Rosie & Jason: Beckwith Pointe 5/31/09

Back from Beckwith after performing Rosie and Jason's ceremony.  The skies were looking cloudy and we were a little worried for a while, but in the end, it only rained for a couple of minutes during the picture taking.  Rosie was definitely an adventurous bride, walking on the sand in heels and climbing over rocks a bit as well.  The more I spend time there, the more I realize that they've truly got the best views.  There are so many great places for pictures at Beckwith.

Once again, here was another ceremony where the bride and groom were really in-tune with each other.  And there was definitely a time when I thought Rosie and Jason weren't going to wait for me to pronounce them before kissing.  Everyone had a great time during the ceremony and the couple's dog C.C. was present as well.  Both Rosie and Jason's families were great and I had a nice time speaking with all of them both before and after the ceremony.

The sand ceremony during the wedding was very nice, and we incorporated the couple's favorite song "I Could Not Ask For More" by Edwin McCain and we also incorporated their favorite romantic movie, "Rocky".  I know, I know, you might be thinking "a movie about boxing?".  But I agree with Rosie and Jason... "Rocky" is one of the most touching love stories around, and that theme is followed throughout most of the movies.  If you're still credulous, I challenge you to watch the first one again and then we'll talk.

All in all, another beautiful wedding as usual when you get married at Beckwith.  After all the paperwork was signed I headed off... but not before spending some time talking with Michael, Linda and Angel.  They are just some of the people that make Beckwith great... along with Pat in the kitchen and Linda and Nicole in the office, the atmosphere is always warm and friendly.  Now that I think about it... it's kind of like back in the days when Sal was still with us.

Okay, now it's late and I've got to close up for the night.  Thanks for stopping by.

Be well.

-Ryan Kaplan.

Liz & Derrick: Rockin' Out at The Crescent Club 5/29/09

I truly love performing wedding ceremonies.  I get a chance to see some great places, great views, everyone is always happy at weddings, and I get to meet some great couples.  Liz and Derrick (or as Liz named them, "The Delinquents") are a great couple and they almost convinced me to stay all night.

First off, they named themselves "The Delinquents" because it took them a while to get back to me on various aspects of the ceremony.  Okay, so they finally got back to me on Thursday for their Friday wedding.  But that's okay... I worked on their ceremony and got them back something they really really liked.  One of the more fun aspects of this wedding for me was that I had a chance to incorporate another language into the ceremony.  Derrick's family is Dutch, and so I worked on a couple of Dutch phrases for the ceremony to honor them and for anyone in attendance that would understand it.  I had a chance to use Dutch back in March (Danielle & David's wedding) and it was great to be able to put it to use so soon again.  In the past, I've incorporated Spanish, Italian and even a phrase or two in Greek.  Now twice in the span of a couple of months I've had the chance to speak some Dutch.

This wedding took place on Long Island, right on the beach and it was truly perfect.  The weather in the morning was against us, but by the afternoon, it was beautiful out.  The sand, the sky and the couple all looked great.  When I got there they were in the middle of their pictures on the beach, without their shoes on.  We did a quick run through, and it was sweet to see Liz tear up in anticipation of the real thing.

The ceremony went great and both Liz and Derrick decided to say something in addition to their vows and I've got to say, I was very very impressed by the poem that Derrick wrote.  It was very heartfelt, well put together, and one of the most touching things I've seen in the over 100 weddings I've performed.  The two of them held hands the whole time, and they were so connected up there, I thought they weren't going to wait for me to finish before getting their kiss.

After their ceremony, they did some rock pictures with the guitar and drums, with Derrick playing a mean "Paradise City".  During their cocktail hour, they invited me in to sit with them while they ate a bit.  We had a great time talking and as I said, they almost convinced me to stay.  However, I knew the drive back would be long, and it was getting late.  I left knowing that they would definitely keep in touch.  

...one more wedding this weekend.  I get to head back to Beckwith...

Be well.

-Ryan Kaplan.

Amy & Tommy: 5-23-09 @ The Inn at Central Valley

Amy and Tommy are a great couple and they had a wonderful wedding at The Inn.  It was a great day, the weather was perfect, the bridal party was enjoying themselves, and the Amy and Tommy looked great.  During their ceremony, they were so wrapped up in each other.  They held hands the whole time, and I'm pretty sure that I'm the only one that caught Amy saying I love you to Tommy in the middle of the ceremony.  They were smiling and happy the whole time, as a bride and groom should be.  They were locked on each other and their love truly showed.  We incorporated a sand ceremony into the ceremony and then Amy and Tommy walked off to an electric guitar version of the standard recessional.  Another great couple I am blessed to have met.

Before I left the for the evening, Tommy mentioned that the next step would be to start a family, and I wish them all the best.  I know they'll keep in touch and let me know how things go.

Be well!

-Ryan Kaplan.

