Saturday, December 19, 2009

Debra & Frank's Wedding in Kings Park

Debra and Frank had tried several times before, but never managed to actually tie the knot. This time they not only succeeded, but they dodged the huge, oncoming snow storm and managed to celebrate their traditional family Christmas - all in one. With friends, children and grandchildren (from former marriages) all together, they repeated beautiful personalized vows and kissed their way into the state of matrimony. As you can see from the photo, a home wedding can be very intimate and beautiful - and nothing compares to feasting with friends in your own home. Anyway, it was fun for me to meet both of them and some of their great friends - and they were very grateful. All in all, another very nice day - and afterwards, I returned to my own home for a Christmas party there.

Saturday, October 03, 2009

Laura & Kahlil's Wedding @ the Prospect Park Boathouse

I hadn’t been to Prospect Park for a wedding for some time, and I don’t think I had ever seen the Boathouse. It’s hidden away in the park, and a little hard to find, but as you can see from the photo, it’s quite a pretty area. (I realize you can’t see the actual Boathouse, but if you go to the Prospect Park web site, there is a nice picture there.) The groom’s father took the photos, including this one (Thanks!), and music for the ceremony was supplied by an iPod through a boom box - very simple. Even so, we had a great day - with none of the threatened rain, the couple was fun, and their friends and family celebrated with them warmly. Here’s what Laura and Kahlil had to say weeks after: “Thank you again for everything. The ceremony was perfect and everyone was so impressed! It could not have happened without you. Thanks so much again.”

Saturday, September 26, 2009

Christina & Thomas' Wedding at Oheka Castle

Upon entering Oheka Castle one is carried back to the days of the Great Gatsby and the “Gold Coast” mansions of that era. That it was formerly some family’s home tests the imagination. It certainly shines though, as a wedding venue, and on this day it did just that. Christina and Thomas were married under clear, beautiful blue skies, with a warm breeze drifting through the grounds, and everyone dressed to the “nines.” They spoke to each other tenderly, and the guests listened intently throughout. As the wedding officiant, I don’t often stay for the wedding reception - but on this day I did stay for the cocktail hour. Of course the food was to be spectacular, isn’t it always, but in this case it didn’t disappoint. The couple and their guests were gracious and fun, and the staff managed the large crowd well. Everything was just so - as it should be on every bride’s big day. Christina and Thomas, thank you for including me in your special day at this very special place. (Photograph thanks to Counsins Photography - cousinsphotography.com.)

Tuesday, September 08, 2009

Laura and David's Wedding in Levittown

On Saturday I officiated at Laura and David’s wedding at David’s mother’s home in Levittown. The beautiful day was one of a series that characterized the week, and the wedding had a very laid back feel to it that suited the couple well. This wedding was especially meaningful to me because I had married David’s brother Mark and his wife Sarah last August at Pelligrini Vineyards in Cutchogue. In both cases the weather cooperated and the beautiful surroundings complemented the joy of the occasion. A second wedding in one family definitely signifies a vote of confidence - and appreciation for the first one. I am glad to have met both couples and to be able to help them make their wishes for the day come true.  Working with me on this day were photographer and photojournalist Brad Ross from Brad Ross Photography, and Jason Bencivenga from Party Up Productions. Both of these guys handled themselves professionally and with class, and were just nice to work with. If you’re still looking for a photographer, check out Brad’s work, which I liked. And to the Evans brothers and their brides - may you live long and prosper together!

Thursday, July 09, 2009

Meagan and Eric’s Wedding at Wagner Cove

Central Park never fails to captivate and amuse. On this day, at least as much as usual, since it had rained and was threatening to do so again. We had our window so we grabbed it, and the bride's and groom’s family members and friends were treated to a wedding ceremony in the heart of Manhattan, but that seemed in the next hour to transform into something like the Louisiana Bayou (which would have been familiar since both were Southerners in NYC for their destination wedding). Wagner Cove personifies true quiet, and when the rain finally came - and it poured with a vengeance - the effect was eerie and beautiful. During the ceremony we had sun-bathing turtles as extra witnesses, and a large water-bird of some kind (No one could say what kind.) that stood at attention in the green mossy water. A friend of the couple who plays in a blue grass band sang and strummed a song whose chorus included the words “Strawberry Fields” - and another friend took pictures - like the beautiful one here. The ceremony was simple, the repeated vows heartfelt, the mood joyous. Meagan and Eric, thank you for making me part of your special day, and may God’s blessing be upon your new family!

Wednesday, June 24, 2009

Heidi and Jimmy - Wedding at Tavern on the Green

It’s had been raining almost steadily for the last month, and even though none of my couples have been soaked yet, I was a little worried about this wedding. The traffic noise and sirens created a typical Manhattan experience, and the guests from California took it all in stride - as if they would have been disappointed otherwise. Heidi, the bride, arrived late, and I joined the groom in  “waitin’ on a woman.” He remained as patient and wise as Andy Griffith himself, and the delay actually allowed us to take advantage of some cooler temperatures.  Members of his family provided beautiful music (guitar and vocals) that set a spiritual tone - including the song “Charity”, which is a sung version of the famous love poem in 1 Corinthians 13. David Kerry Hannan was everpresent, snapping candid photos that promised to be beautiful. Of course the setting at Tavern on the Green was intimate and beautiful - and the break in the bad weather was all we could have hoped for. I had extra time to talk with family members and friends, and this group was not only good looking, but charming too. The icing on the cake was that in my previous visit I had discovered that the Tavern has it’s own parking (duh!) - so I paid less than half of what I would have otherwise - and saved some wear and tear on my shoes and legs.

