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Hudson Valley Wedding

Hudson Valley Wedding

You may want to settle into your seats, because you’re in for a treat with today’s wedding from Lev Kuperman. With a West Coast groom and an East Coast bride, the results are about what you would expect — a relaxed but nonetheless chic wedding in the apple orchards of New York. We’re still going a little ga-ga over bride Claire’s beautiful Watters gown:

farm wedding portraits

From the bride, Claire: We were going for a “rustic chic” feel. I grew up in NY’s Hudson Valley which is very historic and filled with old barns and apple orchards. Tim grew up in Huntington Beach, CA, also known as “Surf City USA,” so I was worried we would have very different visions but we were almost on the same page. It was my dream to have a fall wedding in a barn near my hometown and Tim was on board, even if it meant that some of his family and friends wouldn’t be able to make the 2,900 mile journey. We wanted our wedding to be unique and something our guests hadn’t experienced before which I definitely feel we achieved.


eclectic invitation suites

farm wedding ideas

bride getting ready

farm wedding ideas

bride getting ready

farm wedding ideas

bw groom shot

farm wedding ideas

My inspiration stemmed from a dusty color palette of greens, purples and greys. I wasn’t trying to achieve a vintage look per se, but I wanted everything to feel worn and antique. My mom turned her guest bedroom into a wedding factory and the DIY projects began. She made 14 pomander balls out of tissue paper, over 200 feet of bunting that involved her hand cutting 400+ flags, then starching and sewing each one, 30 clamp jar terrariums, an ombre backdrop, straw flags, burlap table runners -you name it – she made it. My 95 year old grandpa made 2 towers, 1 for cupcakes and the other for the maple syrups that we gave as favors. My sister designed the stationery, ceremony programs, gift/welcome tags, etc. My favorite DIY was the Fujifilm Instax 200 photo station with props, various sized frames and lots of extra film. Everyone left with photographic evidence of the fun they had and it was so inexpensive and easy to set up!


bride father processional

farm wedding ideas

indoor barn ceremonies

farm wedding ideas

indoor barn recessionals

Any advice for brides planning their weddings now? If there is something that you can do yourself or with the help of your friends or family, it’s worth it to. The personal touches were what everyone noticed the most and they are what made it feel like OUR day. Put yourself in your guests shoes to make sure everyone has a great time. We made sure everyone had the details needed to plan their travel accordingly and provided them with Welcome Totes upon arrival that were filled with local goodies, interesting facts about the area and more to make them feel special. We tried our hardest to make everything convenient so they could relax and just have fun with us.


bride and bridesmaids

farm wedding ideas

jean jacket brides

farm wedding ideas

bride with dog

barn wedding portraits

farm wedding ideas

groom and groomsmen

Also, plan for weather. Once we saw the weather forecast was a little cooler than expected, we purchased 10 fleece blankets to help guests keep warm. We also purchased umbrellas and a few pairs of rain boots just in case so guests could make it to the restrooms outside safely and comfortably. It didn’t end up raining so we returned all of those items, but we felt a lot more at ease knowing we had them as backup. Be sure to look carefully at what you’re renting. Some items are cheaper to purchase yourself than to rent! We bought all of the mason jars and gave guests the option of taking them home, then my mom used the leftovers for canning, extra drinking glasses and even sold some at a yard sale. For me, being engaged was more stressful than fun but once you’re walking down the aisle, everything is out of your hands and you just need to let go and enjoy the moments because you can never relive that day.


string art signs

farm wedding ideas

barn wedding ideas

farm wedding ideas

barn wedding ideas

farm wedding ideas

gift table ideas

farm wedding ideas

barn wedding lighting

View all images from this wedding in the gallery

Wedding Music:
Bridal Party Processional: “Pitseleh,” Elliott Smith
Bridal Processional: “Angeles,” Elliott Smith
Recessional: “Home,” Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeros
First Dance: “Your Song,” Ellie Goulding

Wedding Location: Stone Ridge, NY / Wedding Photographer: Lev Kuperman / Second Shooter: Justin Lee / Wedding Coordinator: Hudson Valley Events / Wedding Flowers: Bride and Joanne of Adams Fairacre Farms / Wedding Venue: Tralee Farm / Wedding Dress: Watters “Sydney” via Lovely Bride / Wedding Shoes: Tory Burch “Eddie” / Hair: Dianna Ryan / Bridesmaids’ Dresses: Joie “Susina,” “Rory,” and “Portia” / Groom’s and Groomsmen’s Attire: J. Crew / Wedding Caterer: Terrapin Restaurant / Cupcakes: Moxie Cupcakes / DJ: Marquis and John of Superior Sounds / Wedding Invitation Design: Bride’s sister / Invitation Printing: Sugar Press Printing

View Comments (12)
  • This is probably one of my top ten most favorite wedding blog posts of all time! I can’t get over how stunning her dress is! Not to mention, her venue is perfection! Every single detail was flawlessly designed and put together; her wedding party was styled absolutely perfectly. I can’t say enough great things about this. LOVE, LOVE, LOVE!

  • Beautiful details. I would love to know where the mother of the brides dress is from! My mother is having a tough time finding something she likes and this dress is perfect!

  • Thanks so much for the feature & for the positive comments! Leslie – my mom bought her dress on modcloth.com and the brand is Liz Callahan. XOXO

  • I love the backdrop during the ceremony!!

  • Love every detail of this Hudson Valley wedding! It is captured so beautifully by the photographer.

  • What a beautiful wedding. Oddly enough you did exactly what I wanted but I don’t have enough time to plan so I am getting married on Hilton Head Island. But I LIVE in Stone Ridge. Glad you day seemed perfect! Thanks so much for sharing your day with the world!

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