Hudson Valley Mountain Wedding
This Boscobel Gardens ceremony overlooking the Hudson River was breathtaking and the Korean-american traditional ceremony was so touching and left guests smiling ear to ear!
First look with Dad!
The groom said that on the ride over to the wedding venue, he was attempting to chat with Catherine’s father and he was excitedly too nervous for chit chat! When he saw his daughter in her gown, his reaction brought everyone around to tears! He exclaimed how beautiful she looked and held up her dress to spin her around and hug her. It was a very emotional moment. Her father played a pivotal role in the ceremony, even addressing the guests during the ceremony! It was so heartwarming!
First look with the groom
Their first look took place in the breathtaking herb garden, surrounded by the orange grove.
Pau: ” To be honest, I was really nervous. Cat had been keeping her dress a secret from me for months, so I had no idea what to expect. Finally seeing her in her wedding dress was such an incredible moment and I really felt like the luckiest guy in the world. Catherine wore a gown by Beloved 2019 with vintage lace and small capiz-shell flowers that left us breathless. The herb garden at Boscobel was the perfect location to hang her gown while she changed into her traditional korean hanbok.
Designs by Cho made Catherine’s spring, whimsical garden-style bouquet, complete with shades of ivory and pink tulips
The Ceremony
The ceremony took place in the gardens, showcasing dramatic views of the hudson river and mountains.Their first kiss, with the most breathtaking view of the Hudson Valley behind them, had friends and family roaring with applause.
The father of the bride addressed the guests, thanking them and encouraging them to enjoy the grounds at Boscobel, including the gorgeous, yellow 19th century mansion which was restored restored and furnished based on surviving, original inventories and photography. When Boscobel opened its doors, then-Governor of New York Nelson A. Rockefeller called it “one of the most beautiful houses ever built in America.”
The Traditional Korean Ceremony
Since they are both Korean-Americans, they decided to include the traditional ceremony as a way to honor their heritage and roots.After their breathtaking American wedding ceremony, Catherine and Paul changed into their traditional korean hanbok for the Paebaek ceremony. It was beautifully decorated with a bamboo mat offering cakes and delicacies, a traditional korean teapot and a lively, colorful red backdrop.The family threw the dates and chestnuts at the couple as the bride tried to catch them in her large, traditional skirt. The number of dates and chestnuts she catches symbolize the number of children she will later have. There were 30 dates and nuts caught and everyone was cheering and laughing! Everyone performs it incorrectly, and thats the fun of it! To have it memorized and practiced to a T makes it serious. It’s more fun to make a few mistakes and have some laughter during the ceremony. The attendant helped with boying and guided them through the whole process.Then the groom carried the bride for a piggy back ride that had their guests cheering loudly! It was an important, yet probably the most enjoyed part of the day!
The reception
Cocktail hour included cocktails and beautifully crafted unique appetizers, like the beet and goat cheese tacos.The reception took place in a perfect white tent, perched next to the citrus grove at the Boscobel Gardens. The tables were adorned with pink tulips, whimsical petite floral arrangements and table numbers, customized with their guests names.
They had an array of gourmet chip city cookies at their desert table, because when they were dating, Paul would always bring Catherine cookies from this specialty shop near their Forest Hills apartment! Their cake was classic ,simple, silky white perfection, adorned with delicate florals that they cut with an intricate silver cake cutter.Their first dance played on the best mans bluetooth speaker, even with some connection interruptions and guests poking fun at them, Paul dipped her with a move he had been practicing for weeks; it was nothing short of perfection, leaving guests cheering and clanking their glasses.
The menu by Handcrafted NYC was exceptional, serving perfectly roasted whole chicken, silky mushroom risotto and mouthwatering braised short ribs that melted off the bone.
Because each and every one of their friends were like bridal party members, the couple kept their wedding in line with an intimate ceremony and enjoyed celebrating with their friends in the gardens.
How they met
At a wedding in August 2018, Catherine’s eyes found Paul while he was giving a best man speech”We got to spend some time hanging out as a group during Hannah’s wedding weekend and I thought he was nice and weirdly obsessed with cold brew coffee. Fast forward to their wedding reception – it was time for Paul to give his best man speech. He captivated everyone’s attention with his confidence, his stance, and eloquence. He even had the whole speech memorized! Needless to say, it was one of the best wedding speeches I had ever heard (and I’m confident that everyone who was there feel the same way). With that, I was more curious about this boy who my friend wanted to set me up with. At the end of the night, he asked me for my number and the rest is history.”
7. Vendors
Photographer @alessandraparksphoto
Catering @handcraftedontheberkshireline
Venue: @boscobelhg
Coordinator: @white.collections
Bride and Groom:
@catherinelmin@paulyoungchang
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