Niall and I love NYC, but we had a vision of a casual wedding in the country, where our families could relax and mingle with our city friends. We visited The Hill, a venue nestled in the Catskill Mountains a 10-minute drive from the quaint town of Hudson, New York, and I knew immediately: This was the place! Local wedding planner Lisa Light recommended caterer Mazzone Hospitality and the best Hudson Valley hotels, including The Inn at Ca’Mea, The Barlow and Mount Merino Manor, where our wedding party stayed.
On the evening before the wedding, we hosted a casual cocktail party at the Helsinki Hudson bar. On August 8, 2015, guests gathered at 4:15 p.m. on the lawn at The Hill to hear us exchange personal vows in a ceremony led by my family’s close friend, Emmanuel Levin, and accompanied by violinist Anna Leinbach. We played lawn games during cocktail hour and moved inside for a choice of entrees, including coconutcrusted sea bass and grilled Buckhead ribeye steak. We served country pies instead of wedding cake, handed out glowsticks and danced the hora with DJ Michael Wilcock of JTD Productions.
At 10:30, we brought everyone outside for an afterparty on the lawn, where piano man Jonny Rosch entertained. That beautiful lawn is the magical setting for so many wonderful memories of that meaningful day, and we love reliving the wedding through the incredible video shot by Rashmedo Cinematography.
