Church of Ancient Ways Blog

This is a question that has come up often as of late and what a great idea it is! The first time one of my ceremonies was webcast was three years ago, from a little Manhattan apartment. There was a laptop with a webcam, 5 or 6 guests, and the Groom's family watching in Peru. I am sure they were excited! But it was also exciting to see them all in the screen of the lap top as they crowded around. There is truly something magical in the way that seeing how happy other's are for us increases our own joy.

There have been a few times in between, but the most recent occasion was on Valentines day. This was a professional production, with multiple cameras, done by a company called "mogulus" It went out live on the day and is now on my website to browse by segment or watch start to finish.

http://www.churchofancientways.org/video.html

Even with everything going on with the economy, I can't help but marvel at what a wonderful day and age it is to be alive!

Wishing you all happy planning!

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Ok so I promised to keep you all in the loop every time I saw a great idea, and this one we can just call the "Family Treatment". I was at deSeversky and Brian from Petals was the brother of the bride, so naturally her flowers were amazing. But check this out, after the guests were seated and before the processional they removed the top layer of the runner! There were 2 on top of each other. Now, in February who has clean shoes? But the bottom runner was perfect and no messing with pulling it after the processional!

Brian rocks!

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Ok this is it! The new pages are done and the 2009 Valentines Day weddings are up with thank you notes, newspaper articles, ceremony portions and pictures. Eventually they'll all have a video sample too, but not this week.

http://www.churchofancientways.org/ESB.html

There are also links to find out how you can be a 2010 Empire State Building contest winner!

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So Valentines day I was a rotten woman. I worked all day and my man was absolutely wonderful about it. He came in to the city with me early on Friday, we took a walk in Central Park, past all those great classic NY views. Then we had lunch at the Boathouse. Ladies, they have the best crab cakes I have ever had in my life and I am no slouch when it comes to food! He got us a suite at the The Fitzpatrick Manhattan on Lexington

http://www.fitzpatrickhotels.com/manhattan/index.php

This place is awesome! It is a small hotel with an Irish Pub downstairs, full room service menu, beautiful rooms and a mattress that I think I need to go buy myself one of.

This is the other hotel but the room in this photo is exactly like ours

http://www.fitzpatrickhotels.com/grandcentral/room_suite.php

The staff was helpful and friendly (even at 5:30 am as I left for my 7am ceremony) One of the reasons I thought to mention it here on LIW is for destination weddings. Everyone hopes to be in the Park but it does rain occasionally and invoking Murphy's Law in reverse means that if you have a plan B it will be a beautiful day! With that said there was a great little room off the lobby with a fireplace that would be perfect for a small ceremony.

They also have a Grand Central location.

http://www.fitzpatrickhotels.com/grandcentral/index.php

same fabulous deluxe accommodations and full array of amenities offered at the lex location, but right around the corner from Grand Central Station. For cold or inclement weather I highly recommend Grand Central for photos and ceremony and the Fitzpatrick for you and your guests.

Not from out of town? No destination wedding for you?

Me neither but John and i LOVED our stay there and are planning our next romantic city adventure to include the Fitzpatrick Grand Central.

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I know many LIW Brides are going to be the wives of those who serve and protect the public good. Fire and Police families hold a special place in all our hearts because you risk the most precious thing you have in this world every day, trusting that they will be protected as the serve a greater good.

I thought this reading might be something someone would like to see. It was given to my friend Humanist Celebrant Eileen Regan, from one of her Valentines Day couples.

"A Fire Wife's Prayer"

Heavenly Father,
I'm asking you to send your angels today
To protect my firefighter husband
in a very special way
I ask you to guide his thoughts and actions
and keep him free from fear
To bring him home safely again
to those who hold him precious and dear
Please show me the way
to let him know I¡¦m proud to be his wife
I thank you Lord for giving me this man
with whom I share my life
To keep those you love safe from harm
is a goal that you share
I pray that as he follows in your ways
you hold him in your care
Oh Lord, we thank you
for the union of hearts of our dear"

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I know many Brides who do not want to get married at their reception hall have difficulty finding a ceremony only location. So here are some of my favorites!

