Couples Tribute: Emily + Rich

Emily and Rich were married on July 24, 2021 in a garden/tented wedding celebration at Celebrate Snug Harbor. It was a very romantic, memorable day for all.

We picked Celebrate at Snug Harbor because I had always dreamt of an outside wedding. We wanted a wedding venue that felt very whimsical and fairytale like. Hosting our ceremony in the White Garden and the reception in Tented Pavilion gave us that exact feel. We also loved taking photos in The Chinese Scholar Garden. It is so architecturally beautiful, that it made my designers eye so happy.

Our wedding ceremony took place in The White Garden. Cocktail hour followed in The Chinese Scholar Garden. Our reception continued the night in The Tented Pavilion.

We used an event planner to help us plan the wedding day. We used Party Bliss LLC. The Celebrate team also went above and beyond to make everything go as smooth and seamless as possible for us.

Our wedding cake wasn’t traditional, it was cow themed. It said “I Love Moo” on it because we say that to each other quite frequently throughout the day. We just one day started doing it after seeing cows on the side of the road while vacationing. It then became sort of a message to each other that symbolized us wanting the other to know we are there and thinking of each other but we didn’t have much to say.

We have been together since high school, and originally had a different song as “our song”. But it had changed because of a horror movie and we wound up having a new song… Can’t help falling in love with you by Elvis. It was because we love the Conjuring.

Our wedding hashtag was “EmilyStruckItRich” because his first name is Rich, I thought it was pretty clever. We also had “GoingGandolfo” because that was what I was becoming.

At some point during your wedding, just step back and take a moment to look around and absorb everything that is going on. Basque in the moment, in the ambience, and take a mental picture of the day. Those few moments you steal for just the two of you to soak in the day is worth it.

We are so lucky to have delightful couples like Emily and Rich to work with at Celebrate Snug Harbor. A special thank you to Joey G Photo and Video who was on hand to capture every moment of this special wedding.

Bridal Hair & Makeup: Valona, Inzone @v.i_beauty_

Dress: Martina Liana

DJ: X-Clusive Sounds Djs

Florist: Brooklyn Bloom

Photography: Joey G Photo and Video

Couples Tribute: Cristina + Christopher

Cristina and Christopher were married on June 18, 2021 in a garden/tented wedding celebration at Celebrate Snug Harbor. It was a very romantic, memorable day for all.

We chose Snug Harbor as a wedding venue after we originally chose it for my bridal shower. We were having a hard time with our previous venue being non responsive and Covid protocols. We fell in love with the atmosphere at Celebrate and we decided to change our venue and get married at Celebrate Snug Harbor instead.

Our wedding ceremony took place in the White Garden. It was a beautiful day for our outside ceremony. Our reception followed in the Tented Pavilion.

We used an event planner to help us plan the wedding day. We used Party Bliss LLC. The Celebrate team also went above and beyond to make everything go as smooth and seamless as possible for us.

We wanted our reception to look elegant and dreamy for our guests. We decided on a white and gold color scheme. Our bridal party was dressed in black and white.

Our first dance song was “Nobody But You” by Blake Shelton & Gwen Stefani.

My advice would be to not get upset if something you plan doesn’t go the way you thought. We had completely different plans for our initial wedding and all of them changed. We were so happy we decided on Celebrate Snug Harbor for our wedding day!

Bridal Hair: Sabrina @stylemesabrina

Bridal Makeup: Alessia @alessiagalifi_

Dress: Eva Lendel

DJ: Dash of Class with Sax and Percussionist

Event Planner: Party Bliss

Photography: Joey G Photo and Video

Couples Tribute: Amy & Nate

Amy and Nate were married on June 5, 2021 in a garden/tented wedding celebration at Celebrate Snug Harbor. It was a very romantic, memorable day for all.

We wanted to share our love of Snug Harbor with all our family and friends and show them a side of Staten Island & NYC that they wouldn’t otherwise get to see.

Our wedding ceremony took place in the Tuscan Garden. Our reception followed in the Great Hall.

We did not have a wedding planner, but the amazing team at Celebrate Snug Harbor was by our side every step of the way.

DIY elements – Amy’s mom made the pillow for the ring bearer using fabric from Amy’s sister’s wedding (her bridesmaids also wore navy dresses) and lace that matched Amy’s wedding dress. Amy’s sister and Matron of Honor, Alyson, did the calligraphy on all of the invitations and place cards.

TRUST THE CELEBRATE TEAM. They know everything.

While planning, don’t forget to go out on dates and talk things through with your partner! You’re in this together.

Couples Tribute: Jennifer & Leo

Jennifer and Leo were married on April 24, 2020 in a garden/tented wedding celebration at Celebrate Snug Harbor. It was a very romantic, memorable day for all.

