June 26, 2023

23 Tuesday’s Tips→

June 26, 2023/ Ashley Douglass

You may find that your guests are staying at many different types of accommodations. Perhaps you chose a destination location, or it’s the nature of the area in which you are getting married. Additionally, nowadays, we are all used to being able to obtain as much information as we want, online. It is because of these two reasons that we feel strongly about the following:

1. You should feel comfortable over-communicating on your website. While aesthetically I favor less is more, oftentimes on stationery products and in general with regard to the written word, in this instance however, I feel differently.

2. You may want to consider an online RSVP. Now, many love the old-fashioned RSVP that comes in the postal mail. I do too! You have visions of saving them for the rest of your life, making a collage for your man or ladies cave, or hope that you receive fun notes on the back in the postal mail, sending you running to the mailbox. Okay, maybe, but.... you also want to make sure guests tell you where they are staying and how many of them are coming? Is their plus one in fact coming? Did they decide on their own that they are bringing a plus one because they don't understand etiquette? Guests can return to your RSVP page on the website down the line to fill in any of the additional fields you added to that page such as allergies, or their RSVP for the night before.

3. You may want to update guests on any changes you may make in between the time you sent the invite and the date of the wedding. Those changes may be the location of your ceremony at the venue. The week of the wedding, if rain is forecasted and that changes the location of the ceremony, you may want to give them a quick email. Certainly, the venue team (and planning team if you have one) will be helping with this on-site, however guests do appreciate being informed. Not all rain plans are simply tenting on top of the same space.

4. If you are not preparing a welcome bag you may want to drop the weekend itinerary into the body of an email. You might, also, want to give them this information before they receive their welcome hotel bag.

The photo below is a little peak at the invite process. We write notes on the Proof PDF, as we find it dramatically helps clients understand our suggested updates.

October 25, 2018

Gather Greene | Catskill Mountains

October 25, 2018/ Ashley Douglass

Thank you for your patience as we refocus our attention on blogging! It is not as high on our list as doing the actual work of planning a fabulous event is! One thing we do LOVE is to share new venues. Discovering a new venue is such an exciting thing for a planner. Working at a venue we have never worked at before is like being given a blank canvas and a brand new palette of paint.

There are so many wonderful venues in New York City, old and new, that the list would be too long and the blog endless, so we have decided to focus more on those great venues outside of the city. We are going to share a few new venues over the coming weeks in New York State, at least two in Connecticut and perhaps a few more in Newport or Vermont, as well as a new destination location. It can be hard for couples to find the time to visit every venue, so it is great that we as planners can give an overview so that you do not have to take time off from work to travel around here and there only to potentially strike out! There are many details about a venue that effect both your wedding experience as well as your budget. It can be hard for a client to discern all these details if you have not been doing this for forever and a day.

For now, we set our thoughts and starry eyes on Gather Greene, a stunning venue located at the start of the Catskill Mountains. The passionate and smart friends Amna and Jackie began rounding out their vision of an organic resort where nature was the primary decor starting a good four years ago, maybe more. Before officially owning the land, they reached out to ADE about wedding and event planning in general and particularly in the New York State area. Questions were addressed like ‘what features do couples and planners look for most’ and ‘what are the drawbacks that prevent someone from booking a venue they love.’

Many clients are looking for that weekend away experience where everyone can spend quality time together away from their everyday grind. A weekend wedding is not just more intimate but it is also more memorable, with guests departing feeling more connected than when they arrived. There is something magical about a special event being hosted away from it all. Similar to the theater, when people arrive to a location that they have never been before their attention immediately peeks. This really does set the tone for a weekend of little to no distraction.

Amna and Jackie’s venue site is modern and organic in design. The accommodations are dressed with the conveniences of every day life. The outside comes inside, with floor to ceiling window views of the mountains, and sunsets, for each guest to enjoy while getting cozy in bed with a book.

Another problem they have solved is that this beautiful venue has upwards of 17 cabins. It is not often that a weekend long wedding site can house both the immediate family and the bridal party. Additionally, with the town of Hudson New York so close by, there are many extra options for accommodations. From the standard chain hotels, to The Wick and The Rivertown Lodge in the heart of Hudson, and more. Not to mention the plethora of Air B & Bs in the Hudson and Columbia County area.

The Pavilion is where you will most likely host your main event or multiple events at Gather Greene. Again, the outside is brought inside, while maintaining sophistication. The structure is beautiful all on its own without too much adornment yet built with the potential to become more creative. The cement wall at one end of the pavilion is perfect to dress with floral, anything hanging or even a pattern to be projected. The beams above, modern and smart in feel, can also be used to hang decor. Weatherizing options for the sides of the pavilion are in development and the venue is fully prepared to accommodate any off-site caterer in their kitchen. No cook tent needed at Gather Greene, nor restroom trailers.

We have been so excited about this venue from day one and cannot be more excited for these two ladies and the opportunity to work at this one of a kind spot.

The first photo below was taken by a staff cell phone and the succeeding photos were taken by Kelsey Ann Rose.

MEGAN + TIM | Montauk Lake Club | Montauk, New York

October 01, 2017/ Ashley Douglass

Megan and Tim came to us pretty far in advance. In fact, they were the first to book for 2017 about 23.5 months out from their date and wisely so because they wanted to get married in Montauk. When they first booked they didn’t have a venue which is perhaps the hardest choice you will make. They are as familiar with the area as we are so in that regard making this choice wasn’t hard but pulling the trigger (or price tag) was. The variance of price amongst some venues out East is great. Learning where your priorities lay can take some time or change once you really delve into planning. In the end they chose the Montauk Lake Club because it was quiet, private, available over more preferred dates, and one of the more favorable options financially. It’s also a tented site so you can certainly do whatever you want inside the tent! The staff is very nice as well. ;-)

Megan and Tim both work a ton. I know everyone can say that these days but let me explain…..Ashley would have calls with Megan while she was in the middle of overnights. In other words, a night where she would sleep on her desk, in her office, at the law firm. YUP! Tim simultaneously worked full time while earning his MBA at Columbia University. Got enough on your plate? To add to the pot, the summer before their own wedding and the summer of their wedding, they attended more weddings than ADE planned. Now think about that…Working all the time and between the 18 or so weeks from Memorial Day to just past Labor Day, they attended more weddings than there are almost weekends. On top are the engagement parties for the year after, bachelor and bachlorette parties, not to mention their own parties! They are one of our couples that we refer to as ‘professional wedding attendees’!

Laid back and fun was most important for this weekend. Nothing stuffy, nothing formal and nothing that is truly not needed. Invites that made them excited, linens that popped with indigo, with lots of greenery and a great band! They booked their band just a week out from booking us! As I always do, I talked about music when I first met them. Very fast I knew they’d love this band and low and behold they were the same band a friend of theirs used that they loved and had forgotten the name of. Good thing we moved fast because often enough the Marcus Reid Band books upwards of two years out or more. They were a wild crowd that danced more than most, ties on heads, people on friends shoulders, you get the picture! This wedding was one of the most fun - hands down!

Photography below by Craig Warga Weddings

2017 updates!

October 03, 2016/ ashley

Just like the economy and weather, each year has a bit of its own character in regards to the industry's health, for lack of a better word. Next year, 2017 (even 2018 dare I say), seems to be a rather healthy one.

April 05, 2016

Interview by Hamptons Borrowed & Blue

April 05, 2016/ ashley

B & B: In order to help couples understand what it takes to plan a wedding, Borrowed & Blue, the online resource for Hamptons weddings, approached Ashley Douglass Events to ask all about event planning.

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