Gardens & Museums:

Coe Hall & The Planting Fields - Oyster Bay -They have outdoor and inside the mansion options

Bailey Arboretum - Lattingtown - They have a great outdoor setting, but for smaller indoor ceremonies the mansion has a terrific room with a fire place.

Bayard Cutting Arboretum - Oakdale - There is a little cafe that operates when the museum is open and the lawn behind it with a spectacular water view is where the ceremony is usually held.

Westbury Gardens - Old Westbury - They have a special spot which they offer to tent to protect from rain and sun. I don't believe there is an indoor option here.

Nassau County Museum of Art - Roslyn - A great site, with formal gardens including one with a huge Victorian iron work to frame the ceremony.

Queens & Brooklyn Botanical Gardens - Brooklyn has many locations they hold ceremonies in, Queens has the Rose Garden. One of my couples was so enamoured by this place they went for weekend after weekend watching the other couples, waiting for it to be their turn.

Fire Island Lighthouse - Great for that beach feel but still have grandma walk on a regular surface. Last weekend I had a ceremony at the top, but most couples choose either the front or rear patio depending on the view.

Gazebos

Argyle Gazebo - This is a Babylon Village location so it's Village Hall not Town Hall to get a permit. On the bright side it is only $100 and there is bench seating provided.

Garden City Gazebo - Right by the Garden City Hotel and Garden City Fire House, this structure is fairly large with good landscaping but bring some chairs for the older folks.

Northport Harbor Band Shell or Gazebo - In the beautiful and historic town of Northport is a park on the harbor. There are more than one structure there to choose from and even a little dock that goes out into the water. Northport has it's own police force so if you have more than 2 witnesses you will want to look into getting a permit from the Village Hall.

Morgan's Park Gazebo in Glen Cove - I have never been here myself but it is located at the mouth of Hempstead Harbor and I hear it's large and beautiful. From the photos I have found it looks more like an uncovered band shell with a panoramic view of the harbor behind. There may be another covered structure in the park (just in case) but a look see maght be worth while!

Oyster Bay Gazebo - Audrey Ave right by Town Hall. Very nice and well maintained structure, not huge but not small either. It is used by the Town of Oyster Bay for events and speeches.

Wantagh Park Gazebo - When you enter the park you will go all the way down to where the parking ends and look past the pool area to the left. There it sits, with a great view of the water and reeds. This isn't much in the way of shelter for more than 6 people, but if you want to be at it's entrance with your guests outside to watch.... This may be the place for you!

Chapels:

Historical Chapel - Woodbury - The building comes with an officiant, and organist, but you can bring your own

CW Post Interfaith Chapel - This I don't know much about but my first ceremony there will be so I am planning on updating this blog when I go. All the reviews have been very positive for smaller weddings.

St Johnland Chapel - Kings Park on the property of St. Johnland Rehabilitation Center - This is a Great Church Building in a park like setting. If you are having a problem finding a location and you want a church - go see this venue. They don't host too many weddings and it is sometimes hard to find someone for information but it IS worth the effort.

The Islip Grange - Sayville - This is a "Little House on the Prairie" Style chapel. Very small, very cute, VERY CHEAP. It's $275.00 for non - Islip residents, but you get $100 back if they don't have to hire anyone to clean up after you. Islip residents it's $100 less.

Bating Hollow Congregational Church - Bating Hollow - They are actually now one of Georgio's house vendors. It's a great little building, with or without a minister. I have found "Congregational" Churches more willing to rent space as they are self supporting.

Hunting Unitarian Universalist Fellowship - This looks like a castle from the outside but inside is modern. There are UUF's all over Long Island and to the best of my knowledge all will rent space.

Old Whaler’s Church, 44 Union Street, Sag Harbor. What a great old church! It holds 600 guests, the fee is reasonable, and if you were not thinking of a big reception they have a room downstairs that can also be rented..