Why did you pick Snug Harbor for your wedding, was there any special reason?

Leo stumbled upon Celebrate Snug Harbor while bike riding through he park. As luck would have it, Leo walked into Celebrate to use the bathroom while a wedding was taking place. He loved everything about Celebrate! It ending up being the only place we looked at for our wedding.

“Our wedding date was 4/24/2021, which was probably the most special part and solidified that Celebrate Snug Harbor had to be our wedding venue. When we were discussing available dates we knew we wanted a Saturday in Spring. April 24th was the only one available. April 24th just so happens to be one of my best friends’ birthdays. She was killed in a car accident in 2019. We took it as a sign from her so that was very beautiful and meaningful to us.”

Can you tell us about your wedding dress?

I work as a psychiatric emergency clinician on the frontline. During covid, there were several companies that generously hosted raffle prizes to show appreciation to frontline workers. I was encouraged to enter the Brides Across America Raffle to win a wedding dress. A few months later I was notified that I was chosen as their winner! I was able to shop at Bridal Reflections on 5th avenue in Manhattan and was able to pick out my dream wedding dress.

When I tried on this dress, I knew immediately that it was the dress! Leo had always told me he wanted me to be in a princess dress, so for our first look I surprised him by adding an over skirt and straps. Another crazy part is that unbeknownst to me, the over skirt I bought was the exact same one I had in my wedding book. I didn’t realize until way later. It was the perfect combination of a form fitting dress for me and a princess dress for Leo.

Where on the grounds of Snug Harbor did your wedding take place?

We had our wedding ceremony in the Tuscan Garden and our reception followed in the Tented Pavilion.

Did you have a wedding planner or any DIY elements?

We did not have a wedding planner, but Erin at Celebrate Snug Harbor went above and beyond with everything for us.

We are both very detail oriented so we had a bunch of DIY elements and special things included. We are both therapists, so being mindful and living in the moment is big for us. Having that incorporated to our wedding day was very meaningful to us.

Did you have a certain wedding theme or color scheme?

The most important thing to us was to have a warm and loving vibe for our wedding. We used rose gold as our main color and added other soft colors to compliment our decor.

We made signs, candle holders, and probably painted everything rose gold ourselves. We also made the sparkler signs, painted and glittered the matches and made sure everything from the charger plates to the napkin rings were hand picked or painted by us, even the cake topper.

Leo made the dance floor love sign himself! I totally didn’t see myself as crafty person prior to this but this really inspired us to make sure we had everything we wanted for our wedding.

What was your 1st Dance Song?

For our first dance we danced to Never Break by John Legend.

Advice for future celebrate couples?

“Have fun with it and do it together! This is an introduction to married life and being able to know that you’re a team and that you don’t have to carry all of the weight of this big event really makes it such a fun process.”

We are so lucky to have delightful couples like Jennifer & Leo to work with at Celebrate Snug Harbor. A special thank you to Dream Life Wedding Photography who was on hand to capture every moment of this special wedding.

Wedding Vendors:

Florist: Flowers by Bernard

Dress: Bridal Reflections

Photography: Dreamlife Wedding Photography

Violinist: Bri Blvck

Makeup artist: Kory Martinez

Couples Tribute: Masha & Kevin

Masha and Kevin were married on August 29th, 2020 in an outdoor wedding celebration at Celebrate Snug Harbor. It was a very romantic, memorable day for all.

Why did you pick Snug Harbor for your wedding, was there any special reason?

We picked Celebrate Snug Harbor for our wedding venue for many reasons. Growing up I have fond memories of going to the art lab and walking around the grounds with my mom. Furthermore, my husband and I had gone on many dates at Snug Harbor. There was one moment when we actually walked around the field over by The Tented Pavilion, and I am pretty sure that’s where I first realized he was the one. The one I wanted to spend the rest of my life with. It was very special to get married there, in that exact same spot.

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Where on the grounds of Snug Harbor did your wedding take place?

We had our wedding ceremony in the Tuscan Garden followed by our wedding reception in the Tented Pavilion.

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Did you have a wedding planner or any DIY elements?

We did not use a wedding planner, but we were very fortunate enough to have my mom Victoria assist with all the wedding details and planning.

Did you have a certain wedding theme or color scheme?

We went with a garden theme for our wedding. Our beautiful flowers were done by InFlowers. We went with a color scheme of blush, grey and eucalyptus. Each guests recieved succulents for their favor.

What was your 1st Dance Song?

For our 1st dance we picked Dustin Kensrue’s song Of Crows and Crowns. Kevin sent me this song when we were dating and I absolutely loved it.

Advice for future celebrate couples?

