Wedding Giveaway

Take a look at this amazing giveaway we are participating in with Leyla Cadabal Photography, Floral Fantasies By Sara and La Tua Bella Beauty Bar.

To enter just email a photo of you two together and a brief story of how you got engaged to leylacadabal@optonline.net. It’s that simple!

weddingcontest15

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.

02_422_D_S_0522

01_81_D_S_0081

02_1949_D_S_2049

02_1538_D_S_1638

02_215_D_S_0315

02_1139_D_S_1239

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

saugerties lighthouse

vow2

first kiss

Ceremony Decor

Do-it-yourself weddings do not have to stop at favors, bouquets and gifts. If you are planning a wedding in a non-traditional setting, think about the ceremony decor, including the ceremony backdrop or chuppah. It can create the stage and photo backdrop for the wedding, as well as making the space for the ceremony and reinforcing the theme.

The first thing someone may think of is a twig and flower chuppah or some other floral arrangement.

Glynwood Wedding Chuppah

Also consider using paper or silk flowers for the backdrop. Giant paper flowers would add whimsy and fun to a wedding.

Floral Backdrop

There are many other materials to use for the ceremony backdrop, besides flowers, though.

Reclaimed building materials, such as windows or doors

Window Backdrop

Picture frames

Picture Frame Backdrop

Curtains

Curtain Backdrop

Crepe paper or streamers

backdrop streamers

Paper Poms

Paper Pom Backdrop

Handwritten words displayed on butcher paper

written-paper-scroll-wedding-ceremony

Books

Book backdrop

Whatever you choose for your wedding ceremony decor, enjoy yourself. Blend it into the ceremony and the theme. Staying in a budget is easy for someone with creativity and cleverness. Think of what will go best in the wedding setting and be easy for set up and take down.

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.

20131004_161004

20131004_150456

20131004_150508

20131004_150533

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

A Hudson Valley Ceremonies Wedding at Hunter Mountain

Congratulations to the new Mr & Mrs Nelson who were married at Hunter Mountain on March 8th!

Advice from the couple:

“Splurge on photography / videography and try to take in every moment of the day because it goes by so quickly.”
Hunter Mountain Wedding
Hunter Mountain Wedding
Casino Wedding
Casino Wedding
Custom Cake Topper
Custom Cake Topper
Hunter Mountain Wedding
Hunter Mountain Wedding
Hunter Mountain Wedding
Hunter Mountain Wedding
Hunter Mountain Wedding
Hunter Mountain Wedding
Wedding Location: Hunter Mountain
Ceremony Officiant: Hudson Valley Ceremonies (Jeanne Stark)
Photographer: Photographics Solution
Videographer: Photographics Solution
DJ/Band: Piano Man’s DJ Productions (Nate Miller)
Ceremony Musicians: Golden Scroll Soloists
Florist: Anthology Studio
Bridal Attire: Angela’s Bridal
Men’s Attire: Men’s Warehouse
Rings/Jewelry: Harold Finkle, Your Jeweler
Hair/Makeup: Krystal Rose Studio
Invitations: Wedding Paper Divas
Favors: DIY
Casino Tables: Big Eastern Casino Company

Writing Your Wedding Vows

The vows are the most intimate part of the ceremony, and what is more intimate than your own thoughts and words? Here are some tips on writing your own vows.

Set the tone in advance
Talk to your fiance about whether you want serious vows or humorous. Do you want something poetic and romantic? Or nostalgic and touching? Make sure you are on the same page so the vows will complement each other. You don’t want the groom’s to be humorous, while the bride’s is poetic! You also need to decide if you will write the vows together or keep them a surprise for each other. ( I vote for surprise!! The emotions from saying your vows the first time is a truly beautiful moment!!)

