When Westchester Magazine interviewed bride Anna Eckhardt, and after learning that her wedding to groom Michael Findlay had been on Halloween day, we decided to discuss the date first and get it out of the way. After all, it’s not every day that you hear about Halloween weddings.
“There are cookie-cutter-type couples and there is us,” Anna explains, describing her relationship with Michael as playful, spontaneous, and unexpected by nature from the beginning.
They met at a mutual friend’s birthday party back in 2002 and the vibe between them was friendly and warm from the start. Neither gave particular thought to the possibility of romance. “One of our first dates together was catching the re-release of the movie E.T., Anna recalls. “Friends were wondering about all of the romantic details. I think our choice in movie says it all.”
From there, the couple became inseparable. Since both Anna and Michael are into travel and vacationing, the two hit a bunch of destinations together including Bermuda, Las Vegas, and South Beach, among others. Neither discussed the future too much and that was perfectly fine with both. For them, it was all about being together, formalities aside.
After four years and while vacationing together in beautiful St. Croix in December, 2006, Michael surprised Anna with a proposal. Her answer was an immediate yes. Both had visited the magnificent Castle on the Hudson in Tarrytown on a prievious occasion, so they were confidant that this was the perfect venue for them. Between the “Tapestry Room” with its embroideries and canvas ceiling of paintings and the “Garden Room” offering views of the Hudson River and the Manhattan skyline, The Castle was hard to resist. The Halloween Party theme, of course, came together as naturally as the couple did, culminating into a unique wedding loaded with character and fun.
For their wedding, and with the creative influence of the bride and groom, all participating vendors made sure to incorporate Halloween via music, décor, and dress-code enhancements. Daniel Florals and Events used lit jack ‘o lanterns to continue the spooky mood and lead the way to the ceremony. The Craig Scott Orchestra played a fabulous rendition of Thriller when the bridal party entered the reception space. The food and beverage manager Michael Casarella saw to every detail, making for a seamlessly fabulous event. The 80 guests attended the wedding in costume, dressed in all kinds of getups from the well-known Captain Morgan “the rum guy” to the fabulous Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde.
The groom looked handsome in his Scottish kilt; the bride, in a glamorous Selia Yang dress, looked absolutely boo-tiful (we couldn’t resist).
PHOTOGRAPHY BY FRANK FARINA
RESOURCES
ENTERTAINMENT
The Craig Scott Orchestra
(866) 587-1066
FLOWERS
Daniel Florals and Events
74 Fox Island Rd, Port Chester
(914) 481-5528
PHOTOGRAPHY
Frank Farina & Co.
(914) 439-7878
VENUE
Castle on the Hudson
400 Benedict Ave, Tarrytown
(914) 631-1980
