Rebecca and Dave were married on June 23, 2012 at their alma mater of Colgate University.  The couple had met there while pursuing their undergrad degrees and felt it only appropriate to travel back to where it all began to speak their vows and make it all official.  

I loved this couple for so many reasons.  First they live in Connecticut and I live outside Albany so when deciding on a halfway location to meet Dave instantly said “There’s a Chili’s in Poughkeepsie.  Let’s meet there”.  We hashed out so many wedding details in the Chili’s and Dave ate as much southwest food as he could get in during a one and a half hour span.  This groom loves Chili’s!  Rebecca was a super sweetheart to work with, a true type-A planner herself who held nothing back when it came to her ideas and the things she wanted on her wedding day.  Nothing wrong with a girl with a vision!

On wedding weekend I got to meet all of their bridal party and family and it was a joy for me to be mixed in with such good company.  Many of them Colgate alums, they had a true connection to the campus and the community and I felt a part of some private homecoming which was very cool.  Rebecca and Dave used the Colgate Inn not only as their wedding caterer but also as the home site for overnight accommodations for themselves and most of their wedding guests and, in a town like Hamilton, when a wedding like this moves in it’s like they are their own private sector of the village.  It was super cool to see all of the guests and bridal party mingling around town.

And why was I able to witness such sites?  Well that’s because I was brought on to handle the wedding day coordination but also the ceremony rehearsal coordination and pre-wedding set up on the Friday of their wedding weekend.  My girl Erin and I packed a overnight bag and headed out to Hamilton and made it a long weekend for ourselves.  It was a fun wedding ‘work trip’ but also a fun girls trip!  Win – win.

Now on to the details of their event!  Obviously the bride and groom gave a nod to Colgate, not just in the choice of ceremony and reception location and in the Colgate pennant flag that was hung at the entrance of the reception tent, but also in the totally unique wedding cake they had — See, these guys were both on the crew team in college so they decided to have their wedding cake made in a replica of the Colgate boat house – equipped with look alike versions of themselves and their bridal party as rowers in two boats.  Going with a bright summer theme their colors were corral with accents of sage, lime, orange and pink.  They had their traditional Jewish ceremony one side of the lawn of Merrill House with their reception held in a tent on the lawn adjacent from that space.  Guests had the whole lawn area to mingle and congregate on – and also battle each other in games of corn hole played on boards with Colgate logos painted on them.  Can you say crowd pleaser?

Joining forces with me on this event is the already mentioned Colgate Inn caterers led by the amazing Jana Truett-Crouch, ceremony musicians Candlelight String Quartet, DJ Great Music Company, flowers by Whistle Stop Florist, rentals from Morris Tents, the cake by Jen Comfort, officiating by Rabbi Monte Sugarman, and hair and makeup by Karma Spa and Boutique.  Super kudos go out to photographer Genevieve Fridley who was amazing to work with and provided me with these wonderful photos, and also to Maureen McKinnon from Colgate University who is the staff person on campus who deals with weddings and is nothing short of an absolute pleasure to work with!

Thank you Rebecca and Dave for choosing me as your wedding coordinator! Congrats and Mazel Tov to you both!!