Wedding Day…finally! While most of the wedding guest were gallivanting around the farm, the bridal party spent most of the morning sipping tea and nibbling on leftovers while our beauty team worked their magic.
The matriarch of my mother’s family could not make the trek to upstate New York, but sent her special angel food cake (because a girl HAS to have a wedding cake, according to our Great Aunt Audrey!). Aunt Sherry made sure it was delivered to the cake-less bride before she delivered it to the reception site.
After a long morning of primping and pampering, it was time to dress the bride. We knew she would be beautiful, but the finished product was absolutely breathtaking!
Somehow, we even managed to be ready early…
so Dad made champagne cocktails and sangria for us to sip on (with straws, of course, to ensure we didn’t smudge our lipstick) while we waited for Erik’s family to arrive for pictures.
The photographers arranged us, then re-arranged us in every possible combination. The farm dog snuck into a couple shots.
Our excitement was tangible in the grins permanently stuck on all our faces.
With the pictures completed, both families lounged in the main house…
while the guests gathered for a pre-ceremony cocktail before heading up to the wedding site.
A four-piece orchestra played as the bridal party walked through a wild field to the alter.
The Catskills made a spectacular background for the ceremony. Even the horse came to the fence to watch Carter and Erik say “I do!”
When the pastor pointed out the Carter and Erik were not lucky, but blessed, not a soul in the congregation could disagree.
After the vows were sealed with a kiss, the guests took the opportunity for their own photography sessions with the scenic backdrop.
The sound of a two-piece Irish band lured us to the pavilion for cocktail hour. There, we dined on charcuterie, cheese, and stone crab claws while sipping on violet champagne cocktails.
One of Carter’s friends had made flower wreaths for the ladies (and Dad) to wear.
All too soon, though, cocktail hour ended.
A procession of revelers moved from the pavilion toward the barn.
Passing through the barn doors, it seemed like we had entered a country-styled fairytale.
Carter and Dad danced to Jimmy Buffett, then invited everyone up for a Kisling family tradition: the Chicken Dance!
Dinner was served. Toasts were made. It was time for a night filled with dancing.
And if someone didn’t want to dance, there was a candy bar, a cigar and whiskey bar, and even a mechanical bull.
We were all sad when such a wonderful weekend drew to a close. Congratulations to Carter and Erik. I hope that this magical weekend was only the start of a lifetime of storybook-worthy memories.
Dad’s Secret Sangria Recipe
(Gluten Free, Vegetarian)
- 8 oz brandy
- 8 oz triple sec
- 16 oz red wine (Note 1)
- 32 oz orange juice (Note 2)
- Fruit, chopped as necessary into bite-sized pieces
1. Mix the first four ingredients in a large pitcher. Stir to combine.
2. Add fruit and chill.
Tip: The longer you let the fruit sit in the sangria, the more alcohol they will soak up! If that’s not motivation to make this in advance, I don’t know what is!
3. Sangria can be served either over ice or without ice.
Note 1: This sangria is best with a bold wine. Dad’s favorite is a tempranillo, but you could also use a cabernet sauvignion or zinfandel.
Note 2: Dad is a strick OJ-user for sangria, but if you want to sweeten it up a little (like I do), use one of the mixed-juice OJs. I like mango orange juice. (Hopefully Dad doesn’t disown me when he reads this!)
A special thanks to Aunt Ro, Aunt Jane, Aunt Tina, Uncle Jock, Marlies, Tara, Nastasha, and Adrienne for contributing pictures to this post. Couldn’t have done it without you all!
salt and honey 
Amazingly awesome post. Great to re-live each precious moment once again. I still owe you some pix, too. Tell your Dad we Baptists always use ‘pure’ orange juice in our sangria but have to omit the alcohol! ;0