“Chic, Fun, Festive”
Dan and I met as sophomores in college, but it was so long ago we barely remember our first meeting! Our first date was to a NJ Devils hockey game, where he explained all the rules of hockey as I knew nothing about the game. From that day, there was never a moment we weren’t together.
About a year and a half after moving in together, I was looking for a new job and negotiating salaries. I thought a proposal was going to happen soon, but my mom and sister threw me off track by saying they’d heard nothing about any plans. When I got a new job Dan said he was going to make dinner to celebrate. I got home and found a note saying “Congratulations, I have a gift for you on the couch.” I found a bouquet of roses and a Build-A-Bear box. The teddy was dressed in a suit with two notes. The first said how much he loved me and the second asked me to marry him. My sister and brother jumped out from on top of our loft, where they were recording for a final surprise. After, we went to a local bar to celebrate with friends.
Once deciding we’d get married in Westchester, we made a ton of appointments at different venues. When we walked into VIP Country Club, we instantly knew this was our venue! They have a great cocktail lounge where you can sit and relax and booths that emanate a chic feel. Working with Tiffany Hogan, the private events manager; Vinston Joy, the assistant general manager; Melanie Rotolo, the banquet sales manager; and Tom Esposito, the general manager, was like working with people we’d known our whole lives. They felt like longtime friends. They were really helpful and accommodating and when Tiffany mentioned they decorate for the holidays, we chose December for the fun, festive atmosphere.
We got married in the church I went to growing up, where I had previously been a flower girl. We got married on the day my grandfather would’ve had his 100th birthday if he were still with us. Everything felt so blissfully meant to be. Our guests loved the cocktail hour lounge. It was so stylish, they would’ve been happy to be there all night! We had a slider station, a taco and quesadilla station, a Himalayan salt station, and a mashed potato martini bar — which was a hit with my Irish husband!
The reception room spoke for itself. We didn’t need to embellish it much and kept it classic with high and low centerpieces. The high versions had a small tree with votive candles hanging from different levels and the low centerpieces had florals and candles surrounding them. We prioritized our guests being able to see each other and not have the centerpieces be a barrier. We had a whimsical, romantic evening!
One of the unique things about VIP is that they do a surprise chef special in addition to your chosen entrées. We chose medallions of Angus beef tenders brushed with garlic olive oil accompanied by herb steak fries, herb-crusted red snapper with basmati rice and seasonal vegetables, French bread of Hudson Valley chicken with creamy risotto and seasonal vegetables, a vegetarian dish, and the chef special was a rack of lamb! We got to personally choose the sides for each dish, which added a nice custom touch. For dessert we had our wedding cake and a dessert bar, which featured a fan-favorite of freshly baked donuts.
We gave our DJ free reign and there wasn’t a moment the dance floor wasn’t packed. He said he had never been to a wedding with more dancing! Everyone was so hyped up, at the end of the wedding we all gathered in the restaurant of the hotel where everyone was staying. No one wanted the amazing night to end!
Thank you to the entire staff of VIP! Everyone was helpful, supportive, and there at the drop of a hat for anything we needed. Thank you to our friends and family for all their love and support throughout our relationship. To my dad, thank you for walking me down the aisle. It meant the world to me to have you by my side.
VIP Country Club, New Rochelle, NY, 914.235.1500, vipcountryclub.com
“Once deciding we’d get married in Westchester, we made a ton of appointments at different venues. When we walked into VIP Country Club, we instantly knew this was our venue! They have a great cocktail lounge where you can sit and relax and booths that emanate a chic feel.