Wednesday, June 24, 2009

Deborah and Frank’s Wedding in Huntington

Many believe that a wedding in a home is less expensive and simpler, but it’s almost never the case. The backyard wedding really shines not for these reasons, but because it can be so much more personal and intimate. Frank and Deborah’s wedding illustrated this well. Guests and family members mingled on the broad patio, and I made plans not to fall into the nearby pool during the ceremony like the famous ceremony that went viral on youtube recently. The photographer Dan Wagner and I had done weddings together before, so I was glad to see him snapping away. When you’re getting married, you don’t want a bad wedding officiant, and you don’t want an incompetent photographer. (The photo here is his.) Anyway, we managed to avoid the rain, the microphone worked nicely (I had had my doubts), and the guests were very attentive to the ceremony and supportive of the couple. The couple’s beautiful home provided a perfect backdrop for a perfect wedding, and I was glad that I was able to contribute to all the joy myself. (When I first talk to couples I often emphasize the importance of meeting together ahead of time to plan and "establish chemistry." In this photo, Deborah was sequestered away before the wedding and I was there to have her sign the license. Ilove this photo because I  think it demonstrates what that chemistry can look like. My desire is to connect with every couple in this way. It can't always happen, but when it does, it's magic.) When I heard from her months later she wrote, "You provided us with far more than we had ever hoped for or expected; we are forever grateful to you."

Saturday, June 13, 2009

Keri and Jack’s Wedding at Old Field in Southold

Until just recently, it seemed normal that it would rain every day. If it wasn’t raining at the moment, you could be sure it would be raining again soon. That’s what this day was like. As the wedding hour approached, the biggest question was “Outdoors, or under the tent?” We had the beautiful location - the Old Field in Southold - all we needed was for the weather to cooperate. The trolley company, North Fork Trolley, arrived about 3o minutes late after the driver got lost with the bride and her party, which essentially cost us our window of sun. We moved under the tent when it started to drizzle, and things were a little crowded, then the rain let up, and after a pow wow the bride made the call, “Let’s do it.” What followed was a wind-swept ceremony with guests that hung on each word as much as the couple did. That makes my job easy and enjoyable - and makes for a memorable wedding. Jack and Keri were radiant throughout, and afterwards, their family and friends also radiated friendliness and good will - a great group of people that could only reflect well on the couple. Photographer Michael Cody did a great job of capturing the joy and camaraderie of the day, and you can see more photos like this one on his web site. The people at the Old Field, Ros and Perry, were professional and attended to everything the couple and their guests needed. As you can see, it’s a beautiful location - and very intimate. The musicians, a string quartet, were troopers - succeeding in creating the mood musically in the midst of significant wind and precipitation. All in all, everyone stepped up, and the result was a great start to a great celebration. Congratulations Keri and Jack!

Monday, June 08, 2009

Unique Brooklyn Wedding Venue - Dyker Beach Golf Course

Would you like a Country Club atmosphere for your wedding  - and to keep it in Brooklyn at the same time? Then when it comes to looking any further .... “fagetaboutit!” The Dyker Beach Golf Course is a new, and still relatively undiscoved jewel of a venue. Yesterday I married Suzanne and Patrick there, and the beautiful location perfectly matched the beautiful weather of the day. Dawn Marie Gallagher, the director of catering and the Maitre’ D Chris Giacalone did a great job of coordinating everything and seeing there we no glitches. Bill Gillen set the mood for the ceremony by playing the bag pipes - and did it quite well. (Not everyone does that. If you're looking for someone to play for a wedding or funeral service, you can contact him through his day job at the Law Offices of Ronald Schwartz.) As for me, Suzanne and Patrick wanted me to do my homily entitled “The Truth about Marriage”, and I was gratified to see as Patrick said later that “You could hear a pin drop.” - people were definitely paying attention. So, if you've concluded that you have to travel to Suffolk County or to Westchester - think again. You can reserve your wedding with trees and grass and fresh air right (oh, and lots of good food also - did I mention that?) in the Middle of Brooklyn. Who would have guessed?

Wednesday, June 03, 2009

Bride in Wedding Dress Saves Family From Fire

Only last year I was married, so I remember the emotions and thoughts that go with the day. For instance, “This is my special day, it should be about me.” - and this is something both the bride and groom think, even if they never say it. And there’s nothing wrong with thinking that way. Being a bridezilla relates more to the way such a conviction manifests itself - and to taking it much too literally. Anyway, when a bride in Bridgeport Conneticut stops the car, wades into the mud, and then into a smokey house - in full wedding attire on the way home from her reception - to save neighbors who don’t know about the fire - well, that’s a reason for commendation and a new found hope in humanity. It’s definitely “doing unto others as you would have them do unto you.”  I’ve never met Georgette Fogarty-Clemons, the brave and fiesty bride in this story, but I’d like to, and I’d be glad to have her as my neighbor.

If you’d like to read the rest of the story you can read the original account by John Christoffersen. (The AP photo is by Douglas Healey.)