Working in the wedding industry, our team at New Park Event Venue and Suites has the amazing opportunity to witness life changing events everyday and the wedding that we hosted this last November was no exception! An intimate affair, Barbara and John hosted 30 guests in our beautiful wooden Pavilion. Their attendees consisted of close family and friends and the ceremony was officiated by the bride's sister. When I tell you there wasn't a dry eye in the audience, I mean it, including mine! During the ceremony, the pavilion was decorated with a stunning birch arch covered in fairy lights and accented by a cascading floral arrangement down one side. The ceiling in the Pavilion was brought to life with all of the Edison lights shining brightly against the setting sun outside. All of the floral decorations including the arch, bouquet, centerpieces, and more were done by the talented team at Plenty of Posies, a local flower farm and floral design studio. The set up for the wedding wouldn't have been complete though without the amazing team behind Serendipity Catering, a full service catering and event planning company located in Ithaca. Serendipity provided all of the catering, linens, chairs, dining ware, and bar service for the evening. Vows were said and kisses sealed together a new husband and wife, and so the night moved onto cocktail hour.
Cocktail hour was hosted in the Wish Room, a stunning room filled with intricate details such as stained glass and features a beautiful fireplace in the center of the room. Guests made their way down the sidewalk from the pavilion and entered the Wish Room for an hour of toasting, drinking, listening to live music and snacking on the delicious food that Serendipity provided. Outside the Wish Room, a fire roared in the bonfire pit, inviting guests outside and beckoning them to take a seat on one of the many benches. The night was clear and starry and the fire provided a perfect spot to take in the brisk night air and enjoy all the natural surroundings that New Park has to offer. Our beautiful couple, Barbara and John made sure to use the bonfire pit to their advantage for pictures and as a moment to enjoy some quiet time as husband and wife.
Dinner was hosted in the Pavilion, and was magically transitioned during the cocktail hour by the Serendipity Team. They brought in all the tables from outside, rearranged the layout and made the arch the centerpiece of the room. Barbara and John made their grand entrance and everyone sat down for a delicious meal of Salmon or Eggplant Parmesan. Soft music played as everyone ate and drank, enjoying this precious time together as family and friends. The tables were decorated with centerpieces containing flowers in different hues of berry red, dark green, and cream. The cream linens paired with the vibrant flowers made for a dreamy evening under the stars and you could feel the love radiating off of the newlyweds. One of my favorite parts of the wedding was all the cool little details that they had put into their special day. Barbara is a potter by trade and so their wedding favors were handcrafted little vases and their guest book was a frame with little hearts that guests could sign and slide into the frame.
After dinner, guests mingled and talked while the couple broke off to take photos with the talented Chelsea Fausel from Fausel Imagery. A joy to work with throughout the evening, Chelsea is a local Ithaca photographer who specializes in weddings and portrait sessions. Chelsea braved the cold and got some amazing shots of Barbara and John in the woods near the Pavilion and really showed the essence of this couples love for each other.
Our guests safety is our top priority, and it was clear that it was for Barbara and John too! Because they had an open bar throughout the night, Barbara made the decision to rent out a shuttle from the Fitzgerald Brothers Transportation Co. to take guests to and from their hotel. This provided guests with the opportunity to sit back, relax, and enjoy responsibly without worrying about how to get home safely. The successful end of the night meant family and friends climbing into the shuttle with full bellies and warm hearts safely brought home. As guests departed and the night wrapped up, Barbara and John made their way to our luxurious honeymoon suite, the Park 119 Suite. Provided with VIP service, our team made sure they had everything they needed and were even provided with doggy bags by the thoughtful owner of Serendipity, Stephanie. If there’s anything I’ve learned over the years, it’s that the bride and groom never get to eat enough on their wedding day, so a bag of goodies at the end of the night is always a welcome sight! Park Suite offers amenities that every bride and groom deserve at the end of a long wedding day, a big comfy bed, marvelous garden tub and bathroom complete with a heated toilet seat and bidet!
One of the biggest advantages to staying the night in one of our amazing suites, is sleeping in the next morning and enjoying everything that New Park has to offer. Wake up and enjoy a walk around the grounds with a complimentary cup of coffee before heading into the Pavilion to collect your belongings. No need to rush around when our expert staff is there to assist you with cleanup and packing things away!
Barbara and John, we wish you the best in this exciting new chapter and thank you for the opportunity to celebrate with you and host your absolutely beautiful wedding.
Interested in hosting your wedding at New Park? Send us an email today at newpark@fingerlakesvenue.com!
