Over the Thanksgiving holiday, I had the wonderful opportunity to officiate Mathew & Marissa’s wedding at the beautiful de Seversky Mansion, on the campus of New York Institute of Technology. I’d married another couple there in 2011, but it was a summer wedding so it had a much different feel. This is a truly stunning location less than an hour from Manhattan. A grand estate on a large parcel of land, it is ornate, distinguished and utterly authentic. The Mansion’s website refers, appropriately, to it’s “Gatsby era grandeur.” I’m a big fan of being able to host a wedding on a college campus and was happy to see the mansion’s website note that a portion of one’s fees for using the venue are returned to NYIT and its academic programs—a terrific wedding bonus.
My couple had a mid-day wedding and lunch reception which was bathed in perfect winter light. The bride had clearly plucked many inspired ideas from pinterest and various wedding blogs—there was a wonderful attention to detail from the programs to the “surveys” circulated among guests, asking their marriage advice for the newlywed couple.
The bride also chose to include a “wishing stone” ritual during the ceremony, so that the guests might actively participate in the wedding. She lovingly selected particular stones for each guests, leaving them with detailed explanations of their properties, and gemological traits. Following the exchange of vows, we invited the guests to warm the semi-precious gemstones with their hearts and hands, making wishes for Marissa and Mathew. The guests were then invited forward to place the stones, of all types and colors, in an open vase. The final product was a work of art—a sentimental remembrance of the wedding day, filled to the brim with blessings and good thoughts.
Enjoy some of the visual gifts of the de Seversky Mansion and this charming winter holiday wedding in the video below.
Photo Above from de Seversky Mansion website.