Wedding | Taryn & Harrison

2 days ago

4 min read

Updated: 2 hours ago

Tell us a little about yourselves!

We met in college in 2015 through a mutual friend from Harrison’s dorm and Taryn’s improv group. We were friends for a year, but became Tarrison Forever after smooching at a Blink-182 concert in 2016. We are both from California (Taryn the Bay Area, Harrison LA), but have lived together in St. Louis, Chicago, Manhattan and now Brooklyn. We both enjoy running, going to concerts, trying new NYC restaurants, and playing Wingspan.

Why did you decide to get married where you did?

A few reasons:

We wanted to be somewhat close by—we didn’t want to take a flight to our wedding, and New York was closer for most guests than our home state of California.

We love the Hudson Valley/Catskills area and have fallen in love with the towns, restaurants, and landscape over many weekend trips.

And most of all, we wanted the weekend to feel like a relaxing getaway in nature. We wanted to maximize time with loved ones and minimize time driving between locations or feeling stressed. We hoped to find somewhere we could have the wedding outdoors, host all our events in one place, and stay on site with some of our guests. We were thrilled to discover the Woodhouse Lodge—it checked all our boxes and more.

How many guests did you have?

A cozy 82!

Tell us about your outfits.

Taryn: My dress was from Happy Isles. I was so excited to find something there that I loved—the shopping experience was a blast and the kismet of vintage delivered! When I tried her on, I knew she was the one.

She’s from the early 2000s, the designer Lucia Zanotti at Atelier Aimée. I did a deep dive after buying the dress—they’re a pretty unknown Italian brand but made some insane gowns. This one was two pieces—an embroidered corset and a skirt with three sewn-in floral arrangements, which I swapped for silk pants when it was time to hit the dance floor.

The look was completed by pink shoes from Lisa Says Gah and a custom-made veil from a woman on the Upper West Side (that’s a story for another time).

Harrison: The kismet of spending loads of money delivered! My suit was from Bode, a brand I’ve long admired and always been a little intimidated by. A jacket with three metal buttons that jingled when I moved, and pants with room to sit, stand, drink, and dance. I wore an old Timex watch from my Grandpa Steve, a snazzy dresser and beloved man I never got the chance to meet. The automatic mechanism hasn’t worked in decades, and I didn’t bother winding it that day. Who cares? It’s my wedding. I was already plenty wound up. A timeless look indeed.

What was the most important aspect for you, in terms of planning your wedding?

When you fill out wedding vendor inquiry forms, you often have to write a little blurb about your vision for the day. Ours said: We want the weekend to feel carefree and lively. We want the ceremony to feel like a celebration full of personal touches, and the reception to feel like one giant party! Some buzzwords: intimate, whimsical, natural, polished backyard wedding.

Writing this, then copying and pasting it so many times, really helped ground us in our priorities: a laid-back vibe, personal touches, and a bustling dance floor. It was especially important to us that the ceremony itself felt upbeat and cheerful, not too serious or solemn. It’s a happy occasion after all!

Were there any elements that were important for you to incorporate?

We knew we wanted to walk down the aisle together. After almost 10 years together, it only felt right to symbolize our partnership and how we’d approach the future.

When it came to details, we tried to incorporate as many personal touches as possible so that the wedding would feel like us. There was a Precious Moments figurine from Taryn’s parents’ house on every table. We used the cake slicers and topper from their wedding. Harrison made a custom guest book with unique prompts for each guest.

And of course, we had to serve Jell-O shots from Solid Wiggles at cocktail hour.

Any tips for couples getting married?

Lock in! Our year-and-a-half of wedding planning and month of marriage have taught us that it’s all about communicating openly, following through on your commitments, trusting your own decisions (which can be hard) and asking for help (which can be harder). You’re on the same team, and both of you have to pull your weight—but you knew that already.

Are there any vendors that you would like to tell us a little more about?

The Woodhouse Lodge, our venue. Beautiful setting, incredible food, but above all else, an amazing team that was a dream to work with. Their events lead, Mallory Bell, is just the best—we don’t have enough good things to say.

June of June Events, our DJ. She not only had the dance floor packed all night, but provided a soundtrack for the entire day with perfect music (and sound quality) for every moment. Plus, she had the coolest setup.

And of course, Aly Hansen, the incredible photographer responsible for these photos! We love her documentary approach, with no manufactured moments. Simply put, she captured the heart of our day.

Photographer: Aly Hansen Photo @alyhansenweddings | Coordination: We Do Events @wedo.events | Ceremony Location: The Woodhouse Lodge @thewoodhouselodge | Reception Location: The Woodhouse Lodge @thewoodhouselodge | Tent & Dancefloor Hire: Tremont Rentals @tremontrental | Tableware & Accessories: North Country Vintage @northcountryvintage | HMUA: Lux Hair Studio Saugerties @luxhairstudiosaugerties | Catering & Beverages: The Woodhouse Lodge @thewood