Photos by Alicia King Photography
The intimate October ceremony at Woodstock Farm Sanctuary in High Falls featured photos with animals and vegan donuts galore.
The first time Lizz Truitt saw her now-husband, Jeremy, she thought time stopped.
Although the pair grew up in neighboring towns – Lizz in Vernon, NJ and Jeremy in Warwick – it wasn’t until one fateful night that the pair crossed paths while at Bacchus Restaurant, Brewery & Billiards in New Paltz. Lizz was out with friends to see live music when she noticed Jeremy walk through the door on his way to see his friends perform.
“Jeremy walked into Bacchus and I thought time stopped,” she admits. “I was immediately mesmerized, and asked a mutual friend of ours to help me meet him. It was definitely one of those love-at-first-sight situations.”
The love bug didn’t just hit Lizz, either. Jeremy noticed Lizz from the start as well, although he tried to keep his cool when they first met. By the end of the night, their first date was officially in the books.
Close to five years into their relationship, Jeremy popped the question in the most romantic of ways. On a warm autumn day in the Hudson Valley, he took Lizz on a picnic and asked her to be his wife. Just after he asked the question, he had her turn around to find her best friend and wedding photographer Alicia King walking toward her with a camera in hand.
“As I was still in shock from the proposal, I saw a very-disguised Alicia walking toward me with her camera in action,” Lizz recalls. “I have a picture of this moment; my face says it all. It was the perfect day with two of the people I love most in this world.”
Although the couple originally planned to get married in 2021, the arrival of the pandemic made them realize that a smaller, intimate ceremony was all they really wanted. So they bumped up the date to October 24, 2020 and confirmed their spot at Woodstock Farm Sanctuary, the Hudson Valley farm sanctuary in High Falls where Lizz works as the marketing and communications director. Both have strong ties to the sanctuary, so they knew it would be the perfect place to say their “I dos.” Plus, with The Gray Barn, the property’s inn, onsite and magnificent autumnal views in the background, it was the perfect place for them to get married in the Hudson Valley.
When it came to planning their wedding, the couple knew they wanted it to be as authentic to them as possible. Both are vegan, so they served an entirely plant-based menu and dessert, the latter which came courtesy of Emy’s Delights and Bites in Hyde Park, to their small group of guests. They made the ceremony itself extra-special with natural, thoughtful touches like amethyst crystals by the wedding arbor, local and organic mugwort smoking wands burned at the beginning of the event, and a hand-fasting ritual to literally tie the knot.
“We just wanted all the elements of our love and personalities woven into this day as much as possible,” Lizz explains.
Right before the ceremony, the couple opted out of their “first look” and instead chose to hold hands while Lizz remained inside The Gray Barn and Jeremy stood outside it. As they said “I love you,” Alicia King snapped photos of the unforgettable moment for them to remember forever.
“It was a really beautiful moment to finally be near my soon-to-be husband and hold his hand, knowing he’d be really surprised with what I looked like all dressed up,” Lizz enthuses.
When it came time for her walk down the aisle, Lizz donned a stunning BHLDN dress that she found during her first stop while hunting for dresses. She had it tailored by Betsy Wise Bridal in Beacon so it was picture-perfect for her.
Afterward, the couple and their select group of family and friends retreated to The Gray Barn for delectable vegan bites and a photo-worthy donut bar filled with treats from Emy’s Delights and Bites.
For couples considering a wedding during the pandemic, Lizz recommends taking time to reflect on what’s most important.
“Keeping the safety and well-being of yourselves, your family, and friends in mind, you should consider what is most important to you for that day,” she says. “Focus on key elements and maintain an open mind, because some details may not work out or may have to be adjusted. We enforced masks at our wedding and had as much of it as we could outdoors.”
Also, she says, there’s something special about a micro wedding in the Hudson Valley.
“Micro weddings are so much fun!” she enthuses. “And less chaos.”
Vendors
Florist: Flora Good Times
Catering: Chef Clement Truitt, Warwick
Dessert: Emy’s Delights & Bites
Dress: BHLDN
Bridal Hair: Jesie Bray Hair
Bridal Makeup: Dorathea Gornie
Photographer: Alicia King Photography
Videographer: Larry Millburn
Venue: Woodstock Farm Sanctuary and The Gray Barn
