Emily and TJ, The Grandview

Emily and TJ

May 19, 2018

The Grandview, Poughkeepsie NY

Planner:  Sandra O’Connell, Hudson Valley Ceremonies

Photographer:  Madison Baltodano Photography

Church:  Our Lady of Rosary Chapel

Florist:  Lucille’s Floral of Fishkill

Hair and Makeup:  Celeste von Damon

Limousine:  A Hudson Valley Limo

DJ:  DJ Dolce, Angela Langdon

Rentals:  Durants Party Rentals

Lighting:  Hourglass Lighting

Photo Booth:  Hudson Valley Party Rental

Hotel:  Poughkeepsie Grand Hotel

 

Choosing an Officiant That is Right For You

It is very important to find your officiant early, they are an invaluable resource in planning your ceremony and in answering any questions you might have. In choosing this person, you will want to be sure that he or she is not only willing but able to reflect accurately what you want your ceremony to convey. You will want to find someone who can reflect the quality of your love and speak meaningfully to you and your partner. Think about the following questions:

1. Does the officiant reflect or embody the spirit you want to create at your wedding?

2. Do you feel comfortable with him or her? Will you be able to express your preferences about content; speak up about matters of concern in the preparation of the ceremony; voice objections you might have or ask for silly, even seemingly trivial things to be included in the ceremony?

3. Will the officiant show you a finished ceremony in a format that is best for you (via email or fax)?  And will the officiant change the ceremony upon your request?

4. Do you like the sound of his or her voice?

5. Do you have a connection with the officiant that allows you to trust that what he or she will say will be appropriate for the two of you? A person that has a sense of you and understands the uniqueness of your relationship?

6. Above all, will you value what this person has to say? Will he or she have delightful, meaningful, moving reflections that will elevate the ceremony from ordinary, generic, and formal to personal, beautiful and unforgettable?

7. Last but not least, relax in choosing an officiant. When you are all together, having a consultation, discussing how you celebrate your love and the type of ceremony that you have envisioned, you will know if that minister/officiant is the right one for the two of you. Something will click and there will be a connection.

So, how does finding and hiring the right officiant with Hudson Valley Ceremonies work? Here’s how:

  • First we have you set up a phone, Facetime or skype consultation with the officiant of your choice or one that has been chosen for you. You can see our officiants Bio’s here.
  • The officiant will ask you many questions about you and your fiance and what you most want for your ceremony.
  • Please ask them as many questions as you want, they are very happy to answer and assist.
  • If you wish to speak to another officiant we can set that up also.Finally you will choose the officiant that you have the best connection with and then choose a package.

Please check out our reviews, Hudson Valley Ceremonies has the best officiants in the valley!

Wedding Wire

The Knot

 

A Hudson Valley Ceremonies Wedding in Coxsackie, NY

Natasha & Adam

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Venue: Private Home, Coxsackie, NY
Caterer: Hickory BBQ & Victoria’s Wood Fire Pizza
Bakery: Deising’s Bakery
Rentals: Events Unlimited
Flowers: Hudson Valley Ceremonies
Photography: Monarch Photography
Transportation: Coxsackie Transport
Planning/Coordination: Jeanne Stark, Hudson Valley Ceremonies
Invitations: Hudson Valley Ceremonies

Advice from the happy couple:
“Our wedding day was absolutely perfect and one of the happiest days of our lives yet! Yes, it rained not just a few raindrops, a monsoon, but I would not have changed a thing. Take a moment during the Reception to thank everyone that helped along the way and to everyone there that is our only regret we never got a chance to do that!! It was amazing to have Jeanne and her support team we felt like they were family and loved every moment of our day. Couples that are starting on the journey…there will be fights, tears, laughter and always love because with anything that is truly special you must work at it to get the very best and it is worth every second. 😊”

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Hiring a Professional Wedding Officiant

We know it’s tempting to ask Uncle Jim to perform your wedding ceremony. After all, he has no problem infecting a whole room with riotous laughter. So why spend the money on a professional officiant when you have a family member or friend ready to fill that role?

Deciding whether to hire professional vendors for your wedding isn’t something to be taken lightly – the professionals (or non-professionals) working at your wedding will have a major impact on your wedding day. Professional photographers, videographers, DJs, officiants, and florists have the experience to handle common, but unexpected, situations that often come up at weddings. How would Uncle Jim react if the flowers or decorations behind him blew over just after the ceremony began? How would he react if one of your guests or a member of your wedding party fainted during your vows? Would he be able to take with the unexpected in stride without getting flustered or thrown off for the rest of your ceremony?

The best way to ensure that your wedding ceremony goes off without a hitch is to hire a professional wedding officiant. When it comes to weddings, and especially performing ceremonies, experience and talent matters. What does hiring an experienced professional officiant get you?

