9 Key “Green” Planning Concepts

Posted on by Hudson Valley Ceremonies

9 Key “Green” planning concepts that can be implemented to make your special day wonderful for you and even better for your environment.

The VENUE
Choose a natural setting like a botanical garden, beach or a beautiful park rather than a huge hall. You can exchange vows in a romantic setting under the stars, or by an amazing ocean scene.

The MENU
Explore booking top culinary chefs that will prepare a delightful, succulent variety of organic foods that will incorporate all aspects of fine green dining, from farm raised entrees, to bio-degradable dinning décor.

The DÉCOR
Speaking of décor not only can you find caterers that incorporate bio-degradable items in their service; you will find that there are also many companies that provide recycled event décor items.

The INVITATION
A great option for invitations for the perfect Green Themed wedding will consist of recycled paper and to take it one step further you can have them printed with biodegradable corn-based ink or an even better and more modern day option is to send a sophisticated and exquisitely designed Electronic Invitations (e-vites).

The GIFTS/FAVORS
Think outside of the box and get creative by giving your guest an Wedding Day Eco-Bag filled with a variety of eco-friendly gifts like luxury Eco-Spa items, Personalized Organic Tea bags, and Elegantly Engraved Mini-Pots with a packet of Plan Seeds to symbolize the seed of love planted on the day of your special union.


The TRANSPORTATION
Every bridal party wants to be transported in luxury and style. With today’s Automotive Companies taking a conscious approach to preserving our environment and producing a large number of fuel efficient Hybrid vehicles, they have made it a point to remember the most important vehicle for a bride and groom, the limousine. Believe it or not there are many companies that provide luxury hybrid limousines as well as luxury cars for the wedding party.

The RINGS
Of all the pieces of jewelry a woman will own in her life, her wedding ring is the most important and holds the most meaning. Consider a jeweler that sells diamonds that are certified conflict-free. You should also consider bands that are created with recycled metals. I suggest you visit Brilliant Earth at http://www.brilliantearth.com; they are the leading provider in conflict-free diamond jewelry. Brilliant Earth also donates dedicates 5% of their profits to local communities that are affected by the diamond industry.

The most important – The DRESS
Choosing that perfectwedding gown is one of the most emotional and most important purchases of woman’s life. Choose a wedding gown that is made from natural fibers as well as your wedding party.


My last recommendation is- The WEDDING COORDINATOR/PLANNER
In order to fully design and plan the perfect reality of your Wedding day Dreams and also incorporate the fundamentals of an environmentally safe wedding, I suggest that you enlist the services of a professional Wedding Coordinator to ensure that your wedding is not just eco-friendly but truly represents the fantasy that you have always dreamed of for your special day.

Getting Your Marriage License

Posted on by Hudson Valley Ceremonies

Within 60 days of your wedding you can go and get your marriage license.  Here is what you need to do to get your marriage license if you have not yet:

1. Both the bride and groom need to go together to apply for the marriage license.
2. You may obtain a marriage license from any town hall in NY and get married in any town in NY.
3. You will both need to bring your birth certificates and picture id.
4. The cost of the marriage license depends on the town hall.  The cost can range from $25 to $40.
5. The marriage ceremony can not performed within 24 hours of getting the marriage license.
6. The town hall will provide you with the marriage license to bring with you on the day of the ceremony.

Please let us know if you have any questions about obtaining the marriage license and we wish you both all the best of luck and love throughout your marriage.

Congratulations to all of our October couples!

Posted on by Hudson Valley Ceremonies

A big Congratulations to all of our October couples!

Sara and Jonah 10/1 at Oak Hill
Crystal and Thomas 10/1 at The Poughkeepsie Grand Hotel
Carla and Robert 10/1 at New World Home Cooking
Suzie and Tony 10/1 at Belvedere Mansion
Lauren and Rick 10/1 at The Inn at Stone Ridge
Laryssa and Sharyn 10/2 in Elizaville, NY
Rosanna and Carl 10/2 St. Mary’s Church and The Rhinecliff Hotel
Amanda and Brent 10/2 in Hopewell Junction, NY
Nina and Miguel 10/7 at The V.I.P. Country Club
Andrea and Evan 10/8 at Bowdoin Park and Poughkeepsie Grand Hotel
Sasha and Matthew 10/8 at Schultz Hill
Katie and Anthony 10/8 at Emerson Resport & Spa
Melinda and Marcello 10/8 at Renaissance Westchester Hotel
Julianne and Tim 10/9 at The Chapel of Our Lady Restoration
Moira and Robert 10/9 at Blue Restaurant
Alicia and Robert 10/9 at Glen Sanders Mansion
Jillian and Jamie 10/10 at Locust Grove
Georgia and Christopher 10/14 at The Dutchess Golf & Country Club
Shanna and Michael 10/15 in Jewett, NY
Meredith and Nicholas 10/15 at West Park Winery
Eileen and Kurt 10/15 at The Meadowbrook
Jennifer and Robert 10/15 at Brookside Manor
Amanda and Wesley 10/16 at The Candlewood Inn
Wendy and Duane 10/16 at The Garrison
Alexandra and Brian 10/16 at Mohonk Mountain House
Kristen and Jonathan 10/19 in Saugerties, NY
Indy and Keyuan 10/22 at Castle on the Hudson
Jennifer and Paul 10/23 at Villa Borghese
Nicole and Shanee 10/23 at Round Hill House
Jamie and Raul 10/29 at St. Patrick´s Cathedral and Apawamis Club
Kathleen and Brendan 10/29 at Church of the Holy Spirit and Doubletree Hotel Tarrytown

