Jeff and I first met Nora and RJ a few years back when we were DJ’ing a wedding and Nora was the photographer.  We hit it off with these sweet, fun loving high school sweethearts and kept in touch when we proceeding to work the weddings for their group of friends.

When it came time for Nora and RJ to get hitched, we were flattered and completely psyched that they choose US to do the music for their big day.

This whole wedding was about HEART; their 240 or so guests were mostly family and the love was overwhelming.  Nora and RJ took it to a new level.  Usually when couples write “love letters” to each other, I read it for them.  But Nora and RJ read their own, bringing down the house with gentle teasing (RJ’s passionate affair with Excel spreadsheets) and the gratitude they have for each other.

THE DETAILS:  Nora designed her invitations, menus, CD favors and came up with her rustic woodlands theme.  The centerpieces were wheat grass and the cake matched, perched on a slice of a wooden log.  Nora made the adorable bird cake topper, using the lace from her mother’s wedding gown in the lady bird’s veil.

Nora couldn’t have been more lovely.  If only I could describe wedding gowns better…she had shed her bird cage veil by reception time, but the feather in her hairpiece added a playful touch.

Could these guys dance!  Nora told me that she and her father were the family’s “crazy dancers.”  They led everyone in an enthusiastic Armenian dance, Tarantella and on into the night.  I didn’t want it to end.

Nora and RJ had just about the best crew I could think of, with the Grand staff doing an excellent job of service and presentation, plus our wedding buds Lori O’Toole and Jen Cassaro of Masterpiece Video.  It was a slam dunk!

We are so pleased and honored to have been a part of such an incredible day in your lives.  Nora and RJ, you ROCK.  Thank you!

Poughkeepsie Grand Hotel

Photos by Lori O’Toole *Photos in this blog post courtesy of Lori O’Toole.

Video by Masterpiece Video Productions

Their entire Grandview wedding was full of that sweetness.  It began with the couple’s Love Letters.  Usually when the couple takes my (strong) suggestion to write letters for each other to be read before their First Dance, I read the couple’s words for them.  But this time Steve requested to read his own.  And he just blew me away.

He pulled a folded paper from his jacket as “Angel” by Jack Johnson played softly in the background, looked at Diane, choked up for a moment, and kissed her on the cheek.  He swallowed and read his words:  “The phone call was made, the stage was set and what came next truly changed my life forever…I love you with what words cannot flaunt.”

Of course, it wasn’t all romance and elegance.  This couple was out to have FUN!  One of the highlights was watching the guests lift little Diane onto a chair as they formed a circle and sang “Pour Some Sugar On Me.”  She and Steve sang all the words…and did the hand gestures to match.

NOTES ON DETAIL:  Diane’s bridesmaids wore fuschia dresses in differing cuts and carried pink and fuschia roses.  The tables were decorated with centerpieces of pink blossoming branches, with years as table numbers and photos of the newlyweds growing up.  The cake’s simple, square tiers were decorated with pink twine and a few blossoms.

I am SO glad our friend Jen from Masterpiece Video was there to capture all the many, many moments of Steve and Diane’s day.  There were so many awesome memories!

Grandview

Photos by Catherine Leonard

Video by Masterpiece Video

Flowers by Rose’s Florist