. There are a variety of ways to wear braids for both the bride and the bridesmaids, not to mention great hair accessories that will accent the style perfectly.

The Color Mint
The color Mint seems to be everywhere nowadays and this soft and elegant color is sure to be a top wedding trend in 2013! Mint pairs well with many other colors such as coral, yellow, and salmon. Mint is vintage and modern at the same time, making a comeback from the 1940s- 1950s era when it was a favorite color in household décor. The color mint can be incorporated into weddings in many ways bridesmaids’ dresses, flowers, vases, accessories, cakes and more!

Backdrops
Whether it is behind the head table or for a photo booth, backdrops will continue to grow in popularity. They can be beautiful yards of lace, strips of multi colored fabric, or floral garlands hung vertically.

Groom’s Lounge
Things like scotch and cigar stations, barber shop straight razor shaves, couches and cow leather are all so totally great for your special guy! Wouldn’t you want your man to have something to do at the wedding that makes him super happy? Somewhere to go with his buddies and have a few on the rocks?

After Party
For the 2013 wedding season, if you are planning on attending a wedding, and you are sober/capable of still partying, expect to attend a “Post Wedding Reception Party” or better known as “The After Party”.

Less is More
Very simple minimalistic décor and relaxed styling will be more noticeable. Trends will include minimalistic venues, simple flowers with scaled back table decoration, clean lines, simple rustic elements, less fussy elements for those who are looking for the wedding to be more about them and less about details and style.

Patterns & Prints
Stripes, polka dots, chevron, paisley, and even gingham! Patterns are playful and there are a million ways to use one for a pop of fun on your wedding day.

Lace
From full-on lace dresses to just a touch here and there to accent a dress, lace has already started to appear on the runway. However lace is not just for the gown – lace details in the wedding décor is becoming a hot trend, too. Lace can make an elegant statement anywhere from the invitation to the wedding cake.

Virtual Guests
expect to see live streaming of weddings, skype dates with the bride and groom, and recorded videos from loved ones far and wide. We love that technology is involving those who can’t be at the big day, and we love that brides and grooms are taking advantage of every technology opportunity!

Extended Receptions & Late Night Snacks
Look for receptions that last a tad bit longer so that couples can fit in a change in entertainment and the ever-popular Late Night Snacks. For some couples, receptions will be divided in to three distinct sections, the cocktail hour with low-key music and food, the dinner hour or hours with all the expected wedding traditions, and two to three hours of fun where it’s completely acceptable for Grandma and Grandpa to head on home.

Roaring 20′s
Vintage has been a popular theme for the last couple of years, but this year we think brides will specifically focus on the 1920s. Elements will include pearls, ruffles, fringe, feathers, lace and pinstripe suites. Instead of a veil, a bride can tuck her hair back with a peacock feather. Maybe the bridesmaids wear fringe on their dresses to spice things up. A long strand of pearls always reminds me of flappers, but are a truly timeless jewel. Art deco styled jewelry is also a great way to evoke the 20s feel.

Birds
Love birds as cake toppers, birds in invitations, or even birds in the wedding favors – birds are making a striking appearance for the year of 2013. Bird houses where the roof can come off make perfect card boxes, feathers on brides maid dresses or on the bride are making a big impact in wedding fashion. Bird invitations are a great fit if you are going to have a vintage wedding.

Food Trucks
Food trucks are the latest rage. Great for late night snacks for eg: ice cream, donuts, tacos, BBQ and more. A hot way to get the after-party started!

Laser Cut Designs
Eye-catching cut out designs will be seen on everything from invitations to dresses.

Birch Bark
If you are trying to create a rustic/country style themed Reception, then Birch Bark will add a refreshing and unique feel to your event. Birch Bark can be incorporated into anything for your event such as centerpieces, guestbook, cake stand, table numbers, etc. The ideas are endless.

Nautical
It’s a cute theme that reveals personality or a couple’s story (i.e. location where groom grew up, etc.).

Rainbow
It’s different, but it can work well if you don’t over do it. Just an added element here or there will do the trick.

Ombre
Ombré is a French term meaning “shading”, it is typically seen as a multicolored stripe with colors graduating from light to dark. Try incorporating an Ombré wedding cake, or perhaps an ombré floral centerpiece.

Chicken Wire
As the Rustic Wedding Trend continues, burlap may just find some tough competition from another material chicken wire as a sought after wedding detail. Chicken wire is so inexpensive and easily can add that vintage charm to just about anything.

All of the staff at Hudson Valley Ceremonies will be assisting the victims of Hurricane Sandy by donating $25 for each new wedding that is booked from 11/1/2012 till further notice.  Our goal is to raise $3000 or more and to donate to a few different non-profit organizations.  Each officiant will choose to also donate an additional amount from each wedding that is performed from 11/1/2012 – 12/31/2012.  HVC office will also be collecting can goods, blankets, and other non-perishable food items to be delivered to shelters in the NYC and NJ area.  If you would like to donate any goods please contact our office via email for collection dates and locations.