Should You Elope?

Posted on by Hudson Valley Ceremonies

Planning a wedding can be full of different stresses. Right from the beginning the bride and groom are pulled in many different directions. Where to have the wedding, who to invite and, even more stressing, who not to invite can be the most difficult decision of all. Decisions can be difficult and feelings can be hurt. On top of all of this is the cost: how much will we need to spend to have the wedding that we want? Where do we cut back? Where can we cut back? More and more of today’s couples are paying for their own wedding. The cost of a wedding is just something a great deal of bride’s parents can no longer afford to pay for. Even if they want to! The cost of housing alone puts an added strain on paying for a wedding. Many couples today even buy their house before they get married with the goal of having a wedding ceremony later that may never happen.

There are, of course, many ways to deal with these potential problems. Some will be easy and some may step on some toes. Thousand of couples get married every weekend across the country and enjoy the experience of a wonderful wedding day. One thing for sure, there will be a lot of decisions to make.

One way some couples deal with all of this is to, actually, not deal with any of it. They elope! Eloping answers or avoids having to answer many of the questions mentioned above. There are, however, other questions that will need to be answered.

What are some of the pros and cons of eloping? The main drawback is that you may hurt the feelings of your close family members if they are not invited. There is something to be said for all the planning, the ceremony, getting dressed up, and being the center of attention on your special day–you may appreciate the memories when you are older.

Once you decide that you want to elope, your choices of where to elope are almost endless. I googled ‘elope’ and got 802,000 hits. Everything from locations, hotels, photographers to Officiants were listed. This leads to more decisions. You may want to start with deciding what kind of surroundings you want to get married in: beach, mountains, tropical settings, what fits you best? If you travel out of the country you may want to have a simple ceremony before you go so you won’t have to worry about getting a copy of the marriage license from another country. Some countries make this easy and some not so much. Also, some countries don’t let you get legally married in their country so it may be a necessity. The basic things you need to take care of are; marriage license, travel plans, lodging, location of ceremony, officiant and a witness or two. Every state and every country will have different requirements regarding the marriage license. Making a few inquiries on the state or country websites regarding marriage would be a good idea.

Without going into detail, there are a couple of other options available to couples who are getting married. One would be the micro wedding. This can happen by traveling to a destination where you can invite up to 15 of your family and friends to meet you at a designated location for an intimate ceremony. The next option would be a destination wedding. This could be a location arranged ahead of time to host your wedding; a cruise ship would be another great option. In this case you can invite more people and they not only attend your wedding, but enjoy a nice vacation as well. (In both of these cases your guests pay their own way.)

Eloping is not for every couple, but it can be a great option for others. The vast majority of couples getting married have a full wedding. However, thousands of couples elope every year. It can be a great way to avoid some of the pressures and financial obligations associated with it. Which ever way you go, make sure you think it through because this is your special day and you will want to make sure it’s done right.

Congratulations to all of our September couples!

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A big Congratulations to all of our September couples!

