Charlotte: Mike found Castle Hotel and Spa and I immediately loved its character. Being from England, a sense of history was important to me. We met with Yoriko Ueno-Sawh, the events planner, who was kind, flexible, and a genuinely good person. This beautiful, historic, and peaceful space close to Manhattan left us feeling so excited.
Mike: During planning, the staff was very accommodating, ensuring they had the right liquor and glassware we’d requested. They even helped to arrange a keg of beer from a local brewery. It was clear the staff cared about our wedding as much as we did. They even let us fly the Union Jack flag from the ramparts, to represent Charlotte’s home country.
Charlotte: We held our ceremony in the stunning castle gardens. With the colorful fall foliage as our backdrop and the string quartet playing, we felt like we were in a fairy tale. Our officiant, Alice, was wonderful. She walked everyone through our love story. As part of the ceremony we had community vows, where Alice asked our guests “Do you promise to always offer Charlotte and Mike your love, your encouragement, and your support?” Everyone cheered and said, “We Do!” It was a warm ceremony, not overly serious, but perfectly sentimental.
Mike: Our cocktail hour, also in the castle gardens, continued as the string quartet played old classics and modern hits. We had a corn hole set engraved with an American and a Union Jack flag, as well as a giant lawn chess board. All the food, including the antipasto station, the carving station, and the passed hors d’oeuvres, was phenomenal. Everyone ate well, enjoyed the signature drinks, and joyfully mingled before dinner.
