A Wedding at The Garrison

One word is all it takes: Incredible! But I’m not going to stop there, because there’s simply so much else to say about Vivian and John, their gracious family and friends, and their beautiful wedding.

Vivian started her day in the spa at The Garrison, a resort located on the Hudson River in Garrison, New York. With bright airy rooms and beautiful views of the Hudson River seated in the changing autumn colors, the scene was set for an impossibly romantic wedding day. We were excited to see Vivian, as she sat in the hair salon where her stylist prepared her with a vintage 1920s hairstyle that suited her sense of style and elegance just perfectly. Her look was completed with a silken gown which was overlayed with a beautifully detailed lace top portion that formed its own train at her feet. She looked simply stunning. John came to meet her in the bridal suite, where we were able to capture some of the most lovely pictures of them alone together during the day.

We marveled at the richness of their shared Italian culture, as we heard young and old around us speaking Italian, greeting one another with warm hugs and kisses, and even treating Jenni and myself as if we’d known them all for years as family. What a privilege it was to spend the day with them all.

A highlight of the day came after Vivian and John’s first dance. Vivian’s father had passed away years earlier. To keep his memory alive at their wedding, a brief slideshow was seen on a large screen while Vivian and her mother danced together to the music and vocals of the group, A Touch of Jazz, as they played Nat King Cole’s “Unforgettable”. I do not believe there was a single dry eye in The Garrison as we watched this touching presentation.

The marvelous staff of The Garrison served some of the most delightful meals we’ve had the pleasure of enjoying: Roasted striped bass with grainy mustard sauce, and then an amazing plated dessert designed by John especially for the wedding. Since both Vivian and John are chefs with a keen eye for creativity and art, it was no surprise that the meals were as delicious to look at as they were to taste (thank you to Vivian and John, and to the staff of The Garrison — we could not have enjoyed ourselves more). The flowers by Artfool were breathtaking – some of our favorite ever.

The skies were overcast for most of the afternoon. But one of the highlights of our day with Vivian and John was when the clouds opened up to reveal a spectacularly golden sunset. As they basked in the rays of the sun, it warmed our hearts to hear Vivian say about our portrait sessions together, “I’m really going to miss this.” We’re going to miss photographing them, too.

As everyone said their tearful goodbyes to the couple, we were reminded of how precious it is to have in your life a soul-mate with whom you can share your loves, joys, and dreams. Our wish for Vivian and John is that their love and enriched lives continue to inspire all who know them. We know they have done so for us. We love you guys!

Their online gallery will be available soon in the “Client Proofs” area of our main website. Until they are available, however, please enjoy this slideshow preview containing a few romantic moments from their day.

Also, we would love to hear from you if you attended Vivian and John’s wedding or saw these pictures. Feel free to post a comment by clicking on the Comment icon at the end of this weblog entry. We want this shared experience to continue with your help! Thanks!