When Diana and Jacqulyn met in 2012 at their local kickboxing studio, they became fast friends, often training together — but never sparring. Occasionally, they would end their workouts with a glass of wine on Diana’s terrace, spending hours talking about work, life, music, and relationships. After Jacqulyn moved to another part of town, the two lost touch, until one Friday evening in 2014 when Jacqulyn called Diana as she was getting out of kickboxing. They met for a glass of wine and haven’t spent a day apart since.
Jacqulyn, who is from Hudson Valley, always wanted to get to married in “god’s country,” she said. Diana stumbled across The Roundhouse in Beacon after a very brief wedding research session: Google searching “wedding venues near the water.”
“There was a welcoming feel that felt right,” the two said about the Roundhouse. The final deliberation took a few weeks but their decision was made easier by how the Roundhouse fit both of their personalities and who they are as a couple; it was picturesque and elegant while still being understated and not too formal. The rustic venue, a 23-room hotel built in the early 1800s and former factory, was perfect for their fall wedding, with a beautiful brick exterior and plenty of reclaimed wood from the surrounding area.
Jacqulyn and Diana were certain they didn’t want a big wedding but knew the Roundhouse would still be a great spot for a fun party. The ceremony took place at sunset with waterfalls as a backdrop and white candles surrounding their untraditional alter, a wooden frame decorated with white graffiti. To honor the pair’s love for traveling, Diana worked with a woodworker in Long Island City flea to create a compass, inspired by a large nautical compass in Nantucket, one of their favorite places to venture. The woodworker created a 24 inch compass out of recycled wood and carved in some of the couple’s favorite places they’ve traveled, which stood on display at their reception.
After the ceremony, the room was transformed into a simple but elegant celebration, with white candles and flowers surrounding all the windows and steps. “We put a ton of trust into the experts, our florist at Viradencent and our wedding coordinator at The Roundhouse, to play out the vision of our wedding and they did not disappoint.”
The couple, who are also self-proclaimed “foodies,” couldn’t imagine a traditional salad with steak or chicken for dinner. Instead, they opted for grilled cheese and tomato soup as the appetizer and the choice of braised short rib, chicken under a brick, or vegetable lasagna as the main course.
Diana and Jacqulyn aren’t big fans of cake, and for dessert went with Chipwich ice cream sandwiches, and other assorted baked goods. “We didn’t want to stop anyone’s fun on the dance floor with a traditional cake cutting ceremony,” they stated.
For the wedding party, instead of Bridesmaids, Diana and Jacqulyn had “BridesFaves.”
“I think your wedding is a representation of who you are, and the people that stand by your side are your people. We both had family and friends of different genders that we wanted by our side. We couldn’t put them in a “bridesmaids” box, and the great thing is, they have never put us in one,” Jacqulyn said.
Date of Wedding: November 3, 2017​ | Photographer: Samantha June, Arius | Venue: The Roundhouse in Beacon | Florist: Viradencent
