Jess + Alec’s Wedding at Gather Greene

Written By Caitlinn Mahar-Daniels

Jess + Alec were married in early September in the Catskills at Gather Greene in Coxsackie, NY. It was an absolute dream day set in the rolling hills and woods of the Catskills. Jess and Alec are another perfect example of opposites attract. Jess is a very observant, intelligent, sweet, and more methodical person by nature. Alec is a wild man who has this sparkle of mischief in his eyes. They are both hardworking and ambitious professionals, who treasure their friends and family on a deep level. They also both love the finer things in life and have a tasteful balance and appreciation of the timeless and the avant garde. The way they look at each other and treasure one another could stop anyone in their tracks. It was such an honor to document their wedding day, especially respecting their taste in art and life (Jess having knowledge and skill in photography herself!).

I had the absolute honor of working with Corinne and her team at Canvas Weddings, who wow me every single time. Of the Flowers in collaboration with Bearfly Designs completely blew me away with the disco ball and floral installations hanging from the ceiling, the florals mounted on the wall behind the band, not to even mention the beyond colorful and funky huppah florals. Some of my favorite aspects of Gather Greene is the properties ability to feel super cozy and magical (the small cabins featuring their pentagon shaped windows and the ceremony space in the woods), and also wide open and breathable (the large reception pavilion, the deck and fields of cocktail hour, and the QUARRY).

Jess + Alec wanted to have an awe inspiring killer party, with their main focus being on their guests experience. They achieved all of their goals with a buy out of AutoCamp Catskills (where they also hosted their rehearsal dinner + welcome party) for their guest accommodations, ENDLESS food and drinks, funky and fun reception decor (the disco balls and floral installations), long farm tables full of gorgeous centerpieces and plenty of candlelight, a live band, did I mention food? (passed ice cream sandwiches!!!!!!!!), and as the evening concluded guests were led from the pavilion by members of the band to the quarry where the afterparty was taking place featuring a large bonfire with more snacks and endless drinks.

Vendor credits for the amazing team that brought this day together, along with the wedding day from their perspective.

Here is their love story from their perspective and it’s quite the ride!

How they met

  • In Summer 2019, Alec moved back to NYC after working in Hong Kong for one year. Jess had plans to catch up with a friend from college, Alex, and the plans evolved from our own dinner to a double date. I didn’t ask any questions in advance, I just wanted to confirm that I didn’t know him through existing networks so it was safe to call this a blind date. We met at Javelina, a tex-mex restaurant in Gramercy, where he arrived in a suit and me in casual clothes. I was convinced that he was Italian by how he sat back, used gestures and spoke, but I was wrong! After dinner at Javelina, we felt fun and went out to a bar to have some more drinks that turned into games of beer pong, which Jess played with wine because of her celiac. Jess was flying out to ATL in the early morning, and Alec said he was an expert packer. Next thing you know, he is helping her pack at home. He passes out with a full suit on…on top of the covers.

  • Alec rushes to the office in the early morning and sends Jess a picture from his desk with a water, iced coffee, Gatorade and breakfast sandwich to aid his recovery. Shortly after Jess returns from ATL, we went on our first solo date at Charlie Bird and then for drinks at Little Branch. The rest was history!

    How he proposed

  • Five years into being together, we wanted to go out on more fun dates and adventures—one of those ideas was a walk through Central Park to this oyster and wine bar. Alec, who rarely gave up a college football Saturday, asked Jess and she didn’t think anything of it. The walk from home to the park is only about 12 minutes, and at some point, the thought crossed her mind but nothing more.

  • Alec stopped in front of the Conservatory Water, adjacent to a beautiful picnic that was set up and got down on one knee. As expected, no one remembers what he said but it was absolutely magical. We took some photos and sat down at the picnic to have champagne.

  • Some time after, three of Jess’ best friends pop out of a bush who were key in orchestrating it and Jess breaks out in cries all over again. Jess and Alec sit down to enjoy the picnic again just the two of them, and then all of a sudden, both of their immediate families come running into the park with their dog. Jess breaks out crying yet again, and more champagne is popped.

  • We head back to our apartment and outfit change before heading to a dinner in a private room in East Pole. We’re enjoying our food and wine in the Map Room, which is a gorgeous section of their townhouse, until Alec begins to fumble with a curtain saying he is “…so curious what happens behind there.”  As always, I tell him his “…curiosity will kill him and let it be” but he opens that curtain and there is a room of 100 family and friends. I’m overcome with emotion and surprise!

    How you decided the size and vibe of your wedding / How you decided on Gather Greene, and any other choices you made

  • We always had a feeling we’d get married in upstate NY after spending many weekends over the years with Scharf’s (my parents) in Copake, NY. We visited a bunch of wedding venues and decided we wanted something that honored the area, had a modern feel, and allowed us to make it our own. Gather Greene is stunning, but simply, it is a structure in the woods that is a blank canvas.

  • However, upstate weddings bring their own challenges with the primary one being accommodations. A handful of hotel blocks didn’t feel right to us, so we went our own route—hosting all of our guests at AutoCamp in airstreams and cabins. We also hosted our Friday night party here, which made it seamless for the guests and offered a beautiful setting.

  • As for the actual wedding, Alec had always wanted a big, wild dance party so the band was of utmost importance to him. Jess, on the other hand, didn’t have a specific vision. While this meant that anything was possible, it also opened up pandora’s box of endless possibilities.

  • Looking back, the florals and photography were my two critical priorities. You could say I have analysis paralysis. I will research something until pure exhaustion, but in these two instances, I had a gut feeling that held true.

      • The only helpful advice I’d ever received on florals is that “A florist is an artist. In the same way a painter has their style, a florist has their style.” I had found Felisa and immediately realized this is the art I wanted at my wedding. While the colors of the time were muted greens and whites, she understood I wanted color. I wanted the flowers to compliment the green setting while also stand out. She worked her magic and it was more than I could have ever imagined—from my bouquet, to the wall arrangements, hanging installations, tables and more.

      • As for photography, I’ve always had my own interest in photography—something that I learned from my late grandpa. When I saw your work, I felt something and knew that’s how I wanted to reflect on my wedding weekend. It was both warm yet moody, expressive yet understated, classic yet modern. (I could cry, thank you Jess.)

Your favorite memories from the day

  • While not a favorite, one key memory was the possibility of heavy storms. All week the forecast was changing, and even until the very last hour. We had rented rain tents and rehearsed for both situations, and hoped for the best. Ultimately, the decision was between Alec, Corinne (our planner) and the families. We didn’t experience any rain that day, and the storms missed us by just a few miles.

  • Getting dressed and then reading our vow journals in the tiny cabins at Gather Greene, with the dreamy backdrop

  • Our first dance: to no surprise, Jess is not one for a performance yet Alec is comfortable in the spotlight. Alec had always talked about a big dance with dips and lifts, and the only way Jess would do an ounce of this was with weeks of dance lessons. Those dance lessons paid off and it was the best way to kickoff our party.

  • During the dinner service, we had this silent moment and took it all in. We held onto each other and appreciated all that we had created with the help of amazing friends, families and vendors. That was really special

  • Our epic dance party (and our outfit changes). Everyone was dripping in sweat and never peeled away from the dance floor. The band crushed it.

  • Our after party was kinda iconic, if we say so ourselves. The band led us in a procession from the main pavilion to the quarry where the party continued with drinks, comfort food, and good company.

Caitlinn Mahar-Daniels https://letsgetweirdstudio.com
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