“Celebrate Snug Harbor is beyond a beautiful venue and the team made all my wedding dreams come true. John was the most supportive coordinator and was an absolute pleasure to work with. My day of bridal attendant was my hero! When my dress was too long for the first and the father daughter dance she was able to fix it on the spot so I wouldn’t be tripping over my own feet. Aside from the most beautiful grounds, Snug harbor provides a unique experience for the wedding guests allowing them to explore and be inspired by the space.”

We are so lucky to have delightful couples like Masha and Kevin to work with at Celebrate Snug Harbor. A special thank you to Julian Ribinik Photography who was on hand to capture every moment of this special wedding.

Wedding Vendors

Douglas Genuard (MC and band)

Inflowers (florist)

Julian and Evgenia Ribinik (photos)

Ray Estrada and Sharrone Calafiore (video)

Lotus Bridal (wedding dress)

Bridal Styles Boutique (clip and veil)

Couples Tribute: Jackie & Steven

Photo/videographer: ytk photography

Dj: Dave Leonard productions

Florist: Erin from Rosery flower shop

Hair/makeup: samantha Carly for makeup,

hair: Samantha Setteducato

Dress: candis by millanova hair piece and veil: Bridal styles boutique

Tux: suit supply

Couples Tribute: Samantha & Daniel

Veil Styles

Adding a veil or headpiece is a great finishing touch to the bridal look. There are so many gorgeous styles that whether you choose a bird cage, cathedral, tiara or fascinator, you can’t go wrong! We’re highlighting some of our favorite veils from our Celebrate Snug Harbor Brides!

The layers of this veil blend beautifully with the layers in the gown.

Photo: Studio A Images

Show off the delicate lace of your veil in the Allee of Snug Harbor!

Photo: Philip Siciliano

We love the lace trim on this veil and how it stands out in the Bamboo Garden of Snug Harbor. Perfect for a reveal!

Photo: Chris Palladino

A cathedral veil is just stunning in this Tuscan Garden ceremony.

Photo: Stephanie Parsley Photography

Another cathedral veil favorite in our Bridal Suite.

Photo: Philip Siciliano

This headpiece and detachable cape/veil combo is everything we hoped it would be. Breath-taking!

Photo: The Oluwaseye

One of our all time favorites, this beautiful pink and white headpiece!

Photo: 1314 Studio

Like we said, you really can’t go wrong with the finishing touches to your bridal look. Just make sure you have a gorgeous backdrop to flaunt it in!

Wedding Photos You’ll Love

For your wedding day photos, you’ll want to make sure you capture the most incredible moments of your big day. While you may want to just ask your photographer to try and capture the magic of each moment of the day, it’s much more beneficial to plan out the photos you want to have on your wedding day so you can enjoy your big day with your new spouse.

While photos of you and your bridal party are important, consider the tiny aspects of your wedding day that make it so special. For instance, your place setting that you spent so much time planning for, the cake topper you took so long to carefully choose, and not to mention, beautiful photos of the scenery in the venue you spent so much time dreaming about! Did we forget to add candid wedding shots? Those are a must! The featured photos highlight a few magical moments that took place at Celebrate at Snug Harbor.

Intricate Details:

The intricate details of the wedding day deserve their moment to shine. After all, you spent so much time choosing the perfect finishing touches, you should ask your photographer to highlight them before the day is over. The featured photos showcase table settings, cake toppers, and centerpiece that were set up in the Great Hall of Celebrate at Snug Harbor.

Photo credit: Dreamlife Photography

Photo credit: Studio A Images

Photo credit: Dreamlife Photography

 

Venue Scenery:

Venue scenery is so important. At Celebrate at Snug Harbor, you have over 80 acres of photo opportunities and that can be a bit overwhelming if you don’t plan ahead. Fortunately, your photographer and Celebrate’s team of Event Designers can help you plan out where and when to take the best photos. The featured photos below highlight the beauty of the Tuscan Garden, the stunning architecture of the Chinese Garden, as well as the breathtaking hornbeam tree tunnel. These stunning backgrounds help accentuate the beauty of the day!

Photo credit: Dreamlife Photography

See more on Celebrate Pinterest!

Photo credit: Michael Dempsey Photography

Candid Moments:

The featured photos below capture the excitement and of both a bride and her family on their wedding day. The first photo highlights the thrill of the bride’s parents. How sweet! The second photo shows that not all pictures need to have the bride and her groom facing forward. Sometimes the beautiful moments are when the bride and groom think no one is looking. The third photo highlights a beautiful moment of the bride and groom enjoying themselves during their reception in the Great Hall of Celebrate at Snug Harbor.

Photo credit: 1314 Studio Photography

Photo credit: Funico Studio Photgraphy

Photo credit: Studio A Images

It will be these types of photos that you and your partner will want to look back on and have in your memory box or wedding album. Our advice is for you to consult not only your wedding photographer, but the event planner of your wedding venue so that you can be best prepared for the photography on your wedding day!