Jody & Anthony: 5/15/09 @ Beckwith Pointe

Beckwith Pointe: The best wedding spot in New York.  Okay, okay, I'm biased... that's where my wife and I got married 12 years ago.  Back in the days when Sal ran the place and there was no rooftop ceremony area.  Sadly, Sal has since passed on, but he still has family running the place.  Performing a wedding at Beckwith is like going home for me.  I know all the staff, I know the whole place, Angel is always there making sure everything goes smoothly.  They know me there also, and they always recommend me.  I end up doing a lot of ceremonies there and I'll be back again in two weeks for another ceremony.  Their gazebo will be waiting.

Tonight I was performing a special ceremony for Jody and Anthony, two great people that really know how to have a good time.  Their personalities shone with exuberance throughout the day.  It was a bit windy for the unity candle, but we made do.  By the end of the ceremony the mother's of the couple were shedding tears, as were more than a few people in the audience.  After the ceremony, as I waited to obtain the signatures for the marriage license, I got a chance to take a few pictures with my Olympus E-3 camera.  Jody and Anthony were having such fun I was privileged to be able to capture some their intimate photo-shoot (pictured above).  Beckwith has such nice areas for photography and Jody and Anthony were ready to pose.  I had a great time with them in the planning of the ceremony and on their day; their love and happiness was infectious.  When I left them, they were definitely ready to party... I'm sure the rest of their night went fabulous.

So always keep in mind, if you want a wedding on the beach but you want to stay in New York, there's a strip of great wedding venues in New Rochelle (Surf Club, VIP Club, Glen Island, etc.).  They all have different appeals, but to me, Beckwith is the place to be.  

Be well!

-Ryan Kaplan.

Jim and Zanda: 5/9/09

A Mother's Day posting today, so we'll make this one quick.  I had a great time yesterday speaking with a couple that is planning their 10 year wedding renewal for this June.  They're planning a nice ceremony on their property and we're going to focus the ceremony on how they've grown both as individuals and as a couple as well as the importance of family within their lives.  I look forward to their event in June.

After the meeting, I performed Jim and Zanda's special ceremony at Blue Hill Farm in Tarrytown.  It was a great evening for a wedding and the music from Jeff Ross and Nantucket Music set the tone perfectly with great music from a simple set-up of guitarist, keyboardist and percussion.  Jim and Zanda had such a great connection, and it's clear that Zanda has a great relationship with Jim's daughter Catherine.  All in all, their intimate wedding went off perfectly.  They had great family and friends that were clearly so excited to see them get married.  And of course, the family dog Nikita was on the grounds as well, though he wasn't allowed inside.

Now I'm off to continue in the Mother's Day celebration.  I'm looking forward to the other 4 weddings I have this month.  I've even got one that allows me to work on my Dutch phrases.

I hope you are all enjoying your Sunday.

Be well,

-Ryan Kaplan.

ANNIVERSARY POST: APRIL

Okay, we've just entered May, and my month is shaping up to be a busy one.  I just wanted to look back on my Special Ceremony April weddings from past years.  I still remember the fun and enjoyment I had in performing each wedding, so looking back is always fun for me.

In April 2008 I performed a wedding for Morgan and Tim at Snug Harbor.  They had seen me perform a wedding at the same venue for friends, Joleen and Jon, and they loved the ceremony and asked me to officiate at their wedding.  Snug Harbor is a great location on Staten Island.  They have a couple of different wedding locations on their grounds.  Morgan and Tim were such a happy couple and it was great to be able to see Joleen and Jon again as well.

Anna and Daniel had a great wedding in NYC.  They had both written such amazing things in their response to my questions that I was able to really say a lot about them both.  They had a violinist (LouEllen:917-593-1010) with whom I'd worked with before at a wedding 5 hours upstate.  Anna sent me an email afterwards saying "Daniel and I would like to thank you.  The ceremony was wonderful!  The family and friends loved it.  We will always cherish the memory of this event.  Thank you for making it perfect!"

Evelyn and David had a great ceremony in Central Park under a beautiful tree (pictured above).  I remember it was such a great day, the music in the background was great and it seemed like everyone had a blast.  I wish all my couples as beautiful a day as Evelyn and David had.  My wife and daughter were with me at the park, and after the wedding we had a great time walking around.

Sue and Carl had a simple ceremony in my sun room, which has been used now for weddings on a couple of occasions.  Simple and sweet, just the two of them and a couple of witnesses. 

Jenny and Oleg were married in an intimate restaurant Brooklyn back in April 2006.  Loads of traffic to get there, but being prepared I made it there early.  Jenny and Oleg were such a great laid-back happy couple.  They had fun personalities and made a great couple.  She looked great and he looked suave in his military dress.

Happy Anniversary everyone!  I hope you're all doing well!!!

-Ryan Kaplan.