Woodsy Catskills Wedding

As soon as a bride tells me she wanted her wedding to be fun more than anything else, I get a rush of excitement. Aubrey and Mitch threw a wedding in the Catskills with Jason and Anna Photography in tow, and incorporated yellow, grey, and a pop of some other vibrant colors to make for a perfect woodsy wedding with a touch of whimsy. You might even spot our DIY tequila favors!

From the bride, Aubrey: In a word, we wanted out wedding to be FUN. Of course every couple wants their wedding to be fun… but neither of us really wanted any part of what we called a “weddingy-wedding” and we approached all of our decision making with a sense of humor and whimsy. We bucked tradition at almost every turn, basically striking the term “supposed to” from our vocabulary. It was important to carve out a day that was unique to us because we’ve been to far too many weddings that you could swap out the bride and groom for any 2 people and no one would know the difference. We tried to treat things as if we were just throwing the biggest, (and for us, the “fanciest”) house party of our lives. We planned it to feel laid-back and casual with as little formality as possible so that our guests felt relaxed and loose and ready to party!

Since my husband and I are not “wedding people”, we went around and around on whether or not to have a “theme” and in the end, while we didn’t technically have one, I chose to anchor things around a single element that is really special to me (birds) to help ground everything with something of a common thread. There were tiny bird elements pulled through in our decor and my accessories. Even my hair and bouquet had authentic feathers incorporated in them!

From the start we knew we had a challenge of mixing the modern and retro finishes in a way that would complement our woodsy surroundings. Nature played a huge role in our styling, so we used a lot of natural wood and woodland animals in our details. We had handmade glittered jars with colored lids that featured different painted forest creatures on each to hold matchbooks at our tables. I handmade all of our wedding favors and tags, the escort signs, and signature drink banner, and tons of other odds and ends.

Any advice for couples planning their weddings now? The best advice I can give is that there really are no rules. If it feels right, go for it! There’s a difference between giving details their proper due and obsessing over them. When making decisions about style and decor, trust your gut and talk to each other about your ideas to create a truly combined feel. In the age of Pinterest and the myriad wedding blogs to drool over, try not to over think things. It’s so easy to look at all of these incredible weddings out there and get completely carried away! Just base your decisions on what really inspires you and reflects who you are as people. Even if things don’t match together perfectly, it will still tell a story of who you are as people, and that’s really what a wedding is all about!

Wedding Music:
Processional: “Glósóli,” Sigur Rós
Recessional: “Dog Days Are Over,” Florence and the Machine
First Dance: “God Only Knows,” Beach Boys

Wedding Location: Boiceville, NY / Photographer: Jason and Anna Photography / Event Design: Bride / Florist: Steven Bruce Design / Wedding Venue: Onteora Mountain House / Wedding Dress: BHLDN / Wedding Veil: January Rose / Shoes: Anne Klein / Shoe Clips: The Headband Shoppe / Bridesmaids’ Dresses: BHLDN / Groom’s Suit: Calvin Klein / Caterer and Wedding Cake: Blue Mountain Bistro / Cake Topper: Better Off Wed / DJ: DJ Taro of Sugartown Industries / Wedding Invitations: Minted / Videographer: Marryokes