Googling the phrase "Hudson Valley wedding" gets you nearly 11 million hits. Wedding website The Knot references the area in dozens of "best" listicles. Style maven Martha Stewart showcases swoon-worthy nuptials at our vineyards, mansions, greenhouses, and barns. Clearly, and for many good reasons—scenery, cuisine, history, hospitality—getting married in this area is a trend in itself, one that works beautifully with the post-pandemic wedding-world climate of individualism, sustainability, and resonance.
"Couples are asking for photography that's more documentary and less posed—that's been an ongoing trend for about five years," says photographer Christine Ashburn. "In general, there's a trend away from conventions like the bouquet toss, and a trend away from church weddings. People these days tend to get married at the same place they're having the reception, and often they'll have someone they know as the officiant."
Simplicity, says Ashburn, plays out in various ways that make for a better time for all concerned. "The simpler you can make your logistics, eliminating things like moving from place to place, the more enjoyable the day will be. It used to be that the photographer would whisk the wedding party away right after the ceremony to get posed shots; these days, people prefer to get group shots before the ceremony, so they can go straight from that to enjoying the cocktail hour. It's not ideal for the photographer, since the light tends to be better later in the day, but you can always do that and then sneak off for a couple quick sunset shots later on. People are going for what's fun, personal, and emotional—'first looks' and private exchanges of vows, gender role diversity in the wedding party. The bride might have a male attendant, the groom might have a best woman instead of a best man."
Also trending, Ashburn says, are second dresses and comfortable dancing shoes, the better to light up the dance floor. "People are really letting it snap on the dance floor lately, loads of them. It used to feel more restrained. And more brides seem to be going for retro dresses—I've seen a lot of 1930s-inspired dresses—and gowns that are less embellished and more free-flowing, or they'll change into something completely different and stunning for the party."
Play the Classics
Rings, according to Hudson Valley Goldsmith owner David Walton, are often custom-designed these days: "Designs are returning to more classic, timeless styles. Fancy-cut diamonds are most popular, such as oval, pear, and marquise shapes." Most couples, he says, are still opting for natural over lab-grown diamonds, and most do their ring designing together. "As for wedding bands, we're seeing more men wanting something unique instead of a plain band, and designing custom bands for themselves, not just their partner's engagement ring."
Charlotte Guernsey, owner of Lambs Hill Bridal Boutique in Beacon, says brides are looking for clean, classic lines. "There's a trend away from the deep plunging neckline toward more modest square and scoop necklines, and simpler silhouettes, like Basque waistlines, A-lines and ball gowns, possibly adorned with 3-D flowers in a lighter fabric," Guernsey says. "The styles that are trending right now are the timeless ones, in fabrics like luminous Mikado silk or lace."
Lambs Hill also operates a venue, and Guernsey says couples are "going smaller. Rather than have 200 people, they're keeping things more intimate, maybe spending a little more on the rings or the dress or a really great photographer. Also, extending the experience past one day is big, and it's a lot easier to do that with 50 people than with 200."
Anything Goes
At Colony in Woodstock, events coordinator Laura Anson says that a restored 1929 theater draws an entirely different crowd than a standard-issue ballroom, and they've found themselves breaking out the white linens with increasing frequency. "People choose us because they have a thing for vintage, or for Woodstock—all our weddings are a little offbeat by definition, since most people don't marry in a room with a balcony and a stage and a huge, beautiful bar. We get people who want something that's already got a lot of flair. But aside from that, you have all the choices—you can marry on stage, beside the fireplace, in the beer garden," says Anson. "We've had people bring in photo booths, tarot readers; pets as ring bearers, we had one couple do a full on Dungeons and Dragons costume wedding, and we get a lot of musicians marrying here who just get up on the stage and jam. It's all fine—just don't wreck the place. We have a fabulous chef and a warm, fun, elegantly sexy space that's both set to go and very flexible, and people seem to be loving that, and we love being the place where they feel safe gathering with their people to get married."
Keeping It Local
Another aspect trending individualistic is the wedding feast. "Sustainability and local sourcing have obviously been big for years now, but lately it's more pronounced than ever," says Kimberly Weeks, owner of Stone Ridge-based Harvest Real Food Catering. "That's become the first question people ask. They call us because they're looking for farm-to-table, sustainable, and ethically sourced; they want to be sure that everything involved, from rentals to disposable items, is eco-friendly and local, which is really a great, loving approach."
The Hudson Valley, she notes, is the place to pull it off. "The number one request is grazing tables with a local, seasonal focus, and that's great for us because we have everything at our disposal, all the truly beautiful produce," Weeks says. "And I'm finding more couples requesting a completely plant-based menu without it necessarily being overly noticeable, which is actually easy and really fun for Chef Mark [Suszczynski] to do, and it results in a fabulous meal that's fresh and different." Also making a post-pandemic comeback, she says, are stations: "mini-buffets that are more interactive, especially for things like late-night snacks and street-style food, handheld things like tacos, pizza, and sliders," says Weeks.Dessert, says Arlene Deahl of Banana Moon Baking Company in Catskill, is yet another case of doing what you most love. "People are becoming less afraid of going for what makes them happy, the unusual and non-traditional. People are feeling a little fearless, and I love it because that's what I'm about," Deahl says. "I specifically don't do fondant cakes, because to me, it's played out, and I don't eat it or like it, so I just don't work with it. Floral cakes are huge; I've been doing a lot of work with dried, pressed flowers and with blooms that the florist will gather for me to decorate the cake with when I arrive."
That's if you want to have a cake at all. "People are also doing a lot of dessert bars, which I love—cupcakes, pies, brownies, all kinds of things," Deahl says. "As beautiful and awe-inspiring as a cake can be, you're still talking about everyone getting the same flavor, maybe two or three if you have tiers. The dessert bar lets people get what they love, and they really enjoy the variety."
Weddings seem to be shedding the elements that couples finds pointless and morphing in creative, earth-friendly directions, an overall trend that's eminently suited to the come-as-you-are ethos of the region. You'll still have no trouble locating a classic banquet hall experience if that's your jam, but the range of other options just keeps growing. And after all, getting what you love most and sharing that joy with your circle—isn't that exactly what this whole wedding experience is meant to be about in the first place?
