Alyssa + Erich | Sentimental Lake Wedding

There were two things that were very important to Alyssa and Erich when planning their wedding at Lake Mohawk Country Club, and that was incorporating family elements and getting married by a lake. As you’ll see from the details and stunning photos, they did just that and had a wonderful event in the process.

“We chose a venue that was right on the water because Erich and I both spent every summer of our childhoods on the water—him at the ocean and me at a lake. To us, water symbolizes family time, so it was important to incorporate that into our day.” And not just family time was symbolized, but actual family photos, as well as other heirlooms, “and traditions from both sides, and weaving those throughout the whole day [was very important to us]” Alyssa explains.

For colors, Alyssa and Erich used light blues, grays, greens, and white, “to make sure that the environment just highlighted the beautiful backdrop of the lake instead of outshining it.” They felt that by keeping the color palette in pale, clean colors, there would be full attention on the lake. “We wanted to enhance it instead of overshadowing it,” says Alyssa.

For floral décor, the couple did what we so often suggest couples do. They chose blooms they love that are still cost-effective, choosing flowers that are in season when you are getting married. “We actually chose our flowers based on what was in bloom at the time. It enhanced the fresh, beginning-of-summer feeling that comes with the start of June. We chose a lot of delphinium, ranunculus, peonies, dusty miller, and greenery to highlight our colors.” Alyssa made one exception to these in her bouquet choice, “My bouquet was the only outlier as it was comprised of orchids. I always found orchids to be clean and classic, and knew I wanted to incorporate them somewhere special!”

The result was beautiful floral décor that was unique yet timeless for this lake wedding. “One aspect that was unexpected, but perfect, were the cherry trees that our florist incorporated into some of the tables in the ballroom. Originally, I was not sure that I wanted them, but my mother-in-law convinced me to go for it. They ended up making the room feel magical, and the cherry blossoms helped us incorporate a little bit of D.C. [where we live] into our day.”

The couple’s attempt to create a relaxed, classic, and warm environment was a success. As the bride states, it was, “A total blast. The ceremony was extremely personal. It pulled in a lot of elements from both of our families and traditions.” Alyssa is Jewish and Erich is not, but both of their families and cultures were celebrated. One of the many personal elements was their chuppah, their Jewish marriage canopy. It was made from both the tallis that Alyssa wore for her Bat Mitzvah and a piece of fabric from Erich’s grandmother’s wedding dress. Other elements such as the kiddish cup and garter were passed down in their family and had deep historical and sentimental significance.

Even the cake had a personal element, “Our cake topper was from my grandparent’s wedding in 1950. I grew up looking at it displayed in their china cabinet, and always thought it was so special that they had saved it all these years. When it came time to think about our cake, I knew we had to incorporate it. Somehow our cake decoration got lost in translation, and the flowers that we had for it never got put on the cake. But it ended up just directing all the attention to the topper, so it worked out!” A great example of how even if things don’t go perfectly, they often wind up even better.

And much of the jewelry that Alyssa donned was from previous generations in her family. A necklace originally given to her mother from her grandmother proved to be especially sentimental. “My grandmother is no longer with us,” says the bride. “It was special to have something she put so much thought into so close to my heart.”

Clearly, Alyssa and Erich’s union was everything they wanted it to be, “I might be biased, but I think it was the best party I’ve ever been to! Everyone seemed relaxed and ready to dance and that attitude carried right over into the after-party.”

Vendors Cont.  — Bridesmaid Dresses: Watters | Menswear: Jos A Bank

All images by Jaye Kogut Photography