THE PERFECT MARRIAGE PROGRAM

Celebrate your union by having the opportunity to craft a one of kind, perfect whiskey with your partner. We want to celebrate your union by giving you the opportunity to craft & bottle a one of kind, perfect whiskey with your partner. For more information email us at hello@hudsonwhiskey.com

How to Plan Your Wedding Drinks

Luscious Libations

Venues or caterers who provide alcohol may have a few options that you’re encouraged or even required to choose from when it comes to providing libations for your festivities. If you or your crew are particularly finicky drinkers and you want something special in a signature cocktail or a particular craft brew, make sure they’ll let you bring in your favorites. If it’s allowed, you may be able to get more for your money by bringing your own bottles.

Providing beer and wine, with the possible addition of cider and/or a signature cocktail, is a perfectly acceptable choice that’s a lot gentler on your budget than a full open bar. Just don’t forget to have juice, water, and soda handy.

If you want something special in a signature cocktail or a particular craft brew, make sure the venue or caterer will let you bring in your favorites.

Think about your party. People may tend to drink less at weddings that are early in the day or on weekdays. Think about your people: Is there something the family or the friend group especially loves?

simple bar math :

Estimate one serving of alcohol per person per hour, and it should balance out about right. For a fivehour party for 100, then, you’ll want to be ready to serve 500 drinks. The typical ratio for stocking a full bar is to order 50 percent wine, 20 percent beer, and 30 percent liquor; for beer and wine only, it’s 75 percent wine/25 percent beer.

You’ll want a mix of wine and beer choices.

The typical ratio for stocking a full bar is to order 50 percent wine, 20 percent beer, and 30 percent liquor.

If you’re planning a Champagne or sparkling wine toast, expect about eight toast-size portions per 25-ounce bottle. If you need to please a large crowd, a non-vintage brut binnewater

(dry) Champagne is a safe bet; with a smaller group, you can go quirkier. And either way, a sparkling Prosecco or Spanish cava wine is a perfectly acceptable choice.

Kingston, 845-331-0237, binnewater.com hudson whiskey

It is very important to keep guests hydrated for any event, large or small. Binnewater can provide New York’s finest spring water and Mountain Valley Spring Water, in addition to ice for keeping those drinks nice and cool.

Gardiner, 845-419-2964, hudsonwhiskey.com

Celebrate your union with the opportunity to craft and bottle a one-of-a-kind, perfect whiskey with your partner. For more information, email hello@hudsonwhiskey.com hv wine & food fest

Rhinebeck, 845-876-4000, facebook.com/HVWineFest/

Celebrating our 23rd year! The Hudson Valley Wine & Food Festival celebrates the bounty of wine, food, and fun. Always the weekend after Labor Day! Browse hundreds of New York Wineries, Cideries, Distilleries, Craft Beers, Food Trucks, and Gourmet Foods at the Dutchess County Fairgrounds in Rhinebeck, NY miron wine & spirits

Kingston, 845-336-5155, mironwineandspirits.com stone ridge wine and spirits

Miron Wine & Spirits is the Hudson Valley’s premier source for your wedding beverage needs, from event planning advice to special orders and deliveries. We carry an extensive selection of fine wine and spirits at low, everyday prices. View our inventory online at mironwineandspirits.com and ask us how we can accommodate your special day. Rely on Miron Wine & Spirits for an affair to remember!

Stone Ridge, 845-687-7125, stoneridgewine.com

Located in historic Stone Ridge, this knowledgeable group is uniquely qualified to recommend wines for any event or menu. This year marks their 28th year in business, and they are constantly looking for ways to improve service. Stone Ridge Wine and Spirits looks forward to assisting you with selections for your big day.

vik’s wine & liquor cabinet

Kerhonkson, 845-626-1382, Vikswineliquorcabinet@gmail.com

Vik’s Wine & Liquor Cabinet, located near Minnewaska State Park, provides exceptional service when it comes to planning your wedding event. With an extensive portfolio of wines and spirits, we can help put together a specialized order that is perfect for you. Stop by the store or reach out via email at vikswineliquorcabinet@gmail.com to discuss how we can make your wedding day special!

Sweets & Treats

Wedding Desserts

Long gone are the days when all wedding cakes looked alike. In fact, a cake isn’t even absolutely required. Add sweetness to your wedding feast in whatever way that makes you happiest. That’s what weddings and dessert are all about, after all. Here, then, are some suggestions for spreading the happy sweetness on your special day.

Cakes Of The Seasons

Something about fresh buttercream tastes like springtime. Decorate with florals—either fondant or actual— and delicate shades of your wedding colors.

Summer is the season of fresh fruit. Berries can add refreshing, juicy sweetness to your cake of choice—and a pop of bright color—or consider a tart, cool lemon cake, perhaps with raspberry filling.

Autumn weddings go well with richer flavors such as salted caramel or German chocolate, perhaps atop a versatile almond or carrot cake. Spice cake is another fall favorite.

