Hudson Valley and Westchester Weddings with a Personal Touch in 2013 (Editor’s Letter)

A word from Hudson Valley Weddings Editor, Marisa LaScala

Weddings come in waves. Recently, it seemed as if I was pulling a wedding invitation out of my mailbox every day. Each time, my husband and I looked at each other and uncharitably said something along the lines of, “Great, another chance to dance to ‘Celebration’ by Kool and the Gang.” We steeled ourselves for weekends of endless repetition. (We weren’t the only ones, either. A friend of mine admitted that her perennial plus-one leaned over to her during a wedding ceremony and asked, “Do you get the feeling that you’re watching the same play, but with different actors?”)

It turned out that, while the weekends were full of ceremonies and receptions, my fears of constant déjà vu were entirely unfounded. The weddings couldn’t have been more different from each other. One was chock full of vintage details that fit perfectly with the 18th-century venue. At another, décor was at a minimum, but they brought out so many courses of Zagat-approved food, we barely had time for dancing (and were too stuffed to try). At yet another, we watched the couple get married from a stage that usually plays host to rock bands — dancing was front and center there. The ceremonies were performed by a rabbi, a judge, a Mennonite authorized by her congregation to officiate weddings, a filmmaker ordained by the Universal Life Church, and the couple themselves. (That last wedding took place in Pennsylvania, where, due to Quaker laws, marriage can be an act of self-determination. I loved that.) Everyone said “I do” at some point, but everything else was utterly unique to each couple.

That’s the fun part. Along with seeing people I care about celebrate their devotion in front of their family and friends, I truly enjoyed seeing the creative ways their personalities came through in their weddings.

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With this issue, we want to help you do the same. Start with the flowers: Are you a traditional-bouquet bride, or would you try a non-floral option made of brooches or buttons? Click here to see examples of both. What about décor? You may want a rustic barn wedding, but with a modern, Victorian, or seasonal twist. We’ll show you four wildly different farm tables on page 66. You may love a timeless, white wedding dress — or you might want to be a little daring and go for a splash of color, a ’50s-inspired silhouette, or a dramatically low-cut back. We took some of the newest, most exciting gowns to Playland for a photo shoot (see page 56). No matter what, if you’re getting married in Westchester or the Hudson Valley, you can’t beat a view of the Hudson River. We’ll help you find the Hudson-side venue that best fits your ideal wedding on page 84. Still looking for more inspiration? Find six real, local weddings — all with different styles, taking place in different seasons — starting on page 42.

Most of all, we want to know how you made your local wedding your own. Submit your wedding photos to us at westchestermagazine.com/Westchester-Magazine/Wedding-Submissions. We can’t wait to see what you came up with!

Marisa LaScala
Executive Editor

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