Pasqualina & Daniel | The Garrison | Garrison, NY

“Amazing Views”

Dan and I were set up on a blind date by his mother Carol-Ann. Carol was my manager in the Medical ICU where I was a nurse. One night Carol and I were discussing how hard it is to meet a nice person. She gave Dan my number and we went on a date that weekend at The Constitution Marsh in Cold Spring, NY. We spoke for five hours and that was that. Dan proposed at that same location four years later!

When I spoke to the wedding coordinator at The Garrison, Annie Rozycki, I knew it would be the place for our wedding. Dan and I are both vegan and it was very important to have that reflected in our wedding food. Annie worked with us to make sure the menu would be delicious for all our guests.

The Garrison’s location was just perfect for us. The view of the mountains and the reception room full of windows were perfect for my whimsical wedding vision. The venue has the ability to transform to any bride’s vision.

Annie is the most organized person and she thinks of absolutely everything. I always felt so confident everything would go smoothly after all the meetings we had together. I was not stressed about the venue at all through the entire process because of her. Fatima was my day-of bridal attendant and she was also incredible. She made sure I was hydrated all morning, got cocktail hour food for us to enjoy, and even calmed me down as I was sobbing just before walking down the aisle.

The staff at The Garrison made me feel like mine was the only wedding they were putting on all year. I felt so special and cared for and it was because of the people working to make it a perfect day.

The ceremony was something out of a dream. Annie was quick and efficient in lining up the entire bridal party and making sure everyone was where they should be. Fatima did not leave my side until it was time for me to walk down the aisle. Our DJ, Alex Edge, played a poem by Alan Watts that we requested, “Falling Into Love.” I saw Annie get emotional and that plus the music made me lose it.

At the end of that aisle was my future husband and the most beautiful view of the Hudson Valley I’ve ever seen. We had a string quartet booked through Alex Edge and they were just fantastic.

After the ceremony, Annie had Dan and I go to the bridal suite to have a moment alone as husband and wife. Fatima brought us two plates of cocktail hour food so we could enjoy everything. It was all delicious, but my favorites were the jackfruit sliders, Shishito peppers, and tofu Bahn mi.

Our photographer, Haley Richter, made it possible for us to enjoy a bit of cocktail hour before taking sunset photos on The Garrison’s beautiful grounds. I also enjoyed how the venue has an outside garden space next to the cocktail hour room for our 175 guests.

The reception room at The Garrison is mostly windows so you get to see their amazing view. My florist, Albelisa, helped me bring my vision to life. We ended up hanging a disco ball in the middle of the dance floor as well as banquet lighting. The sunset from the room was unreal and fully on display. I wanted a whimsical feel for my flowers and Albelisa repurposed the ceremony flowers in the reception room. Our DJ was phenomenal and we also hired a saxophone player from Alex’s company. To this day, when people talk about our wedding, they’re always saying how amazing the music was and how talented the saxophone player was. I did not leave the dance floor all night!

Dinner was delicious. I loved our entrée choices, which were a chickpea cake with vegetables and potatoes or mushroom pasta with kale. The food was light, perfect for summer, but still very filling. We decided to skip the pasta course for more dancing plus more dessert options and Annie completely agreed.

The Garrison chefs made vegan cupcakes, cookies, and chocolate-covered strawberries for each table to enjoy. They also made them so good that no one knew they were vegan. We had a wedding cake made by A Little Cake. They delivered it to the venue and it was beautiful and delicious with raspberry mouse and preserve fillings. They even made a fondant version of our dog, Odie, for the cake.

Our wedding was the best night of my life. Annie, Fatima, and all the staff at The Garrison, I hope you know how much your work means to us. I want to thank my parents for their support, especially my old school Italian father who initially did not love the idea of a vegan wedding. We hired the best vendors! Thank you Haley for capturing one of the most important moments of our lives so beautifully. The florals were exactly what I wanted and made it all feel like a dream thanks to Maple Field Floral. We hit the jackpot with Alex Edge & Co.

And of course thank you to my husband, Dan, for supporting me through the hectic experience that is wedding planning. Best wedding ever!

The Garrison, Garrison, NY, 845.424.3604, the garrison.com