Real Wedding: Naomi & Joe
Cake: Zachary's Pastries
Coordination & Floral Design: Intuition Designs
Event Rentals: Tremont Rentals
Invitations: A.V. Costa
Photography: Bailly Photography
It's still debated who initially approached who, but ultimately it didn't matter, because after several chance encounters, Naomi and Joe eventually fell in love.
They first met at an outdoors festival and spent the evening getting to know each other. Neither Naomi or Joe were looking for a relationship and over the next several months, they continually ran into each other on accident. Eventually, they ended up going on a date and the rest is history.
After being together for quite some time and buying a house together, Naomi knew the proposal was inevitable. Joe knew it too, and had bought a ring, but his plans to ask Naomi the big question only went so far. While out on the town one evening, with the ring in hand, Joe had to improvise several times, and even made an impromptu phone call to Naomi's father to ask for his permission. Finally, after deciding to go for a walk in the chilly December night, Joe got on his knee to ask Naomi to marry him.
Having bought their first house a year earlier and with several friends and family members close by, the couple elected to hold the wedding in Loudonville, NY at the Pruyn House, a historical building and estate. There, guests enjoyed a traditional piece of New York history and it provided a rustic setting that was contrasted with a bright, Summer oriented color scheme of blue and yellow. The perimeter of the dance floor was adorned with photographs of family members no longer with the bride and groom, including a photo of Naomi's grandfather raising a glass, as if he was toasting his granddaughter's wedding. Flowers were bought locally and placed in mason jars, long tables were used to provide a family feeling and a friend played guitar during the ceremony to round out the intimate setting.
Debbie Frienberg of Spice of Life Catering provided exceptional service and flexibility and Naomi said she became a good friend in helping out with all the planning. Husband and wife photography duo Matt and Leah took excellent pictures and kept their cool even when things started to get out of hand. Wedding planner and decorator, Michelle Dischiavo carefully took the couple's desires to heart, and then took charge of the floral designs and lighting and made sure the day went as planned.
While the rainy day initially brought dismay, they made the most out of it, having fun taking pictures with umbrellas and being closer with everybody huddled in the barn. All the guests put the dance floor to good use, even Naomi's father, who apparently isn't much of a dancer. The day provided an opportunity for the couple to reconnect with old friends who took the time out of their busy schedules to help them celebrate. Even after blurting out "I do" at the wrong time, Naomi made the most of her blunder by joking around when the actual time to say the phrase came along.
Sticking with your gut feeling when planning a wedding is solid advice that the couple offers. Once a decision is made, stick with it so that you aren't continuously back tracking. Doing certain things a little differently really helps personalize the wedding as well, and of course have fun! If the bride and groom are having a good time, it's impossible for everyone else not to follow their lead.