“We looked all over Bucks County and were on our way to drop off a security deposit for another venue, when we stopped at Hotel Du Village. It was still being built at the time so we did not even know about it! An event stylist walked us around the venue, even the places still under construction, and we loved the grounds and design of the estate.
“We set up an official tour for the next day and booked right away. My favorite thing about planning with Hotel Du Village was our ability to customize every detail. Rather than choosing from preset menu packages, we were able to design our menu and theme just the way we wanted.”
Their Vendors
Ceremony: St. Paul’s Lutheran Church
Reception: Hotel Du Village, call/text: 908.418.4186, landmarkvenues.com
Bridesmaids: Mori Lee
Tux: Brooks Brothers
Photographer: Kim Billingsley Photography
Makeup & Hair: David J. Witchell
Cake: Palermo’s Custom Cakes & Bakery
DJ: Synergetic Sound & Lighting
String Trio: Elegance String Quartet
Peter and I are both United States Naval Officers. I am a nurse and he is a helicopter pilot. We were both stationed in San Diego and ran into each other a few times through mutual friends. He later showed me that, shortly after we met, he texted his friend and said, “I’m going to marry this girl.” When I got back from deployment, we drove up to Torrey Pines in La Jolla, California. After hiking in the cliffs and walking along the beach, we stopped for a picnic. Peter got down on one knee and proposed! We celebrated with lunch and champagne.
Peter and I flew to my hometown in Pennsylvania a few days after the proposal to look for reception venues. We looked all over Bucks County and were on our way to drop off a security deposit for another venue, when we stopped at Hotel Du Village. It was still being built at the time so we did not even know about it!
An event stylist walked us around the venue, even the places still under construction, and we loved the grounds and design of the estate. We set up an official tour for the next day and booked right away. My favorite thing about planning with Hotel Du Village was our ability to customize every detail. Rather than choosing from preset menu packages, we were able to design our menu and theme just the way we wanted.
My childhood pastor married us and gave a remarkably personalized homily. A string trio played beautifully before and during the ceremony. After the receiving line, we had a bubble send off! We kicked off our celebration in the Colt Bar & Patio with our signature drink of apple cider sangria. The brick wall behind the bar, wall-to-wall windows, and large steel chandelier gave the room an elegant French country ambiance. We had a fire pit going and games like corn hole and ring toss set up around the patio, which the kids loved.
The fan favorites were the elaborate crêpe station with everything from Nutella and strawberries to salmon and roast beef and the craft beer sampling station. For those who wanted non-alcoholic beverages, we served mason jars of water infused with cucumber, watermelon, or berries.
Peter and I refer to the ballroom as the “Titanic Room” because of its beautiful molding, dramatic dark wood, and large picturesque fireplace. Our theme was elegant French country with a little backyard wedding flair. Every table had a different centerpiece, each with bright fall-colored wild flowers in birch containers. Candles and gourds surrounded the centerpieces to give a rustic feel.
All the food was fresh and delicious. Dinner started with a salad of seasonal fruits, candied nuts, and goat cheese. Then guests could choose from day-boat halibut in a beurre blanc sauce, short ribs of beef in a bordelaise sauce, or Grissgown chicken with white bean ragout. For dessert, we had our delicious wedding cake and other passed desserts!
The dance floor stayed busy for the remainder of the reception. If guests needed a break from dancing, they could take photos at the photo booth, enjoy the hot chocolate and apple cider station by the fire pit, or put tips into our marriage advice jars! We offered to-go breakfast burritos, apple cider donuts, and soft pretzels on the way out and ended the night with a sparkler send off!
We are so lucky to have such wonderful friends and family, who travelled from all over to attend our wedding. A special shout out to our parents for all their support. Thank you to Hotel Du Village for understanding our wedding vision and helping us bring it to life.
Hotel Du Village, 2325 River Road, New Hope, PA 18938, call/text: 908.418.4186, landmarkvenues.com