Elizabeth and Ron 9/3 at Poets Walk
Elizabeth and Dana 9/3 at New York Country Club
Melissa and Jeremy 9/4 at The Links at Unionvale
Nicole and Nick 9/4 at Twin Lakes
Jill and John 9/4 at Millbrook Winery
Kellie and Mark 9/4 at The Falkirk Estate and Country Club
Gabrielle and Dean 9/10 at West Park Winery
Laurie and Rick 9/10 at The River Grill
Kaitlyn and Brian 9/10 at The Onteora Mountain House
Luciana and Eduardo 9/11 at The Ashokan Reservoir
April and Jill 9/16 in Central Park, NYC
Kaeleigh and Cory 9/16 in Gardiner, NY
Nichole and Peter 9/16 at The New York Country Club
Michelle and David 9/16 at The Glen Island Harbour Club
Jennifer and Marcelo 9/17 at The Stony Ford Golf Course
Stacy and Craig 9/17 in Yorktown Heights, NY
Veronika and Brainerd 9/17 at Oak Hill
April and Heath 9/17 in Kinderhook, NY
Sarah and Justin 9/17 at West Settlement
Beth and Hermann 9/17 at Del Posto Ristorante, NYC
Melissa and Kyle 9/18 at The Grandview
Nicole and Derek 9/23 at Arbor Ridge Catering & Banquet
Adam and Erin 9/24 at Mary’s Parish in Greenwich, CT and Westchester Country Club
Jessica and Kyle 9/24 at All Souls Church
Peter and Nicole 9/24 at The Historical Harness Track
Daria and Lukasz 9/24 at Mohonk Mountain House
Nicole and Ryan 9/24 at Overlook Lodge
Aimee and Michael 9/24 at Highlands Country Club
Katie and Rick 9/25 at Mohonk Mountain House
Jessica and Todd 9/30 at The Poughkeepsie Grand Hotel

Congratulations to all our August couples!

Posted on by Hudson Valley Ceremonies

A big Congratulations to all of our August couples!

Shelly and Frank 8/4 at Belvedere Mansion
 Sierra and Bryan 8/5 at The Poughkeepsie Grand Hotel
Victoria and Isaac 8/5 at Brookside Manor
Damian and Shawn 8/6 in Rhinebeck, NY
Nicole and Rina 8/6 in Rhinebeck, NY
Tista and Prashant 8/6 in Jewett, NY
Crystal and Pedro 8/6 at Hunter Mountain
Lauren and Corey 8/6 at Windham Mountain
Ashley and Ismael 8/7 at Catlin Gardens
Jeremy and Sonya 8/7 at The Marist College Gazebo
Kristine and Vincent 8/14 at Full Moon Resort
Russell and Meiling 8/14 at Kefi Restaurant in New York, NY
Lance and Folami 8/18 at Riverfront Park
Kimia and Terrance 8/18 at The Grandview
Melissa and Ted 8/19 at The Grandview
Andrew and Ashley 8/20 at FEAST Round Hill
Vicky and Holly 8/20 at The Whitecliff Vineyard & Winery
Sherry and Eric 8/20 at The Grandview
Robin and Michelle 8/21 at The Rhinecliff
Michelle and Matt 8/26 at Trump Hudson Valley
Tina and Rami 8/27 at The Grandview
Priscila and Ed 8/27 at The Grandview
Michael and Melissa 8/27 at Mohonk Mountain House
Melissa and Luke 8/27 at Rolling Greens at Dutchess Golf and Country Club
Heather and Blake 8/27 in Salt Point, NY

BRAVO DOCUMENTARY CASTING FOR NEWLYWEDS

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Bravo is Casting!!! A new docu-series about wealthy and/or affluent newlywed couples throughout the nation. This series will document a group of diverse couples bound by one common thread – they’re all embarking on their first year of marriage! The team behind this series consists of award winning producers, directors and documentarians and aims to genuinely showcase couples as they live their lives from their wedding day to their first year anniversary. The look and feel of this series will be comparable to the recently-released documentary, ‘Love, Etc’ – ttp://loveetcthemovie.com/

They are looking for fun, engaging, hysterical, classy, couples nationwide who are set to wed between September and November 2011.

Please let me know if you, or anyone you know may be a good fit for this project. This is a nation-wide casting.

Please feel free to contact me if you have any questions.

* The Newlyweds is a unique television series that will follow newlywed couples as they experience their first year of marriage. Shot in a documentary style, cameras will capture the experiences and milestones of couples from wedding day to the first anniversary and everything in between. Couples will share both the successes and challenges that come with the first year of marriage.

*Looking for influential, successful, affluent, privileged, fun and exciting couples.

*This is about real people with real stories. Coming from a realistic perspective. No spin. Normal portrayal of couples (same-sex and straight).

*Everyone says the 1st year of marriage is difficult…we want your story, in your own words…We want to tell the story about how your relationship evolves over the 1st year.

*This is a celebration of their love and their journey to a life together

*Vinnie Potestivo Entertainment (VPE) is casting The Newlyweds and the series will air on Bravo

*VPE has more than 15 years of experience working in casting, booking, development and multi-media marketing. Some shows VPE has worked on: Millionaire Matchmaker, The Osbournes, The Hill, and Laguna Beach.

*They are searching nationwide for outgoing and opinionated couples…ages 30-55…same-sex and traditional couples…and all nationalities…who are to be married between September-November, 2011. Weddings can be intimate or over-the-top, but must be upscale.

