Kaaterskill NY Wedding
“I’m not really sure the style of it… eclectic communal farmhouse boho chic? It was a giant love fest for sure, and that is what we wanted.” How could we possibly resist a wedding with a description this good? Kayti and Jake’s wedding is a perfect example of just how gorgeous eclecticism can be, especially when the talented Lev Kuperman is behind the camera.
From the bride, Kayti: We really wanted a laid back, fun, outdoor weekend wedding celebration. One thing that was important to us was that it felt communal. We had a great venue where we had the run of the property for 3 days basically, so we wanted to use that. Everything we planned was outdoors, so we really wanted to incorporate that into the style. We were so excited about having our family and friends all together and wanted them to feel a part of the wedding. I’m not really sure the style of it… eclectic communal farmhouse boho chic? It was a giant love fest for sure, and that is what we wanted. A few groups went zip lining with me the day before the wedding while others were at the property hanging out and settling in. We had the meet-n-greet family style dinner on the property followed by a screening of “Dirty Dancing” in the barn. We had morning yoga in the barn the day of the wedding and then everyone stayed and helped set up. It was amazing ow much everyone gave. It blew me away and taught me to always give, give, give. Another example of how we included people was our wedding parties. We created new ones. We each had 3 “best people” that stood by our sides, and we had “people of honor” which was a larger group of about 20 people. The ladies wore white and the men wore chambray ties. They walked down the aisle but sat during the ceremony. We did this because we have a lot of important people in our lives. The three that stood by our sides were just right but we wanted to incorporate more and really honor how influential our friends and families have been in our relationship and our lives.
Flower recipe: Stargazer lilies, ranunculus, and small roses. We had tons of lilac and it smelled amazing. There were flowers everywhere. Tulips, daffodils, allium, shasta daisy, etc… spring time blooms!
I basically took anything and everything I loved and threw it in the mix. My theme ended up being mishmash world traveler eclectic boho thrift store Americana? I love lots of colors and patterns and particularly love mixing colors and patterns, as well as clean white. I like to juxtapose and mix things up that don’t go. And I like to combine everything. Instead of one, why not two? I had 6 different save the date postcard styles, two different favor bags, 3 different table runner fabrics, etc. and it all worked! I love hot pink (I try not, but I can’t help it) so I threw that in wherever I could. There was denim, corals, blues, greens, purples, yellows… really a huge mix. I found a lot of the pieces in thrift shops, at garage sales, and online. As for DIY… almost everything was DIY! My mom made all the table runners. For the head table, we found this amazing Argentinian fabric on etsy. For the other tables, some were denim table runners and the others were a striped fabric. My mom made pocket squares for all the men and I embroidered their initials in them. The favors were DIY also. I ordered sage sticks and custom matches and tucked in a smashed penny into each sage stick. That was put into a muslin bag that was then stamped.
Any advice for couples planning their weddings now? 1. Hire a day of planner. Seriously. Everyone told me to, and I thought about it. Thought I had one (venue coordinator and day of coordinator are not the same thing!) I had tons of people who did help on the day. However, I had been planning this for a year. Everything was in my head. I couldn’t be everywhere at once and get ready to get married! 2. No one can prepare you for this. I don’t say that to scare anyone. I don’t say it negatively. But the rush, the day, the emotions, the whirlwind, the people, the schedule. It all happens so fast, is so amazing, and there is no real way to prepare for that. Take some time alone and take some time with your partner on the day. And also, try try try to say hello to each guest. It’s harder than you think. 3. Ladies… eyelash extensions. They changed my life for 1 week. I got them 3 days before my wedding. You wake up looking amazing. Every day. And for the wedding day… insane. I highly recommend it. 4. Remember what it is all about — you and your partner coming together and starting a life. It is all about love. You will fight. It will get stressful. But find beauty in it and really be in the moments. Try not to get sucked into pinterest. Take some time with your partner that is “wedding free” time. 5. Take a honeymoon, mini moon, or a weekend away right after. Immediately after. Just do it. 6. Break the rules. Do what makes sense for you and your partner. Honor family and traditions, but if you want to do something a little different, do it! And make the ceremony part meaningful. That doesn’t mean it has to be really long, but it is such an important part! We had readings, a song… our friend and a rabbi both officiated. We wrote our own vows… put meaning into that part. It can get overlooked. 7. Love love love love love… and breathe.
View all images from this wedding in the gallery
Wedding Music:
We had a fantastic DJ, but my husband is also very into music so he put together a very extensive list and handed it off to the DJ. It was very 60s surf rock, sexy soul, kind of funky in there.
Bridal Party Processional: “Moon Glow,” Benny Goodman; “Everyone,” Van Morrison
Bride’s Processional: “M79,” Vampire Weekend
Ceremony: “Devoted to You,” The Everly Brothers
First Dance: “When We Fall In,” Sean Hayes; “Trapped by a Thing Called Love,” Denise LaSalle
Wedding Location: The Catskills, NY / Photographer: Lev Kuperman / Florist: The River Garden in Catskill, NY / Venue: The Kaaterskill / Wedding Dress: Reem Acra / Dress Alterations: The Williamsburg Seamster / Bride’s Boots: Pack Herroro via YOOX / Wedding Veil: made by bride’s mother and cousin / Earrings: Catbird / Bracelet: Vintage / Best Lady Dresses: ASOS, Piperlime, Victoria’s Secret / Groom’s Suit: Calvin Klein / Groom’s Tie and Pocket Square: J. Crew / Best Men’s Ties: Hickoree’s / Caterer and Cake: Miss Lucy’s Kitchen / Ceremony and Cocktail Hour Musicians: Kings County Swing / DJ: Marlon Morris of Mercury Entertainment / Transportation: Coxsackie Transportation