Dedicate time for this
It doesn’t have to be in one sitting, in fact it will be better if it is not in one sitting. Have a sheet of paper in your wedding planning book that every time you open the book for something wedding (maybe flowers, or dress) take a moment to write a thought about you fiancé. Better yet, you can devote a “page” on the notepad on your phone and when something hits you (he surprised you by….) write that down. It could be the way that she cries at sappy old movies, or the face that he makes when he is concentrating. Regardless of what it is that you love, you need to write it down. This way you will have several thoughts spread out over time to help you write the vows. By taking plenty of time to plan your vows and consider your relationship, your vows will most certainly be special.

Talk to family and friends
Often, friends and family members will see things about your relationship that you do not notice yourself. Ask your friends and family members’ opinions about what they think is special about your relationship, and incorporate that into your wedding vows. This will not only make your vows more personal, but it will make your loved ones feel special that you included their opinions in your wedding.

Have a deadline
Not the day of the wedding!!! Although I have had several grooms show up on the day of the wedding with their vows written on hotel stationery!!! I have found most couples are worried about length. The bride has 50 lines, and the groom 20. This makes the groom feel like he should have said more, and the audience wondering when the bride’s will be over… Therefore, I tell the couple to have the vows to me 2 weeks prior to the wedding. This way, I can go over it, make any suggestions (if repeating the same thing over and over) and then inform both of the length issue if one exists. So have a third party help out. Your wedding officiant or minister should be the first choice, otherwise have a friend you both trust that will keep the vows secret!

Include a personal touch
Everyone has a place, movie, or other favorite thing that they love. Include a line of your partner’s favorite movie, or make a reference to their favorite place or sports team in your wedding vows. Depending on how you do this, it could not only make the vows more special, but it could deliver a laugh to lighten the mood as well.

Vow delivery
Do you want to do the repeat after me style, or read from an index card? I think the personal vows are more personal coming directly from the person than being repeated. Just make sure you separate out your lines so you can say a line, and look at your fiancé. Nothing like READING your vows to lower the significance of the moment.

Audience and timing
There will indeed be people watching you say these vows, so try not to get too personal! Also, timing is important. One to two minutes is a good range; I know you could go on and on about your love, but for the ceremonial vows, keep it short and sweet.

Practice out loud
Just because something looks good on paper does not mean it sounds good when spoken. Practicing out loud will allow you to change any sentence structures that sound awkward, as well as pointing out sentences that might be too long… after all, you don’t want to run out of breath when exchanging vows! Have your wedding officiant or minister review your vows, as they know timing best. If you don’t feel comfortable with that, at least read them out loud to your maid of honor or best man.

If absolutely stuck, you should be able to meet with your wedding officiant or minister and have them help you write the vows by asking questions, and re-wording the answers for beautiful vows!

Meet Our Officiant Kevin Cook

For more than 30 years Kevin Cook has balanced two careers:  fundraising professional for several Westchester County not-for-profits and Lutheran worship leader and teacher.  He recently received ordination in order to serve couples seeking to create a personalized wedding ceremony that thoughtfully incorporates their spiritual beliefs.  He brings a warm sense of humor and calm to the frantic pace of the wedding day, helping couples concentrate on the ceremony and vows, the truly important portion of the big day.

Wedding-Kirsten-Fred-0192

Image

See what past clients are saying about Kevin:
From day one, Kevin Cook went above and beyond for us. He was supportive and counseled regarding both the flow of the ceremony and helped define what was important to my husband and to me, both separately and as a unit. While we are spiritual, we don’t identify with a specific religion. Kevin was able to inject what God meant to us in a lovely way that we and our guests enjoyed and understood, despite their own religions that varied from Jewish to Catholic to Muslim. We love and respect Kevin and feel that he is the ultimate officiant. We hope that you are blessed to have him marry you too!

Meet Our Officiant Lawrence McCauley

Lawrence is an ordained that respects all faiths. He has been officiating weddings, handfastings, and ceremonies of love for more than ten years. At these most important life events, he encourages each and every couple to add their personal touch to the ceremony.

Lawrence also performs clearing and blessing rituals for homes and businesses. This type of service may be utilized to rid a spaced of negative energy or to attract positive energy to the area.

1234935_10151926656703885_1751143706_n

1009481_10200533336077168_682778813_o

1094697_10151877600956119_2059080299_o