An Everlasting Love : Wedding at The Briarcliff Manor
An Everlasting Love at the Manor
Sarah and Dave expressed their Wedding as a perfect moment celebrating their everlasting love. Read about how it began, what their proposal was like, to how they ended up here at The Briarcliff Manor celebrating a day they will never forget.
Question: How did you two first meet?
Answer: We first met out at a bar in the lower East Side of Manhattan, Pianos. We had mutual friends there, who introduced us to one another and we hit it off right away.
Question: What was your first impression of each other?
Answer: Sarah – When we met I whispered to my friend, “Tommy’s friend with the tattoo arm sleeve is really, really cute.” And we instantly clicked once we started talking.
Dave – I normally am hesitant around people I first meet but I remember feeling extremely comfortable and relaxed around Sarah.
Question: What was your first date?
Answer: Our first date was supposed to be at a spot in Astoria, but it was super crowded, so we went to a different spot down the block that was empty, which worked out for the best because we got to talk to each other.
Question: Who said ‘I love you’ first?
Answer: Dave said I love you first. He was saying it with his looks for about two months before saying it. Sarah recognized the looks but we both thought it was very fast to be having these feelings.
Question: What is the most memorable date that you two shared?
Answer: Dave – Our most memorable date was when Sarah cooked for me the first time at her apartment. We then went on a walk over the Triborough Bridge. I remember Sarah showing me how to know linguini was cooked fully by throwing it against a cabinet door.
Question: Is there a favorite spot you two share?
Answer: We really both enjoy spending time at Van Cortlandt park or just walking outside through the Riverdale area. Dave proposed during a morning walk through the neighborhood, we took engagement pictures in the park and at the Riverdale train station. Basically, anywhere outside and together.
Question: Who met the in-laws first?
Answer: Dave did. He dragged his feet the whole time. I think that it ended up being for a family party and I had asked him to come to dinner or something and then my entire family (including my aunt, uncle, cousins and grandma) came over as well. Once he found that out he didn’t want to come, but he came anyway.
Question: What are your favorite things about each other?
Answer: I love Sarah’s playful nature and kindness. I love how Dave has the biggest heart and is kind, caring and goofy.
Question: Do you have a special tradition on Valentine’s Day?
Answer: We like to cook at home on Valentine’s Day and make something that we normally wouldn’t on an average night. We would much rather spend personal, intimate time with one another rather than being served at a restaurant and interrupted.
Question: When did you know that you were going to propose to her?
Answer: I knew I was going to marry Sarah a few months after we started dating, we became inseparable and all I wanted to do was spend time with her. I debated buying a ring before the cross-country trip but then I would have been too nervous lugging it to the perfect spot and time during the trip without losing it. I also wanted to speak to Sarah’s parents before I proposed. After we got back from our cross-country trip I asked her parents when we had a moment alone. I did all the work for the ring and only held onto it for four days before asking Sarah to marry me.
Question: What was your proposal like/where was it?
Answer: It was during a Saturday morning walk through the Fieldstone section of Riverdale. I was nervous Sarah was going to feel the ring in my pocket or see the outline. In the elevator I even had to swat her hand away because she had moved too close to the ring. I was a nervous wreck, so I just wanted to ask. Sarah was completely caught off guard and was so overwhelmed she forgot to say “yes” for the first two minutes of “oh my god are you serious? Is this real?”
Question: How did you feel when he proposed?
Answer: I was in complete shock. I had absolutely no idea. We had discussed marriage in our futures, but I did not know when it was going to fall into our plans. I was so surprised I am pretty sure I ended up immediately crying happy tears and asking if my parents knew. I think Dave even said, “are you going to give me an answer?” I was just overwhelmed with love and happiness.
Question: How long have the both of you known each other?
Answer: We dated for about two years before we got engaged. We have known each other for three years now, but it feels like we have known each other forever.
Question: What was your favorite part of your wedding day?
Answer: There were many amazing moments, but our favorite part was the first reveal. It was the most intimate moment and the most emotional. The rest of the day was just the perfect celebration to embody and flesh out the rush emotions in that moment.
Question: How would you describe the style or theme of your wedding?
Answer: I would like to think that we were laid back with our style. We wanted to be as simple as possible while still maintaining an elegant feel.
Question: What did you look most forward to? The wedding day, the ceremony, the honeymoon?
Answer: We looked forward to all of it. Once the wedding was all planned we really were just anxious and excited for the actual day to arrive. We also were both beyond excited that we were going to Hawaii, so the honeymoon was something that we really couldn’t wait for either.
Question: What was the most fun detail of your wedding to plan?
Answer: The food tasting was the best part. It was amazing to sample everything our guests would be tasting on the big day all in a relaxed environment with a glass of champagne.
Question: What was the most unique detail at your wedding?
Answer: We really enjoyed our wedding favors. Sarah’s uncle farms bees so we thought it was the perfect opportunity to give a favor that everyone would most definitely use. It was also nice to have a few different people combine efforts to make the final product.
Question: What was your something borrowed, something new and something blue?
Answer: Something blue was the soles of my shoes, something new was my dress, and something borrowed was the jewelry from my mom.
Question: To the Groom: What were you thinking when you saw her walking down the aisle?
Answer: The first reveal was the overwhelming part, I could not stop crying. When I saw her coming down the aisle I knew this was the best decision I had made in my life. Seeing Sarah just felt like I was right where I should be in this moment in time and I knew I was doing the right thing.
Question: What is the first thing the groom noticed about the bride when she walked down the aisle?
Answer: I couldn’t help but notice how perfect Sarah was. We had worked so hard and planned so much for this one day and I couldn’t have even imagined Sarah looking as great as she did, even seeing and being with her every day before.
Question: Is there anything from your wedding day that you will keep as memorabilia?
Answer: We kept a few of the honey jars, the menu, the invitation, a few place cards and of course Sarah’s dress. The tux will hopefully still be put to good use.
Question: What is “your song” and why?
Answer: Our song we picked was “Sara Smile” by Hall and Oates. When we were first dating Dave was giving me a series of inappropriate funny covered cards a client of his had far too many of. In the cards Dave wrote a bunch of Hall and Oates quotes in them because he was obsessed. I slowly started to get on board with it. I also remember slow dancing in the kitchen to “Sara Smile” and Dave saying he could see us on our wedding day dancing to this.
Question: Who was your maid of honor and why?
Answer: My maid of honor was my sister, Rachel. She is five years younger than me but one of my best friends. We grew up together and she knows me best.
Question: Who was your best man and why?
Answer: I picked my dad. I knew all of my friends from such a young age and I really couldn’t pick just one as the best. My dad although over bearing at times has been the perfect role model for me in two regards. He is a teacher and he clearly is still madly in love with my mom.
Question: Did you have your honeymoon yet? How was it/where was it?
Answer: We went to Hawaii for our honeymoon two days after our wedding. We visited three of the Islands, Oahu, Kauai and Maui where we stayed for a grand total of 18 days, being that we are both teachers and had the time off. We had an amazing time. We did a ton of the adventurous activities that Hawaii has to offer, as well as a lot of relaxing and enjoying one another’s company.
Question: How would you describe your wedding day in one sentence?
Answer: Haiku:
Our perfect moment
Together celebrating
Everlasting love
Photographer Ke-Li Photography