*The show premiers first quarter, 2013.

*To apply, couples should send 3-5 current photos of themselves include all phone numbers and email addresses for both individuals, scheduled wedding date and a paragraph or two describing who you are.

REASONS TO PARTICIPATE

By participating in this show, you will receive an edited, high quality, professional video of your wedding at the end of the production. Your life will be featured in an 8-episode documentary airing on national television…video will include the family, that you love. what a lovely memento to show your kids…

*Is there a charity or passion project you are involved with? We can follow you as you work with them. A year from now, the organization will be featured on the show and have national platform.

Congratulations to all our May couples!

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A big Congratulations to all of our couples that were married this May!

Katherine and Kellan 5/1 at The Poughkeepsie Grand
Amanda and Jeremy 5/1 at Full Moon Resort
Liz and Ray 5/5 at Belvedere Mansion
Kristin and Danny 5/6 at Locust Grove & The Poughkeepsie Grand
Amy and Alen 5/6 at Villa Borghese
Laura and Steven 5/7 at Poets Walk
Kim and Clinton 5/7 at The Cadet Chapel & Eisenhower Hall
Chad and Victoria 5/10 in Central Park
James and Jennifer 5/13 at Marist College
Brenda and Al 5/15 in Stone Ridge
Bridget and Sean 5/15 at The Grandview
Kristen and Daniel 5/20 at The Grandview
Chris and Breanna 5/21 in Millbrook
Christine and Jonathan 5/22 at Colden Manor at the Spruce Lodge
Erica and Evan 5/28 at The Grandview
Amber and Kevin 5/28 at Hunter Mountain
Catherine and Bryan 5/28 at The Grandview
Jennifer and Jesse 5/28 at Four Brothers Restaurant
Helena and Dan 5/28 at The Mt. Beacon Bed & Breakfast
James and Rebecca 5/29 at The Highlands Country Club

Wedding & Event Professional Tipping Guidelines

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Always remember that tipping an event professional is not expected, but is a sign of appreciation and reflects outstanding work.  These are just guidelines and can be adjusted due to performance.

NYC and LI Tipping

Hair – $50 to $75
Makeup – $50 to $75
DJ – $100 to $150
DJ asst – $50 to $75
Band – 5-10% of total bill or $25 each member
Photographer – $100 to $150
Photographer asst – $50 to $75
Videographer – $100 to $125
Video asst – $50 to $75
Limos – $25 to $50 each
Floral delivery – $25 to $50 each
Maitre-d – $3 to $5 per person (or what is suggested by your venue)
Service Staff & Bartenders – $30 to $50 each
Bridal attendant – $75 to $100
Officiant – $25 to $50
Altar people – $20 each
Ceremony music – $25 to $50 each
Wedding Coordinator – Tip at your discretion

Hudson Valley Tipping

Hair – $25 to $50
Makeup – $25 to $50
DJ – $50 to $100
DJ asst – $25 to $50
Band – 5-10% of total bill or $25 each member
Photographer – $50 to $100
Photographer asst – $25 to $50
Videographer – $50 to $100
Video asst – $25 to $50
Limos – $25 to $50 each
Floral delivery – $15 to $25 each
Maitre-d – $1 to $3 per person (or what is suggested by your venue)
Service Staff & Bartenders – $25 to $40 each
Bridal attendant – $50 to $100
Officiant – $25 to $50
Altar people – $20 each
Ceremony music – $25 to $50
Wedding Coordinator – Tip at your discretion

New TV Show Casting ENGAGED COUPLES

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A Brand New Cable Television Documentary Series is Casting Engaged/Long-Term Couples & their parents, living in the NY Tri-State Area!!!

*Are you 21-35? OR are you parents of kids 21-35 yrs old who are planning on getting married?

* Are you & your partner, OR are your kids getting ready to tie the knot OR thinking about tying the knot?

* Are you super excited about your upcoming nuptials, but want to get to know your future in-laws better? Do you want to get to know your future-son or daughter-in-law better?

* Would you like to better understand your other half & their family by walking in his/her shoes?

If so, they are looking for you!

Premise: For one week, the couples will go their separate ways and live with their partner’s parents, in their household. Couple will experience first hand the way of life for their future in-laws. This will help the partners to experience life as their other half has growing up with their in-laws as parents. At the end of the 5-day week the couple will have a better understanding of each other, their future families and the family will have a deeper bond altogether.

There is monetary compensation if you make the show! ($6,000)

* Please send the producer Christina Caparoula Rich your contact info, photo, brief description of your relationship as well as the fun quirks for each family!! Have a blast with this and good luck!

Christina Caparoula Rich – Casting Producer
christinacaparoula@gmail.com
http://www.mendenhallmedia.com