Dave and Sarah’s Handsome Hollow Wedding
Venue: Handsome Hollow • Photography: Joshua Brown Photography • Planner + Florals: Wild Blooms Bridal • Ceremony Music: Music Boutique NYC • DJ: DJ Dom Entertainment • Hair and Makeup: Bridal by Alexandria • Officiant: Once Upon A Vow
Dave and Sarah were married on Saturday, July 13th, 2024 surrounded by ferns, maple trees, and loved ones on the picturesque grounds of Handsome Hollow, a gorgeous hidden gem in upstate New York. While Dave and Sarah are city dwellers, the Catskills holds a special place in their hearts as it has become the site of annual camping trips during their almost 9-year journey together.
They are both close to their families and wanted to take a moment during their wedding ceremony to shine a light on their parents’ combined almost 100-year marital experience as that has shaped them and their ideas around marriage.
Here’s an excerpt of from Dave and Sarah’s wedding ceremony where we touch on the impact of their parents love for one another:
“Today, we celebrate them and their many adventures to come. In doing so, we also honor the love stories that came before them to make this one a reality.
Between Dave and Sarah’s parents, they have a combined 94 years of married experience. These unions hold within them nearly a century of wisdom to impart; they are clear examples of the “for better or worse”, “in sickness and in health” kind of devotion that is a rare sight to behold these days!
Sarah and Dave consider themselves fortunate to know that love, friendship, and real partnership not only exists in this messy world but it can grow deeper and sweeter over the decades. Marriage can be a transformative experience of coming together through adversity and the silly fun and endless laughter of spending quality time together, even during those seemingly mundane grocery store runs.
Today, you two are taking this next natural step forward in your journey, legally entwining your lives, and uniting the Landry and Reed families. You are solidifying your lifelong commitment to one another and affirming all the big and small promises you’ve made to each other from the start.”
Because Dave and Sarah are close to their friends and family, they also wanted to include two ceremonial elements that felt true to them. The first was including Community Vows, which allowed their loved ones to shout from the mountaintops their excitement and support of the married adventure they were embarking on. The second was a surprise reading from a long time family friend and poet who worked closely with Sarah’s sister, to choose a poem that reflected their love. They landed on a Rita Dove poem called ‘Heart to Heart’ that Dave and Sarah heard for the first time on their wedding day! Talk about love and trust, amiright?!
After these two ceremonial elements, I spoke about the beauty of their love story. Here’s an excerpt of their wedding ceremony:
“On milestone moments like this one, it’s natural to reflect back on those seemingly inconsequential little moments that changed the course of your life. Theirs is the classic modern love story of two attractive strangers who would’ve never met without the help of a little well known dating app.
Fortunately, there were no red flags in their brief bios when they connected that November in 2015. While the online dating world left them both a bit jaded, TO SAY THE LEAST, they were giving it one last shot. Dave had to put in a little extra effort to convince Sarah that they’d get along and she soon found out that he was right!
On December 3rd, 2015 at Brookfield Place, over a decaf latte and hot chocolate - they had their first date. He still remembers that picture perfect moment when he first saw her standing there sweetly shy and all smiles. She remembers how he took her by surprise with his tender voice that reflected his kind personality.
While Sarah was a bit reserved at first, Dave felt immediately comfortable enough to be his open, silly self, guiding their conversation with lots of fun and ease. He put it this way, “I wanted her to see me and all my weirdness." This authenticity led to a second date a few days later at a pop-up installation called The Museum of Feelings, where they felt ALL THE FEELS, and a third date at the Museum of Natural History where Dave bought the touristy museum photos even though Sarah couldn’t pull off looking scared of a dinosaur if her life depended on it.
They quickly discovered that there was an ease to this budding relationship that they had never felt before, a joy in sharing new experiences, and this undeniable fun wherever they go. Six months in, they went on their first vacation together to Tulum, Mexico where they swam with turtles, climbed the Coba Mayan ruins, did yoga on paddle boards, and said their first ‘I love yous’ at a small roadside cafe.
This first adventure of theirs was the beginning of all the ones to come. Early on, you both felt accepted, respected, valued, and loved unconditionally for who you are. You naturally meshed together and became each other’s ONE organically. “Like breathing,” as Sarah put it.“
Congratulations, Dave and Sarah!! Adventure awaits at every turn. I know you’re passport-ready and excited to embark on the unknown and make memories all along the way.