Evoke the crisp beauty of winter with a vanilla cake topped with vanilla buttercream: a perfect canvas for your baker’s creativity with decoration, and delicious with any kind of filling.

Beyond Cake

Individual desserts can be arrayed on a dessert table to create gorgeous visuals before your guests devour them with happy sighs, with or without a cake as a centerpiece. Style your dessert table with fabrics, florals, or glistening gold, silver, or copper tones—or go post-post-modern with transparent Lucite dessert stands, maybe backed by a mirror. Floating infinity of dessert? Why not?

Add sweetness to your wedding feast in whatever way that makes you happiest: That’s what weddings and dessert are all about.

dessert ideas to consider

• Doughnut wall

• Individual cups of layered parfait

• Stacked waffles, crepes, or pancakes with a range of toppings

• Individual fruit tarts

• Cannoli

• Cookie tower

• Macarons

• Make-your-own sundae station

• Cheesecake

Adams Fairacre Farms

Hudson Valley, 845-336-6300 (Kingston), adamsfarms.com blue mountain bistro-to-go

Let us cater your special day. Our expert bakers will work with you to create the wedding cake of your dreams. Your special dessert, baked to perfection by us, will be a huge hit! Call or visit your local Adams store to schedule a consultation with our bakers.

Kingston, 845-340-9800, bluemountainbistro.com

The exclusive caterers of the Onteora Mountain House, Blue Mountain Bistro is committed to providing high-quality food and service both on the day of your wedding and the days leading up to it. When you choose Blue Mountain Bistro Catering for your wedding, you will be rewarded with raves from friends and family. Relax and enjoy yourselves knowing that their creative, experienced staff is handling all the details of the day.

Caf Marguerite

Margaretville, 718-484-2121, cafemarguerite.com

Chocolates, gifts, specialty, and wedding cakes for your special day!

ej bonbons & confections

Woodstock, ejchocolates.com

Available year-round, our customizable box of assorted chocolate bonbons is designed to bring you on a journey of discovery. Enjoy each piece one by one and find your favorites along the way. From weddings and baby showers to corporate presents and welcome bags, our customizable two-, four-, five-, and 12-piece boxes of handmade and painted chocolate bonbons are the perfect gift for your next event.

Main Course Catering

New Paltz, 845-255-2600, maincoursecatering.com

Main Course is a full-service caterer that can coordinate all wedding aspects including customized menus, cakes, décor, linens, and rentals. Under chef Bruce Kazan’s innovative leadership, a team of talented professionals creates the finest in catered events. Main Course, a leader in the sustainable food movement, uses small Hudson Valley purveyors to provide the freshest local, organic produce, free-range poultry, linecaught fish, and hormone-free meats.

Overlook Bakery

Woodstock, 845-684-5898, overlook bakery.com

Add some whimsy to your wedding! Small-batch wedding cakes baked with love in the heart of the Catskill mountains. Overlook Bakery will create the perfect custom cake for your special occasion. Choose from our delicious flavors & unique decorative looks. Gluten-free, vegan, and delivery options available.

“Our passion is getting to know each bride-to-be’s personality in order to showcase a carefully curated selection of dresses from our designer collection.”

19 E Market St, Rhinebeck 845-516-4660 adrianasbridal.com

How To Find The Perfect Dress

by anne pyburn craig

The right wedding gown will take your partner’s breath away and make you feel like romance come to life. To get that gown, it helps to know what you’re doing in the unique world that is bridal shopping. Here’s a basic guide:

• Do some research to get familiar with styles, silhouettes, and features of wedding dresses and the vocabulary around them, so you’ll have some idea of what you’re after. Save pictures of the styles and features you love most, then share them with salespeople or designers so they’ll know exactly what thrills you.

• Start shopping six to nine months before your wedding date. That will leave plenty of time to get everything perfect, from initial selection to final alterations.

• Take time to research various bridal salons online: It can give you a pretty clear picture of where you’re likely to find what pleases you. When you call for an appointment (required by most), ask whether the choices that impressed you on the website are still available.

• Don’t try to cram more than two appointments into one day, and shop on a weekday if you can.

• Bringing along two close people can be wonderfully helpful. Bringing a crowd, or anyone you tend to argue with? Not so much.

For your final fitting, bring or wear everything you plan to wear on “The Day” to make sure it all works.

• Do check out the sale section for off-the-rack choices. If the perfect dress happens to be there, you can save money and time.

• Carry a notebook where you can jot down descriptions of gowns on the “maybe” list. Many places don’t allow pre-purchase photos.

• If you have jewelry or other accessories already chosen, bring them along. Wear your hair in the same general way—up, down, braided— that you’ll wear it for the festivities.

• Keep an open mind. Salon staff are experts and may have an inspired idea for you.

• Schedule at least two fittings and be brutally honest about the fit and feel of things. Comfort matters. For your final fitting, bring or wear everything you plan to wear on “The Day” to make sure it all works, and move around a little to make sure nothing slips or pinches.

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