Nikki & Eric
September 9, 2023
Kingston
For Nikki Mendell, a director of business development in the career recruitment space, circling back is a daily occurrence. So, she didn’t let Eric Edelman (a real estate developer) off the hook when he didn’t follow up on his offer to call her after meeting on Hinge. “I said, ‘Hi Eric, just circling back on the call we scheduled,’” Mendell remembers. “He said, ‘You’re absolutely right, we’re overdue for a call.’” Edelman adds he “appreciated the spunk,” so he followed through with his idea for a date, and the two met up to play bocce in East River Park followed by dinner in the East Village.
That was April 2021, and by August of the following year, the two knew they wanted to tie the knot. “Nikki is very hard to surprise,” Edelman says, but he pulled off a proposal (complete with a hidden saxophone player) followed by a special dinner at DUMBO House with friends and family. Flash forward to September 2023, and the couple hosted their dream wedding in the Hudson Valley at Hutton Brickyards.
Admittedly, the venue was booked before the proposal. “Before we got engaged, Eric said to me while we were driving to Vermont, ‘If you wanted to wear a white dress and have a party, when would you see that happening?’” Mendell explains. “We worked backward. We were looking at rings and thought, let’s look at venues.”
When they found Hutton Brickyards from a list of venues researched by a friend, there was an immediate connection. Edelman comes from a family of builders in Greater New York (his grandfather was a civil engineer who helped build the Newburgh-Beacon Bridge) and the couple loved the adaptive-reuse nature of the building.
They both wanted a campus feel, and to truly offer a getaway for close family, who ended up staying in the venue’s 30 cabins. A cottage on the property served as the bridal suite, and Mendell was able to invite close friends for a casual lunch before the madness began.
The Big Day
The couple decided to stay together Friday night, so they woke up on the morning of the wedding early and excited for the day to come. “It was one of those things that was so special about having everyone [on] the property,” the bride remembers. “We wanted to be grounded, so we put our feet in the grass [and] did a little barefoot walk. We walked around the property and did a camp-style wakeup for our parents, playing revelry.” Mendell recalls this as one of her favorite moments of the day – a calm, peaceful start before the excitement.
Then, it was time for the ladies to do hair and makeup while the guys had brunch and tossed around a frisbee. The bride and groom had a first look, and took advantage of the entire property for photo ops, dodging a nagging rain. They signed their ketubah (marriage contract) accompanied by friends, family, and Mendell’s childhood rabbi (who flew in from Florida for the occasion). The rain cleared in time for the ceremony, and the two wed in a Reform Jewish ceremony under one of Hutton Brickyards’ large pavilions.
“We wrote our own vows,” the bride adds. “We both love music, so every song was the soundtrack we wanted. We had some live musicians at the ceremony, which was really cool.” Cannons of biodegradable confetti exploded as the new husband and wife strode back down the aisle.
The Reception
At the reception, guests were welcomed to a lush oasis of color. “I wanted muted colors. It’s such a cool look to have fresh fruits and vegetables,” Mendell explains, adding that florist StoneKelly Events expertly executed her vision for a rustic yet elegant aesthetic. Eggplant and plums served for deep purples, and artichokes and pears added dashes of green.
The couple was enamored by the unique look, budget-saving element, and environmentally conscious angle – fruit can be eaten or composted. “Flowers are so expensive, and it was a little bit of a creative way to manage our budget,” the bride says, adding, “At some point on the dance floor, people were dancing with artichokes in their hands.”
StoneKelly Events also worked to forage large branches to hang throughout the space and really bring nature in. Then, for a dash of glam to balance all the verdant touches, the bride requested glittering disco balls. The two credit their florist, parents, and planners Victoria Dubin Events and White Hall Events with bringing the day to life.
“At the ceremony, guests were wowed with river views, romance, and beauty among all the live plant growth, grasses, and wildflowers,” says Victoria Dubin, owner of Victoria Dubin Events. “Cocktails and dinner also incorporated all things nature, floral, fruits, and vegetables, accompanied by the bricks of the venue brickyard — and for the playful, a ceiling of disco balls.” The result, she says, perfectly reflected the couple’s whimsical personalities. “The entirety of the wedding design was to be mindful of sustainability and yet to be sure to impress guests. They did it!”
After their grand entry, the new bride and groom surprised their guests with a choreographed dance, which the Mr. remembers as his favorite moment of the day. “It was exciting just to have that grand entrance and be surrounded by our friends and family,” Edelman remembers. “People were shocked! At the end of our first dance, family came and surrounded us and were jumping around. It was a great outpouring of love that felt really fun.”
Guests danced the night away to the sounds of Dane Wright Band from Hank Lane Music. There was “a moment on the dance floor where I was the happiest I’ve ever been, just surrounded by everyone I love and with a song I love,” the bride remembers. After the celebration, the newlyweds hosted an after-party at the venue’s onsite restaurant, followed by an after-after-party in their own cabin.
The Details
Photographer
Nicolas Manassi for Roey Yohai Studios
Wedding planner
Victoria Dubin Events
White Hall Events
Florals & Event Design
StoneKelly Events
Venue
Hutton Brickyards
Band
Dane Wright Band from Hank Lane Music
Catering
Marcia Selden Catering
Makeup
Ashleigh Ciucci
Hair
Lauren Baxter Beauty
Wedding gown
Reem Acra
Stationery
Crane & Palette
Styling
Beth Chapman Styling
Jewelry rental
Verstolo
Related: These Hudson Valley Wedding Venues Have Dazzling Waterside Views