Knowledge
When you hire a professional wedding officiant, you are hiring an encyclopedia of wedding knowledge. Professional wedding officiants have been trained and well practiced in the art of public speaking and know the wedding industry inside and out. A good officiant will know what makes a ceremony appealing to your guests, how to tailor a ceremony to fit your needs, and how to seamlessly work with your venue and timeline. You are investing in an officiant that can answer your questions about the regulations surrounding marriage officiants in your area, local venues and vendors, and about all aspects of various types of ceremonies.

Guidance
Many couples wonder where to start when writing a ceremony or vows, what makes a ceremony great, or how long each portion should last. Luckily, professional wedding officiants are wonderful guides during the planning process. Having participated in many weddings, wedding officiants have experienced a broad range of ceremonies and can work with you to create a personalized ceremony that reflects both your relationship and intents. Not only that, but an officiant can help you find other resources for your wedding, with countless contacts in all fields of the wedding industry.

Understanding
A professional wedding officiant will understand your vision for your wedding day and help you to create a ceremony that sets the tone for the rest of the day. Many do not realize that the mood of the ceremony sets the tone and fuels the conversation throughout the reception, so it is the officiant’s role to create a smooth transition with the couple’s wishes in mind. The ceremony does not stand alone in your special day- it is a part of a larger celebration.

Reliability
A family member may get sick; a friend may be overcome with stage fright. Professional wedding officiants are prepared for every eventuality. You have a contract with your officiant, stating that they will perform your wedding, and in the event of an emergency, many officiants have a contingency plan in place to provide an equally prepared officiant to step in.

Hiring a professional wedding officiant isn’t a decision you’ll regret after your ceremony.

A Hudson Valley Ceremonies Wedding at The Glen Island Harbour Club

JENNIFER & JIMMY

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Wedding Location: GLEN ISLAND HARBOUR CLUB, NEW ROCHELLE, NY
Ceremony Officiant: REVEREND KEVIN COOK, HUDSON VALLEY CEREMONIES
Photographer: JBM WEDDINGS
Videographer: MINT WEDDING CINEMATOGRAPHY
Musicians: CHRIS PHILLIPPS (PIANIST, VIA GIGMASTERS.COM)
Florist: ARCADIA FLORAL CO. & CUSTOM MADE SILK BOUQUETS FROM MORGAN HILL DESIGNS (VIA ETSY.COM)
Bridal Attire: ANNAIS BRIDAL (VIA MODCLOTH.COM) & AN ETSY CUSTOM MADE WEDDING DRESS
Men’s Attire: ALFANI SLIM-FIT SUITS
Rings/Jewelry: BLUE NILE (HERS), HELZBERG DIAMONDS (HIS) & ETSY (BRIDE’S EARRINGS)
Hair/Makeup: LILY WONG (IMPERIAL WEDDING STUDIO, FLUSHING, NY)
Invitations: WEDDING PAPER DIVAS
Favors: WEDDINGSTAR.COM

ADVICE: The day is going to fly by really fast, and it is going to be a truly amazing experience! Don’t sweat the small stuff, instead, hire really good vendors so that all the important parts of your special day are handled by true professionals, which will put your mind at ease. Then, make sure to enjoy every second of your wedding day. Always be in the moment. Write your own vows and dance as much as you can with all your guests!

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A Hudson Valley Ceremonies Wedding at The Rhinecliff Hotel

James & Stacey

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Wedding Location: The Rhinecliff Hotel
Ceremony Officiant: Jeanne Stark, Hudson Valley Ceremonies
Photographer: Jean Kallina of Hudson Valley Photographer
Videographer: The Pros
DJ/Band: Flag Medeiros of Medeiros Black Tie DJ Entertainment
Florist: Floral Fantasies by Sara
Bridal Attire: Hayley Paige Gown from Bridal Beginnings in Pittsburgh, PA
Men’s Attire: Calvin Kline
Rings/Jewelry His- Anna Sheffield Hers- Tiffany’s
Hair/Makeup: Alyse Schiffman from Alyse B Salon
Invitations/Favors: Wedding Paper Divas

Advice From The Newlyweds
Make your wedding fit who you are as a couple, not just as individuals. Have fun, take deep breaths, make memories and enjoy the day. Relax, don’t stress out about every detail, the day will be perfect once you finally get to say “I Do”.

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A Hudson Valley Ceremonies Wedding at Blueberry Inn on Kiernan Farm

Keegan and Tim

Wedding Location – Blueberry Inn on Kiernan Farm
Ceremony Officiant – Richard King (family friend)
Caterer – Hickory BBQ
Dessert – Cake it Up
Photographer – Tami Ling Photography
PhotoBooth – iFlickPhotoBooth
Videographer – Bakwoods Productions
DJ/Band/Musicians – DJ Jimmy Lutz
Florist – Petals Ink along with Jeannie Bishop (mother of the groom)
Coordinator/Planner – Jeanne Stark
Bridal Attire –
Bridal Gown by Sincerity
Bridesmaid Dresses by Bill Levkoff
Shoes by Toms
Men’s Attire –
Groom’s Suit by Mantoni
Groom’s Tie by Tommy Hilfiger
Groomsmen pants by Calvin Klein
Groomsmen ties from The Tie Bar
Shoes by Clarks
Rings –
SuzyB (bride), Boone (groom)
Jewelry –
Colorway Jewelry
Alex and Ani
Hair/Makeup – Signature Braids
Invitations – Anns Paperie
Favors – Mason Jars with DIY tags

Advice from the happy couple:

Have family and friends help wherever they can because then you can have some weight lifted off of your shoulders!
Take in each moment, because it flies by!
Right after you get married, have 5 minutes alone, just the 2 of you to take it in and enjoy the moment by yourselves!

