Castle Hotel & Spa | Create a Castle Wedding
The Cocktail Hour … “Most guests won’t remember what they had for dinner, but they do remember the cocktail hour, so focus on that, and consider a raw seafood bar, an antipasto display, and at least four to five chef stations.”Preferred Vendors … “Each venue typically has a preferred vendor list, people they’ve worked with who know the layout of the property and how to set up efficiently.”Photos: Michael Polito Photography
Castle Hotel & Spa, 400 Benedict Avenue, Tarrytown, NY 10591, 914.524.6366, [email protected], castlehotelandspa.com
From the Bride …
“We met through an incredible stroke of serendipity,” says bride Amanda DePalma, who married Jeffrey Martin in a winter wedding at Castle Hotel & Spa. “He walked into my office on a chilly winter day and eight months later we began this amazing adventure.“Fast forward almost seven years to a July evening on a beautiful beach at sunset, Jeff on one knee with ring in hand, asking me to marry him! I was completely elated and exuberantly said yes!“Though I now specialize in corporate event planning, I spent the first 10 years of my career as a wedding planner, three of those years at the Castle Hotel and Spa. It was an effortless decision to host our wedding at the Castle and with family visiting New York every Christmas, a December wedding was a perfect fit!”Amanda and Jeff wanted an intimate wedding with family and friends and a celebratory vibe was of the utmost importance. “We were kicking off the holiday weekend and wanted our guests to be entertained from beginning to end.”
“Our ceremony was held in the Caramai Ballroom, the most romantic room with striking crystal chandeliers. To create an ethereal feel, the room was awash with candles lining the aisle and the windowsills. The ceremony arch was fashioned from antique pillars draped with soft fabric and accented by my maternal grandmother’s french alençon lace train from her wedding 60 years ago. Our officiant guided us through an amazingly personal ceremony with an abundance of smiles, happy tears, and laughter.”
After the ceremony, guests were invited to the reception. “It was a continuous four-hour long cocktail party! The celebration flowed from the Library and Marble Hall to the Great Hall, a stunning room designed with stained glass windows and vaulted arched ceilings. Guests were seated throughout on couches, arm chairs, and cocktail tables. Silver mercury vessels with dark wine-colored blooms, seasonal foliage, and berries decorated the tables, along with an array of candles and lanterns. During the festivities, our family and friends strolled through the Castle, enjoying the holiday décor and personalizing ornaments with loving messages that they decorated the Christmas tree with!”A classic raw bar, butlered hors d’oeuvres including tuna tartare and duck rillette, a pasta bar, and carving station, “Were just the beginning of the tremendous displays. When guests were not enjoying the sumptuous menu, they were dancing the night away. Our DJ was incredible and kept the dance floor bursting till the last song. The evening culminated with an over-the-top dessert display and a decadent Valhrona chocolate cake! We did not want the night to end, and the General’s Bar was the perfect spot for our after-party. The evening was pure magic and could not have been possible without the efforts of the Castle Hotel & Spa and our extraordinary vendors.”
From the Venue …
“Every wedding is unique,” says Cesar Calderon, senior sales manager at Castle Hotel & Spa, “whether it’s your color palette, menu, décor, or any aspect of your wedding. Amanda and Jeff knew the Castle was the right venue for them, since they wanted Old World charm and unique architecture.“Amanda and Jeff wanted an extended cocktail-style reception instead of a plated dinner. For the first hour, we had passed prosecco, a large antipasto display, fresh fruit, and passed hors d’oeuvres. We also had a classic seafood display.”For the next three hours, they had a variety of action chef stations — pasta stations, carving stations, and more. “We ended the evening with a beautiful Viennese dessert display and a hot chocolate bar with Godiva chocolate liqueur and other liqueurs guests could choose.“We tried to make the Castle their home, by, for example, decorating the rooms to their tastes with soft furniture and holiday décor. They were married in December, so we were happy to provide all the Christmas decorations, from the Christmas tree to the lights, the wreaths, and the decorated fireplace.”
The Traditional Tasting
“A very important part of planning a wedding is the tasting,” says Cesar. “It is a perfect time to talk about the food stations, any allergies we must be aware of, and how they would like the service to be. The bride and groom get to meet the executive chef, the pastry chef, the banquet manager, and to see that we are all there to provide for their needs.“At the end of the evening, once you see the smiles of the bride, the groom, their parents, and their guests, it’s a great satisfaction.”Vendors: Ceremony/Reception-Castle Hotel & Spa. Gown-Martina Liana. Bridesmaids-Bloomingdale’s. Tux-Calvin Klein. Photographer-Michael Polito Photography. Makeup-JKFlashy. Hair-Blue Remedy. Florist-Forever in Bloom. Cake-Lulu Cake Boutique. DJ-Hal Prince Entertainment. Officiant-Bettina Yiannakourou. Amanda is director of special events for a non-profit business membership organization. Jeffrey is a vice president of operations for a private security/executive protection firm.
Castle Hotel & Spa, 400 Benedict Avenue, Tarrytown, NY 10591, 914.524.6366, [email protected], castlehotelandspa.com