Lauren Caldwell
& Jeremy Raco
September 23, 2016September 23 wasn’t technically Lauren and Jeremy’s wedding day. Together since 2006, the couple had eloped in Virginia six months prior to throwing a Hudson Valley celebration for friends and family. “We wanted to do something a little different,” explains Lauren. “We played the wedding video from our elopement to surprise people.”Lauren and Jeremy, both wedding-industry professionals, wanted a unique look for their reception. They also wanted to get married in their hometown of Altamont, NY. To achieve both, they chose the Fine Arts Barn at Altamont Fairgrounds, a brand-new venue at the time, which they decked out in a colorful bohemian style, inspired by the American South. “It wasn’t so much that we wanted to do a fair theme,” says Lauren. “My husband happens to love the Deep South look with moss, I happen to love elephants, and I had seen popcorn at a wedding we were doing. We wanted a lot of color and romantic candlelight.”
Every detail from the chalkboard art (left) to the printed popcorn bags (middle-right) was custom-made.
Mix-and-match china patterns (bottom-right) contributed to the bohemian feel.The couple trusted their vendors (many of whom were friends) to complete the look. GreenTree Home Candle made custom beeswax tapers in a rainbow of hues for the tables, and their hometown florist filled the room with colorful blooms. Vintage furniture pieces, including a table piled high with pie, contributed to the shabby-chic vibe. “We felt like [our vendors] were the best of the best,” says Lauren. “Everything just came together.”“The back is what sold me,” says Lauren of her Hayley Paige ball gown. “It was very intricately beaded, almost like an Aztec design.”When it was time to shop for her dress, Lauren’s shopping companion was an unorthodox choice: her husband.“I wanted my dress to be a party one,” says Lauren, who wore a simpler, more romantic silhouette at the elopement. “Ball gowns seemed fun, and I had never worn anything like that in my life.”Most important, though, was the wedding itself. “I loved having everyone we love in one room at one time,” recalls Lauren. “That will, most likely, never happen again. I’ll never forget it.”The Details:Photographer: Tiffany Wayne Photography; 518.928.3256; www.tiffanywayne.com
Venue & Rentals: A Gracious Event/The Altamont Fine Arts Barn, Guilderland; 518.608.4644; www.agraciousevent.com
Event Planner: Shannon Whitney Anson of Wedding Planning Plus, Delmar; 518.269.1243; www.weddingplanningplus.net
Florist: Bella Fleur, Altamont; 518.861.8355; www.bellafleurny.com
Catering: Nicole’s Special Events & Catering Company, Albany; 518.436.4952; www.nicolescatering.com
Invitations: LetterBoxInk by Laura Nehls, Chicago; www.letterboxink.com
Dress: Hayley Paige purchased at Angela’s Bridal; www.jlmcouture.com, Albany; 518.869.1848; www.angelasbridal.net
Bridal Hair & Makeup: Strut Spalontique, Albany; 518.458.8788; www.strutspalontique.com
These Industry Professionals Held The Hippest Bohemian-Style Wedding
The couple went back to their roots for a hometown wedding in Altamont.