View More: http://tamilingphotography.pass.us/rings-and-utensils View More: http://tamilingphotography.pass.us/rings-and-utensils View More: http://tamilingphotography.pass.us/rings-and-utensils DSC_0334 Bishop-445 Bishop-398-2 Bishop-398 Bishop-338 Bishop-208 Bishop-182 Bishop-139 10629562_10154538428775077_8785868188896823640_n 10625033_10154538430720077_2822242501289124799_n 10624901_10154538425970077_7482351868628681945_n 10623016_10154538427740077_1061283491135084459_n 10616237_10154538427000077_721271096531351755_n 10615635_10154538427845077_625459065593720910_n 10615576_10154538426685077_6381747184940784190_n 10603336_10154538427360077_3084976759083381442_n 10599248_10154538430330077_4193758612229699097_n 10593067_10154538426355077_6695847805921427442_n 10592755_10154538431245077_6297981422765680979_n 10590536_10154538431980077_7653809817674692595_n 10568784_10154538426880077_8969463886911860159_n 10563159_10154538431560077_6142769563168163735_n 10562965_10154538429230077_328626233381336198_n 10557331_10154538431020077_5319409297967046815_n 10556308_10154538428395077_3276141339003225134_n 10547570_10154538430870077_2686673652812919714_n 10509619_10154538429490077_4190231565192108887_n 10502367_10154538430395077_1350567915075191837_n 10439471_10154538429370077_8374218268247049842_n 10402968_10154538429670077_3832821214593849622_n 10385379_10154538428005077_7904422682476379808_n 10384119_10154538431170077_3782271284049792632_n 10377444_10154538429925077_517968669250725395_n 10171022_10154538426175077_2643318770904907887_n 1920321_10154538431635077_7584760194523126761_n 1620748_10154538426440077_8500458513885480224_n 1620502_10154538431480077_7533248562213556537_n 1620441_10154538428935077_4244271335936925124_n 934785_10154538426055077_3287102033983412474_n Bishop-838

A HVC Wedding at Brotherhood Winery

Congratulations to Jess & Chip Desjardins!

Wedding Location – Brotherhood, America’s Oldest Winery
Ceremony Officiant – Reverend Kevin Cook
Photographer – Natalie Hedley, George Street Photo
Videographer – A Train Productions
DJ/Band – DJ Aux, Scratch Music
Musicians – Set3 Jazz
Limos/Buses – Leprechaun Lines
Florist – August, Sage, & Violet
Coordinator/Planner – Rebecca Shenkman, Pink Bowtie Events
Bridal Attire – David’s Bridal
Men’s Attire – Vera Wang Black
Rings– Bride: Danhov, Groom: Benchmark
Bridal Accessories- Kate Spade New York
Hair– Salon on the Hudson
Makeup – Jennifer Matteo
Invitations/Favors – Customized Stemless Wine Glasses, Exclusively Weddings

Advice from the happy couple: Enjoy getting to spend the time together planning the wedding – it is 99% of the experience and so rewarding day of to see your joint creation come to life on your wedding day.

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A Hudson Valley Ceremonies Wedding at The Saugerties Lighthouse

Congratulations to Sioux and Paul who were married at The Saugerties Lighthouse on June 27th!

Wedding Location: Saugerties Lighthouse
Ceremony Officiant: Debra Romano
Band: Bash Bish Bluegrass Band
Florist: Dancing Tulips
Bridal Attire: Anthopologie
Rings: Gemvera
Invitations: Celebrations

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A Hudson Valley Ceremonies Wedding at Twin Lakes

It was so wonderful to work with Laurie and Tom from Platinum Party Events at Twin Lakes in Hurley NY this past October for Amanda & James’ wedding.

A special Thanks to Laurie for the wonderful write up on their blog! Head on over and see what she had to say.

Here are a few pictures we captured of the amazing fall theme and decor Amanda & James had.

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Hurley NY wedding

Twin Lakes Wedding

Country Wedding

Fall Wedding

Vendors

Venue: Twin Lakes
Coordinator: Hudson Valley Ceremonies (Sage)
DJ: Platinum Party Events
Officiant: Hudson Valley Ceremonies (Mike)
Photographer: Family Friend