Peter & Evonne | Hotel Du Village | New Hope, PA

The Wedding of Dr. Peter C. Donnelly & Ms. Evonne E. Ellis

Their Vendors

Ceremony & Reception: Hotel du Village, call/text: 908.418.4186, landmarkvenues.com
Gown: Anna Maier Couture; Designed by Charles Bunstine II, at Gabriella Bridal Salon, NYC
Bridesmaids: Azazie
Tux: Alan David Custom Suits
Photographer: Tehran Jabril
Cinematographer: JP Media
Makeup: The Key Look
Hair: Salon Leezae, Charles Anderson
Florist: Fleur de Lis
Cake: Palermo’s Bakery
Band: Band Around Town
Day of Coordinator: Phuliffects Events
Event Planner: Exquisite Events

“An Occasion to Remember”

When I met Peter, I was on a blind date with someone else. I was sitting at the bar and across the room I saw this striking man. I wished he would come near me and in less than an hour I found him right next to me. Very naturally, we started talking and he gave me his card. It was the last card he had on him, and it was meant for me.

Six years into our loving relationship, I gifted Peter and his daughter, Pia, a trip to Paris for Christmas. We were there in June over my birthday, and Peter surprised me with a beautiful river cruise on the Seine. He then told me to get ready for a night out. He’d hired a private car and handed me a single rose. We arrived at a rooftop lounge overlooking the city of Paris, with a jazz band playing softly. After a lovely dinner, Pia and I sat to listen.

Peter left the room and came back with a bouquet of roses and hydrangeas. He danced over to me with the flowers and then threw them aside. He danced away again, then danced back, this time holding peonies, my favorite. He gave them to me and the band started playing “Isn’t She Lovely.” He got down on one knee and asked me to marry him! It was a joyous family moment.

When choosing a venue, we sought Parisian flare with a hint of Vermont-cozy. Hotel Du Village was the perfect combination and we immediately felt connected to the space. Our wedding would be an occasion to remember. We could rent the entire château for our wedding, and with two ballrooms, a terrace, fire pits, and beautiful foliage, it was a great opportunity for our guests to enjoy the entire space. It gave us the best of beauty and culinary excellence. Our guests could stay overnight and we could spend time with everyone. The wedding felt extended because everyone was able to take advantage of a lovely weekend.

The team at Hotel Du Village was absolutely amazing to work with. They were open-minded to my ideas and welcomed us with unparalleled warmth. As a bride of color, I experienced many wonderful moments and every bride should have such an amazing team to treat them and their dreams with respect. They were positive and patient, and we couldn’t have done it without them.

We had our ceremony on the great lawn to take advantage of the foliage. There was rain in the forecast, but they let us wait until the last moment to give the weather a chance. We ended up with a beautiful, cloudy day that couldn’t have been more perfect. I presented my stepdaughter with a ring  to signify our bond as a family. Our vows were intimate, our love was intimate, and the love could be felt in the room.

For cocktail hour, our guests entered to a beautiful bookcase display lined with our signature drinks. This prevented the usual rush to the bar and doubled as a beautiful decoration. We had live jazz and I worked closely with the event stylist at Hotel du Village to ensure there was a nice flow to the layout. They brought a tray of food to the bridal suite for Peter and I — and the lobster rolls were absolutely amazing. Some other delicious selections were tuna tartar, truffle mushroom tart, a “from the cave” station with imported cheeses and meats, and more!

At our reception, we were thrilled to see our guests dancing the night away. Many people hadn’t been to an event since before Covid hit, and we kept the pomp and circumstance to a minimum in favor of a fun, loving party. Our band was awesome, my husband and his fraternity, Omega Psi Phi, serenaded me at the end of the night, people were outside making s’mores, and everyone had as much of a blast as we did.

For dinner, each guest’s seat was marked by a beautiful, gold name plate. Each setting held a love note written from Peter to me, featuring the words of our wedding song. Hotel Du Village executed our wishes perfectly, and our guests felt like they were peeking into the intimacy of our marriage. We began with a salad with oak leaf lettuce, grapes, apples, goat cheese, and mushrooms. Then we had interactive chef stations where guests chose salmon or beef from the carving board or visited the chef-to-table comfort food station, with chicken pot pie, mac and cheese, dijon-crusted potatoes, and more. A favorite personal touch was the crêpe bar. Pia fell in love with crêpes when we were in Paris and we loved that Hotel Du Village could accommodate such authentic cuisine.

Peter and I took the time to get married. We know ourselves, we know each other, and we couldn’t be happier. We cannot speak more highly of Hotel Du Village. Our event stylist, bridal attendant, and event coordinator were all amazing and made our day. Thank you to our officiant, Diana Rasbury, for a lovely ceremony. Our vendors and Hotel Du Village worked together flawlessly to make our dreams come true. 

Hotel du Village, New Hope, PA, call/text: 908.418.4186, landmarkvenues.com