Does it seem like a wedding is never just a wedding anymore? It’s more of a string of events. Perhaps there’s a rehearsal dinner or out-of-towner get together before the big bash—or maybe even a hike or some other outdoor activity if the wedding is taking place in one of our rustic, woodsy venues. Afterward, maybe there will be an after-party, a campfire, or a morning-after brunch. Weddings are becoming weekend-long celebrations.
As a guest, that’s fine with me—you break the ice with other guests beforehand so that you know everyone by the time you get to the dance floor. And who doesn’t love discussing who broke out the best moves over next-day pancakes?
What’s not fun, though, is coordinating the travel and meeting logistics for all the different guests heading to all the different events. (Is there a less romantic word than “logistics”?) It’s easier for all involved if all these events happen at one place, where guests can wander in and out at their leisure. Turn to page 58 to see our feature on “one-stop” venues: places that can host your ceremony, reception, overnight guests, and sometimes even pre- or post-wedding meals.
Speaking of meals: What’s on your wedding menu? We’re lucky to live in an area with an abundance of farms and caterers who care about local, seasonal ingredients and use them in globally inspired cuisines. You can wow your guests with wedding food that goes way beyond the general banquet-hall fare. We tracked down the area’s most exciting caterers on page 76. When you see what they have to offer, you’ll want to make sure you’re not one of those couples who’s too busy to eat at their own wedding.
Once you have the venue and the caterer, the fun part begins—choosing the look and style of the wedding. A great way to get the creative juices flowing is by looking to the past. We’ve put together wedding looks inspired by the ’20s, ’40s, ’60s, ’80s, and ’00s to get you started; see them on page 66. It was a blast going through old photos and finding the trends you could conceivably see at a wedding today (neon!), and those that haven’t quite made it back into fashion (big wedding hats—though you never know). This went double for dresses, which have gone through such transformations over the years. For your gown, you can go trendy or timeless, vintage-inspired or contemporary. We picked some of our favorite gowns for a feature—shot at the historic Castle Hotel & Spa in Tarrytown—on page 48.
One wedding trend that never seems to disappear is the wedding cupcake, and I’m completely fine with that. I like going for the more exotic flavors. (Leave the plain chocolate and vanilla for Aunt Martha.) Local bakers really have fun with wedding cupcake flavors, with nostalgic treats that taste like hot chocolate or caramel corn (and even some “boozy” flavors like Champagne or bourbon). To see some tasty examples, turn to page 26.
Cake or cupcakes, vintage or modern, we want to see your Westchester or Hudson Valley wedding. You might just find yourself in our Wedding of the Month blog. Submit your photos right here. I can’t wait to see what you’ve come up with!
