Jess + Eric’s September Wedding at Crested Hen Farms

Written By Caitlinn Mahar-Daniels

Hi there! Caitlinn here, Hudson Valley Wedding Photographer for well over a decade, presenting you with one of my favorite weddings of all time…Jess + Eric’s Wedding at Crested Hen Farms. Laurel and I enjoyed photographing their wedding for so so so many reasons, some of which, I will list below. Most importantly, we admired their relationship and wedding priorities. Jess + Eric have a beautiful, calm, and quiet love. They are the epitome of two strong, opposite individuals, who allow each other to learn and grow independently, while fully supporting each other along the way. Witnessing their relationship, is like seeing the passion and intrigue of a new relationship…that has the maturity of being centuries old.

We were absolutely obsessed with Jess’s cape, her headpiece, her CUSTOM Mika Inatome wedding dress, and her timeless elegance. Laurel and I found ourselves admiring her ALL DAY, from her outfit, to the way she holds herself. She has this elegant timelessness and confidence that is so rare and beautiful. Eric has this beyond kind presence, that his so classically handsome features help elevate. He has a maturity and innocence in his eyes that we absolutely adored.

Things Jess + Eric did that made their day magical…

  1. Everything took place in one location.

  2. Less than 100 guests.

  3. They did a first look.

  4. They were married at a dog friendly location, so that they pup Luna, could be present. (She was also the ring bearer.)

  5. They did not have a wedding party.

  6. They said their own personalized vows to one another.

  7. They had a pre-ceremony welcome drink section at the entrance for their guests.

  8. They took time to be present in the moment throughout the day. This led to taking time to spend time with their guests during cocktail hour, where we witnessed some of the best hugs we have ever seen. (Many photos to prove it.)

What were some of your favorite memories from your wedding day? (OBSESSED with their answers.)

Eric : “Some of my favorite memories from the day were getting ready in the morning with my family (thanks Laurel for being there too!), the moment Jess and I had our first look (which my uncle unknowingly crashed as he came out to take pictures of us with his Samsung 🙄), our photo shoot together in the various places on the farm, and the vows. But the ceremony was my favorite part by far. Having everyone gathered there by the river while Jess and I exchanged our vows was one of the most special and memorable moments of my life.”

Jess : “Some of my favorite memories from the wedding day itself are the first look in such a special area that Caitlinn found, poignant and private alcove by the house surrounded by bamboo. The ceremony itself is an easy top choice. There’s something viscerally special to being surrounded by everyone who is dear to you, to witness your love being expressed and supported. It felt other-wordly.”

Scroll to read more about their relationship, wedding advice, their favorite memories, and their wedding vendors.

Don’t miss the reception detail photographs, that show how gorgeously Anna’s Flowers transformed the barn space at Crested Hen.

How did you decide to get married at Crested Hen Farms? (One of my FAVORITE venues, I adore Frank, the owner. He is an amazingly kind human being.)

“There were several factors that played into our decision to get married at Crested Hen Farms. We loved the beauty and simplicity of the farm which fit within our vision of the wedding. We connected almost immediately with Frank who has such a big heart; not to mention he bonded with Jess over her being an OB/GYN resident as Frank and his partner both used to be in the field as well. We didn’t plan to have a large wedding as neither of us come from large families, and that worked out perfectly as the reception/barn area at CHF accommodates around 100-130 people very well. We were planning on 80 or so, but by the time all was said and done our list grew to 96 attending.”

How did you meet?  

(In 2016) “We met through a Jewish tinder app called J-Swipe. Found it amusing that when we matched the screen displayed an image of a hora dance with ‘Mazel Tov” written below it. Jess had just finished her undergrad at U of Maryland and returned home to NJ to begin work before applying for medical school. Eric was in the middle of completing his MOT (occupational therapy) program. Jess joined the app to prove her parents wrong in that she did not need a nice Jewish boy for dates to work out. She’s still mildly upset she wasn’t able to.”

How did you get engaged?

“Engagement day game plan: Eric made reservations to have dinner at a random but nice NYC restaurant (Roberts NYC, situated above the museum of arts and design overlooking columbus circle and central park). This was to be followed by a casual stroll through the park where we would happen upon a lit up and decorated gazebo. As we curiously enter, a familiar tune/song would begin to play, one that we both deeply liked and connected over when we first watched La La Land. Standing in the gazebo with NYC lit up in the backdrop, Eric proposes on bent knee and Jess with a tearful smile says “yes.” All the meanwhile, this is all secretly being captured by two photographers hidden in the bushes along the gazebo’s perimeter.”

