“A Dream Come True”
David and I met in high school. We’re in each other’s prom photos, but with different dates! After graduating, we stayed in touch and became good friends. Eventually, he was transferring to a college in New York, where I was going to school. But I was transferring to a school in Maryland! Our moves overlapped, and our friendship eventually turned to a relationship. We never had an official first date; just a very special first kiss.
Eight years into dating, David proposed. One night, he came home and said he wanted to go for a walk. On the way, he twisted his ankle and fell, almost losing the ring! I suggested we head back home, but he was determined! When we got to the overlook along the Greenway and were gazing at the Hudson River and the city skyline, he got down on one knee and proposed. I immediately said, “Yes!” When David was a kid and drove by there with his family, he always told them he was going to propose to his future wife there.
When I would drive by Whitby Castle on my way to work, I always thought, “Wow, imagine getting married in a castle!” They had an open house and I went with my mom to look. We were dazzled by the facility, the grounds, the staff, and the food! We knew Whitby Castle had to be our venue. We showed David and my father, who both immediately agreed. Whitby’s staff made everything super easy and each person was extremely accommodating. They quelled my fears, answered all my questions, and helped me organize my ideas so everything felt manageable. Ralph Bracco couldn’t have been more helpful throughout the process and on the day of our wedding, Whitby Castle was a dream come true!
The month before our wedding, COVID-19 hit the US. Guests from out of town were calling to see what precautions we were taking. On top of the regular week-of last minute details, we were rearranging seating and reprinting place cards, checking with vendors that we were still on, and accounting for those who could no longer make it. Still, we had an amazing group of friends and family who wanted to be with us no matter what.
The day was beautiful, warm for March with plentiful sunshine. Our ceremony was the last to be allowed before all had to be cancelled. Our priest had been in Italy on vacation and came home early to adequately quarantine. We were so blessed to have such a wonderful priest and ceremony. Our cocktail hour was held in the pavilion just outside the ballroom. There was a combination of indoor and outdoor seating and in the open areas there were heaters in case it was chilly. We had plenty of room and food, our favorite of which were the crispy risotto balls and the macaroni and cheese station. Other available options were crab cakes with chipotle aioli, chicken satay, and a butcher station with smoked apple-glazed pork and beef. All were delicious!
Our reception was amazing. We had lanterns with hydrangeas and roses, flowers which complemented the bouquets for the bridal party, and a big centerpiece with the same flowers flowing over the side for our sweetheart table. We had a blue color scheme with blue LED lights lighting up the ballroom and outdoor patio so the outside matched. To lighten the mood, our signature drinks were “Coronavirus” and “The Cure.”
We had so much food, there was nearly too much to try everything! Following the champagne toast, our first course was a grilled vegetable and goat cheese salad. Entrée options were herb-roasted organic salmon, roasted farm raised chicken, marinated skirt steak, or vegetable paella. Our cake was crème fraiche yellow cake with passion fruit filling; something I absolutely loved! Platters of cookies and pastries were also placed on every table. At the very end of the night, we had more food, with a snack bar offering pizzas and grilled cheeses so everyone went home satisfied! We gave our DJ a short song list and other than that gave him free reign! There was a great mix of upbeat music for dancing, laid back songs for eating, and they did a great job reading what the crowd needed.
Thank you to our family and friends who surrounded us, celebrating the love David and I have for one another and celebrating life. Thank you to my bridal attendant, the staff at Whitby Castle, and to Ralph, who was so amazing throughout our planning. I was so glad to have him there the day of making sure everything was perfect. Little did we know our wedding was the last celebration we’d have for a while, and we couldn’t have been happier with how our big day turned out!
Whitby Castle, Rye, NY, 914.777.2053, lessingsweddings.com
“When I would drive by Whitby Castle on my way to work, I always thought, “Wow, imagine getting married in a castle!” They had an open house and I went with my mom to look. We were dazzled by the facility, the grounds, the staff, and the food! We knew Whitby Castle had to be our venue.
