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: Emily & Joe

Emily and Joe were married on August 22, 2020 in an outdoor micro wedding celebration at Celebrate Snug Harbor. This couple didn’t let the pandemic put a damper on their I Dos! With a bit of imagination, they found ways to rework their celebration to make it both safe AND sentimental. It was a very romantic, memorable day for all.

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

Our wedding date was August 22, 2020.  We picked Snug Harbor after our original plans were cancelled due to the pandemic.  We live on the North Shore of Staten Island and were familiar with how beautiful the setting was and the excellent reputation Celebrate Snug Harbor has.  We also had been guests to weddings there and were always very pleased.

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Where did you wedding take place at Celebrate Snug Harbor?

The ceremony was in Tuscan Garden and the cocktail reception was in the Tented Pavillion.

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Do you have a certain wedding theme? Color scheme? Special décor, favors for guests?

We opted to donate to 3 local non-profits in lieu of traditional favors in light of everything that was going on.

Did you have a wedding planner or any DIY elements?

Though we did not have a wedding planner we have to give a special shout out to Erin O’Keefe – the Catering and Events Specialist – she went above and beyond from the moment we first met with her right up thru the end of our reception!

What was your wedding song?

Our wedding song was “You and Me” by Dave Matthews.

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Advice for future couples planning their weddings?

 “If anyone is considering having a wedding, we highly recommend Celebrate Snug Harbor without any reservation!  The setting, the food, the service, and all the staff involved were outstanding and beyond our expectations.”

We are so lucky to have delightful couples like Emily and Joe to work with at Celebrate Snug Harbor. A special thank you to their photographer Rita Sykes de la Pena who was on hand to capture every moment of this special wedding.

Vendors:

Photography: Rita Sykes de la Pena

Florist: Flowers by Bernard

DJ: Josh Nieves

Wedding Cake: Moretti’s

Couples Tribute: Samantha & Daniel

Upcoming Snug Harbor Events

Revel in the lush beauty of Spring at Snug Harbor Cultural Center and Botanical Gardens by taking a class, strolling through the craft and farmers markets, or walking the impeccable landscapes and gardens. Filled with the possibility for family fun, these stunning grounds are also home to Celebrate Snug Harbor!

Balancing Yin & Yang: The Place of Chinese Philosophy in Garden Construction

What are the principles behind traditional Chinese garden design? Why do the ponds possess such a distinct jade hue? Do the bat-shaped door fittings hold secret meanings and messages? In this talk, we’ll explore how the classic Chinese worldview and ancient wisdom of yin and yang, The Book of Changes and the Dao De Jing, are embodied and brought to life within the garden walls.

 

Plant Sale: Snug Members Only

Make your garden the envy of the block by procuring hard-to-find annuals and hardy perennials at the Plant Sale. Snug Harbor horticulturalists will be available to help with plant selections, offer professional advice, and answer questions about the myriad of herbaceous peonies, iris species, cultivars and many other outdoor-suited flowering plants for sale. The NYC Compost Project will also be onsite to give away 15-pound bags of compost, while supplies last. All Plant Sale purchases will help fund Snug Harbor’s horticulture program and maintenance of the beautiful botanical garden. This event is rain or shine.

 

Orchid Show & Sale:

Each year Staten Island’s Orchid Society offers the Orchid Show & Sale, featuring a wide selection of in-flower orchids for sale, expert advice and takeaway fact sheets for ensuring robust orchid growth at home. This year’s Orchid Show and Sale also offers members of the S.I.O.S and Deep Cut Orchid Society the option to create beautiful displays with their own blooming orchids. Bring friends, family and anyone interested in learning more about these lovely flowers, everyone is welcome! Remember, Mother’s Day is just a week after the sale.

Jane’s Walk: Snug Harbor Heritage Farm Tour

Take a behind-the-scenes peek at Snug Harbor’s Heritage Farm, a better-than-organic 2.5 acre sustainable urban farm, now in its eighth growing season. This expedition, brought to us care of the Jane’s Walk series in partnership with the Municipal Art Society, will explore our seeding area, learn about crop planning and discover our methods for nourishing the soil to ensure the best produce possible. This event is rain or shine.

Spring Flowers Walk:

Visit Snug Harbor at its most beautiful! Take a walk through the Perennial, White, and Pond gardens, led by Snug Harbor’s Director of Horticulture, Greg Lord, and professional horticulturalist, Wambui Ippolito. Explorers will enjoy the flowering bulbs while learning about their origins and significance. This event is rain or shine.

Tuscan Garden Party

Attend to a Tuscan-style garden party, to take place in the Tuscan Garden and Lemon House at Snug Harbor, hosted by Christina Mantz of Christina’s Day Trips. A light Italian repast, complete with refreshing beverages, will be served amid a backdrop of fun, party favors and raffles. All proceeds will support Snug Harbor’s botanical gardens and horticulture department. This event is rain or shine.

 

For more fun at Snug Harbor, check out their monthly calendar!

Snug Harbor Cultural Center & Botanical Gardens November 2018 Events

Snug Harbor Cultural Center & Botanical Gardens, a proud Smithsonian affiliate, offers visitors of all ages the opportunity to experience the performing arts, visual arts, history, and more. Snug Harbor has the ideal family friendly events for you for the month of November!

Newhouse After Dark: Sartoirial Stories: Fashion, Autobiography, and Staten Island

Fashion is an integral aspect of our daily life practices and visual landscape. What we wear defines each experience we have; it is both a personal decision and a social marker. Historian Alexis Romano will lead a discussion and brief image-led lecture, followed by a workshop in which participants write their “fashion autobiography.” Focus will be given to their experience of dress on Staten Island and their experiences of Staten Island through dress.

Hemlock Theatre Co. Presents American Idiot!

An energy-fueled rock opera, American Idiot, features little dialogue and instead relies on the lyrics from Green Day’s groundbreaking album to execute the story line.

Staten Island Children’s Museum: Cool School Holiday- Veteran’s Day Observed

Cool School Holiday – visit the Museum for FREE all day! Play in Big Games, build in Block Harbor or go on an adventure in our Great Explorations exhibit! NYC Public Schools are closed.

We The People: Black Indians in America: Photographs and Words of Fern Metcalf

We the People: Black Indians in America is an exhibition of Fern Metcalf’s photography and storytelling which depicts the history and present-day life of Black Indians and Mardi Gras Indians living in today’s United States. That they still exist is testimony to their unending resilience in America.

NYC Winter Lantern Festival

This holiday season, the first ever NYC Winter Lantern Festival is coming to Staten Island!  The NYC Winter Lantern Festival is the China National Tourist Office New York 2018 signature event, produced by New York Events & Entertainment (NEWYORKEE) and Haitian Culture, and co-sponsored by Empire Outlets and Snug Harbor.Under 3

Between November 28, 2018 and January 6, 2019, seven acres of Snug Harbor Cultural Center & Botanical Garden will be illuminated by 40 LED installations that stretch up to 30 feet tall. The LED lanterns will be accompanied by live performances of traditional Chinese dances and art. Along with this, NEWYORKEE is partnering with a variety of holiday vendors to create an experience for guests of all ages.

The events you can attend are endless. Visit http://snug-harbor.org/ to see all of the other events that are constantly going on at Snug Harbor. No matter which event you choose to attend, your experience is sure to be nothing short of memorable.