Blogging and Bill

Wedding Season is upon us... and though I've been quite busy this past year, I will now be busier than ever. I never got a chance to catch up on blogging from my 2009 weddings, though they were all great and amazing. And I have not been able to get my father, Bill Kaplan to blog at all. This blog is more for me, though we do both do weddings equally. Yes, he's not in as many pictures on the site, because he never carries a camera, and I always do. Yes, the blog posts are all mine, but that's merely because he's not really computer savvy. But this year, 2010, he will be blogging a little bit. Even if I have to sit next to him and do it for him.

So remember, though the site and blog are geared more towards me, we both do work equally together. I'm just more of the "out in front" guy, while he is more "behind the scenes". We write the ceremonies together though, and we both bring a relaxed confidence to your wedding day and a level of professionalism that you want in an officiant. Whether I perform your ceremony or he does, we'll be there an hour early, neatly attired, ready with a smile and a joke if need be, but with the seriousness needed for the day. We both take pride in performing your ceremony, and in the end, that's what is important. The main difference is that I have a beard and he does not... oh and he's got more gray than me. Nothing that time won't cure!

So here's to 2010... it's your year! Congratulations and we look forward to seeing you on your day!

Be well,

-Ryan.

Catching Up!

Hey everyone! Okay, so I haven't posted since Lea and Marc's wedding on September 6th... and that's not because I don't have anything going on.  I've actually got another 10 weddings to blog about, and THAT'S the reason I haven't had a chance to blog.  This has been a busy August/September/October with 18 weddings, a couple of them being last minute weddings.  On top of that all, I had a week or so "off the grid" with surgery I needed to have.  Nothing major, though now I've got a 1 inch scar and a boring "hyperparathyroidism" story to go with it.  I think the only brides that knew anything about it were Randi (who's wedding I just performed yesterday) and Vicki (who's wedding I performed a day or so before the surgery).

Of course, spending that time recovering gave me more of an opportunity to take a break and reflect on the important things in my life, such as my wife, my daughters Maya and Shayla and of course, the fact that I love what I do.  So to that end, I didn't let the surgery stop me from officiating, as I am obligated on a personal level to make sure all of my brides have weddings that go smoothly.  But now I'm back to catch up on my blogging and to make sure I don't fall behind again.  Because aside from performing weddings, I love to talk about them.

So, if I performed your wedding in September/October, the blog post should be up within the week.  Check back!  And if your wedding is coming up, I'm looking forward to seeing you again!

Be well,

-Ryan.

Lea and Marc: 9/06/09

Wow, what a beautiful day, what a perfect setting, you could not get better than this.  A simple and beautiful ceremony on top of a lush green hill, with the blue skies peeking through sunny moody clouds.  The winery had great locations and a photographer could spend hours there just having a great time photographing wedding couples.  In my waiting to have this couple sign their license, I had a chance to hang out with them for a while.

So while there are a lot of wedding venues that I like, this winery has such an sweet feel to it... very romantic and whimsical.  And Lea and Marc are just one of those very likable couples that are contagious in their happiness.  I had a great time working with them and I wish them the best of luck in life.  May your skies always be as blue as they were on your wedding day!

Be well,

-Ryan.

Amanda and Bryan: 9/5/09

A great day for a wedding and Amanda and Bryan are a great couple.  They were smiling the whole ceremony and they really couldn't keep their hands off of one another!  They almost got an early kiss during the ceremony, but they held back.  We had a great time together and I had a lot of fun spending time with their family as well.  It was clear that family is important to these two, and it was clear Amanda had a great relationship with her father.

Oh, and then there was Lorraine.  Lorraine, Lorraine, the bridesmaid Lorraine... pictured below on the right with her brother.  Lorraine played comic relief for the day... great sense of humor.  Any other officiant would have had to chastise you, Lorraine.  :)

Another great wedding and another great couple.  I wish I could have spent all day with this family, and I'm honored that they let me have a glimpse into their lives.