That's the best I can do for now, but I will update as I get new locations!

Happy Planning!

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This was written for one of the Empire State Building's Valentines Day couples. The boys are 4 & 6 so it is written to be age apprporiate in addressing them and can be adjusted for older children.

~ New Sibling Vows ~

“Gabriel and Evan, you have always been the most important part of your dad and mom‘s life, and they are so proud of you both. Today they are making a promise to one another. It is a promise that what ever may happen, good or bad, that they will always be there for one another. This promise is also a promise to you. You are already a family. They love you with all their hearts, and no matter how big you get or where life takes you, they want you to know that that‘s forever.

Have either of you ever been married before?

I‘m going to ask you a very important question now…..

Gabriel, do you take Evan to be your brother?”

Gabriel: “Yes.”

Evan, do you take Gabriel to be your brother?”

Evan: “Yes.”

“From today on you are officially brothers.
May you grow together, play together, share your mom and dad freely with one another, and may God bless your family always.”

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Every year the Empire State Building and brides.com hold a contest where people from all over the world write in to say why they should be chosen to get married at the top on Valentines Day.

There are movies that attached the idea of romance to this great American landmark and made the idea of meeting / marrying there popular. "An Affair to Remember" with Carry Grant and Debora Kerr and of course, more recently, Meg Ryan and Tom Hanks in "When Harry Met Sally" are the first to come to mind.

There is a design team that turns a floor of what was once office space into a fantasy-land of hair / make-up room, boudoir, family lounge and a spectacular chapel in the clouds.

14 couples are chosen every year and last year was the first time I had the honor of officiating. This year I will be doing the first 12 and Brooklyn based wedding officiant Eileen Regan will be finishing up the day.

There are military couples, people flying in from all over the world, the first commitment ceremony at the ESB, a 30 year renewal, and a couple from Selden who I am so happy for. They had wanted to do the rose ceremony (roses presented to the mothers) Unfortunately, the Bride found out that her mom was unable to get a visa to come to the wedding. As it turns out every cloud has a silver lining! Brides.com is going to have a webcast all day long of all 14 weddings! Her mom will get to see her daughter be married!We will be including the Roses to the Mothers with the Grooms accepting for both.

Here is a link to where the video will be starting at 7am:

http://www.brides.com/blog/weddedbits/102/2009/01/4647/valentines_day_weddings.html

It is a great project to be involved with and I am so excited about this years couples.

On a humorous personal note: It wasn't until my grandmother saw me on the news at this event last year that she finally understood what I do for a living... LOL! Being a good Irish Catholic, and me being a woman who was raised RC, she insisted for years that I was a planner...

Wishing all of you the Happiest of Valentines Days and happy planning!

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Who doesn't love Chocolate?

I have always been a huge fan of edible favors but what a nice surprise it was when I got in my car to go home from a wedding on Saturday and the Bride and Groom had the valet place a little box with 2 truffles on the dash!

It had a little "Thanx for sharing in our day" note and I just thought it was a great idea.

One more, wow and awwww for the ride home!

You Long Island Brides are the best!

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I am so excited!

I spent the last 3 days building a new video page on my website. Thanks to Pat and Dan from Golden Moments, and Jack and Tim from A Beautiful Day - both LIW vendors - it looks awesome!

http://www.churchofancientways.org/video.html

There are just 2 videos there but it links to my Youtube page

http://www.youtube.com/user/PastorAprilGismondi

There are 17 videos there. I have samples of the Unity Candle, the Hand Ceremony, Personal Sections, Prayers, Readings, Vows, and more. There are also 2 in my favorites. The first is LIW bride lucamon's Grand Central Station / 3 West Club wedding. (I gave you all the stars I could! You looked great!) The second is bagpiper Darius Kaufmann playing "Amazing Grace" on Good Morning America.

I am just bubbling over i am so happy with how it came out!

Thanks for listening! I now return you to your regularly scheduled chat time!

L&L, April

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