“What actually happened: Eric took a gummy 🤦” (LMAO)

“Dinner went well and as planned with no suspicion whatsoever on Jess’s part; Eric is calm, cool, anxious, and now also high. This coupled with his not so great sense of direction and unintentional dismissal of key instructions on which entrance to use led us to the wrong access point. We happened upon the lit up gazebo (after the lights curiously flickered several times, to catch Eric’s attention) and decided to investigate. BUT, the photographer's hiding spot has now been compromised. They were forced out of hiding and as we approached the steps leading up to the gazebo’s back entrance, we were greeted by two people pointing cameras in our direction. We awkwardly smile and grin while Eric internally cries and the music begins to play. The intimacy of the moment and element of surprise have been forever lost, but Eric presses on. He proposes on bent knee as the paparazzi stand in the background, and Jess, with a tearful smile says “yes.” “

Proposal take 2: This one was relatively unplanned and way more casual, but somehow remained meaningful, intimate, and special. For the first proposal, Eric chose the diamond and ring style but ultimately felt underwhelmed with the final product, Jess shared the sentiment but dared not say or show it. We talked it through and eventually agreed to visit a local jeweler and design the ring TOGETHER, who would’ve thought. Jess was even surprised at what she liked and didn’t when trying on options; she was extremely excited about the process and could not wait for it to be done. A while later, Eric coordinated with the jeweler to pick up the ring but to tell Jess that there was an unexpected delay and that it wouldn’t be ready for another week, she was bummed. That night while in bed, Eric proposed a second time. With her eyes closed he placed something in front of her and had her guess what it was, “I don’t know, a sex toy?” She then opened her eyes, and again tearfully said yes.”

(Let’s normalize speaking up if we don’t love our rings! The goal is to have them forever, so let’s love them! I did this when my husband proposed to me…of course I didn’t initially say anything because I didn’t want to seem like a brat, but her knew and agreed, and we found a similar ring, also containing a black diamond, that was much more “me”, and we are both thrilled. It’s my favorite thing and I LOVE looking at it every day.)

How did you end up choosing me as your photographer?

“This was tough as well but after meeting Caitlinn over video chat for the first time, we knew. We felt so comfortable throughout the entire process and are beyond grateful to have had Caitlinn and Laurel be there with us to capture both the intimate and celebratory moments.”

Why did you decide to forego a wedding party?

“Wedding party’s are great but can also be stressful, they bring with them another set of things to have to think about and coordinate – since neither of us are crazy about attention and Eric’s circle of friends is limited, we thought it easier to forgo.”

How did you choose Main Course for your catering?

“It was tricky choosing a caterer - but what solidified our decision, aside from the food tasting great, was that without us realizing Main Course also catered our friend’s recent wedding which we loved. Shout out to Amanda from Main Course for going above and beyond, she was our unofficial wedding coordinator.”

How did you choose your florist? (Anna’s Flowers)

“Our florist was Jess’s family florist from central NJ who knew Jessica as a baby. She had provided the flowers for all the birthdays, valentines day, and mother’s day celebrations over the years, so having her do our wedding was a privilege and honor.”

What do you think is the key for you to live a long and happy life together?

“Eric : I was planning on asking our guests to answer that for us in our guestbook 😂 I think it’s to take care of yourself as best as you can (mentally, physically) for the benefit of your partner and your relationship. It’s to not take things too seriously, to find and make connections through the small daily things that come up, to continue to work on yourself and grow as a person, to learn to communicate well and to appreciate each other, to experience new things together. All the things that are easy to lose sight of and are often easier said than done 🙃”

“Jess : Meeting the other person where they are at any given point. I think life brings on so many challenges and shifts, a partner is someone to navigate with regardless of the context or outcomes. Even day to day fluctuations, little things to big things. Being open to the other person and making light of what comes your way is a good track towards being happy together.”

What do you want to promise each other on your wedding day? (And a perfect example of why these two work so well.)

Eric: “I will do my best to: continue to support and encourage her in whatever she wants to accomplish/achieves both personally and professionally, to be by her side as someone she can rely on and lean on, to try and become the best version of myself, to love her.”

Jess : “I promise to try to not let the little details and stresses get to me, to truly go with the flow, and to keep the beat while we’re dancing but follow you wherever you take me.”

Caitlinn Mahar-Daniels https://letsgetweirdstudio.com
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