Be well,

-Ryan.

Dawn and Kevin: Pleasantdale Chateau 8/29/09

This has been the wedding that I've been waiting for all year.  I do so many weddings every year, but this one was more personal to me.   I've known Dawn since elementary school so of course I was so happy to hear she was engaged.  When I got her email asking me to perform her wedding, I was truly honored.  Meeting with her and her fiance brought back conversations of the past about our childhood days, but it also brought new conversations of the future and the new life Dawn would be starting with Kevin.  Kevin is a great guy with a great personality, and the two of them really click together. 

The Pleasantdale Chateau is a gorgeous venue and everything went off without a hitch.  The grounds are immaculate, the flowers were beautiful, the food was delicious, the music was perfect and of course, the bridal party was stunning.  The Chateau is really exquisite, and this wedding had it all... classical guitar in one room, harp in another, a cello and keyboard combination in yet another room.  No matter where you went there was great music setting the tone and fantastic food as well.

So here's to seeing old friends in the bridal party.  Great to see you Julie, Talia and Stephanie.  Here's to running into Mike and Jeff... and Andrew and Debra (and their beautiful kids Sarah and Hannah).  And of course, here's to Dawn and Kevin!  I'm so glad to have reconnected with you after all these years.

Be well.

-Ryan Kaplan.

Meredith & Rob: View on the Hudson 8/28/09

Meredith and Rob had a lovely outdoor wedding planned in Scarsdale, but the weather wasn't going to comply with that.  Thankfully their reception was at the View on the Hudson in Piermont, so though we moved the ceremony inside, they still had a great space and a beautiful view.  As the name states, The View on the Hudson has fantastic views and great service all around.

Meredith and Rob were a little rushed when they came in from taking pictures, but everything got underway and went very well after a quick touch up from their hair and make-up specialist.  Tara Colavecchio (tjqc67@aol.com) was right there to handle the whole bridal party when they arrived.

The ceremony went well, and in my opinion, you can't beat the view of the bridge.  I had my picture taken at the photobooth before leaving... oh and I picked up this quote from them...

"It is only with the heart that one can see rightly; what is essential is invisible to the eye." -Antoine De Saint-Exupery

Great quote and it just emphasizes that love may not be seen or necessarily quantified, but it is everything.  And being a part of that in any small way on your wedding day is why I love what I do.  Thanks Meredith and Rob.

Be well,

-Ryan.

Indiana and Nelson: Monteverde 8/16/09

Back for a fourth time this summer to Monteverde, this time for Nelson and Indiana's ceremony.  This was one of my more interesting ceremonies, most definitely.  Indiana is Spanish, so I used some Spanish in the ceremony, and Nelson's background was Jewish, so we incorporated both Hebrew and Yiddish as well.  So for one ceremony we had English, Spanish, Hebrew and Yiddish going on throughout.  But it was great and everyone felt included.  Personally, I love working in different languages (even those that I don't have any background in, such as Dutch and Italian which I've previously done).  I feel bad for my wife though, as I have a tendency to practice while walking around the house for days, working on the pronunciation.  In the end, I know the couples I work with appreciate it and I know Indiana and Nelson did.

It was a beautiful day out and Nelson's brother played flute while the guests were being seated, and just as we were about to begin, in kicked the Spanish guitar music by Shan Kenner.  He kept the music going through the cocktail hour and it was definitely a great vibe.  For some reason, Monteverde seems to fit nicely with classical guitar.  I had a great time with Indiana and Nelson, and the day doesn't seem like it could have gone better.  Everyone laughed and cried and then laughed again, the weather was perfect, the music was great, and Indiana and Nelson were definitely happy and in love.

Now to Yoham, Nathan and Joshua... help Indiana and Nelson fulfill their goals by becoming highly successful and paying for them to sit around and enjoy life.  Come on, boys, is that too much to ask?

Be well,

-Ryan Kaplan.