A Wedding In Pearl River, NY

Room 505's where it's at!

A few weekends ago the hubby and I drove, yes drove, 7.5 hours to Pearl River, NY for a wedding - he was one of the groomsmen. Pearl River is a super cute town northwest of NYC, just over the border of New Jersey. In fact, I found out about three hours into the drive that the wedding wasn't in New Jersey as I had originally assumed. I should really pay more attention to detail. Especially when it involves traveling.

The best pic I could get of the groomsmen

The drive was mostly uneventful and so much more relaxing than flying. Plus it took about as much time as flying would have given the advanced arrival, flight time, rental car pick up, etc. It really made me wish my mom was just a 7.5 hour drive away. Even though it's still far, that would make traveling to see her so much easier and more relaxing.

The gorgeous Pearl River Hilton

Anyway, we stayed at the Pearl River Hilton, which felt like a French chateau. Classy and gorgeous. There were several other events there that weekend, including two weddings, so it seems to be a pretty popular place. On Saturday, while the boys were doing wedding stuff, I walked all over the "grounds" and took some pics.

Loved the Chuppah

The traditional Jewish wedding was by candle light and included some welcome modern touches, especially when it came to the music. The hubby loved that he walked down the isle to an instrumental Jimmy Buffett song.

Breaking the glass

I'm getting better at the father-daughter dance. The first wedding after my dad died I pretty much stole the show during that dance as I cried uncontrollably. It especially bothers me that I can't really remember that much of my own father-daughter dance. I was so nervous. I just remember telling him to go slower. Apparently he was nervous too because he was practically speed dancing across that floor.

My hubby walking down the isle...
with someone else! Rude. I gave
him a hard time.

I had to sit out the second to last song, Only The Good Die Young, for obvious reasons. While it's so true, it is also the song my husband, brother and I heard on the radio when we were driving from DIA to my parents' house the day after my dad died. Part of me always feels like I should rock out to that song in tribute, but the other part of me knows that I look like an idiot when I'm balling during rock and roll. Haha.

Bottom line: I am getting so much better!

The center pieces were gorge!
Love when they're tall enough
that you can see under them.

On to the food. Ah-maxing. I was full by the end of the cocktail hour. They served made-to-order fajitas, a carving station with beef and rack-of-lamb, an Italian selection with sautéed shrimp, ravioli, and eggplant, and my personal favorite, a sushi and sashimi bar. Unlike your typical mass-produced sushi, this stuff was great. I could tell that my hubby had already had a few drinks because he bypassed all that for four, yes four, hot dogs from their dogs and burgers stand. Apparently they were minis, but still. He's got a thing or two to learn about how to work a "buffet".

Love

Then there was dinner, which I couldn't finish on account of the cocktail hour. I was most impressed by the mini ice cream cones they passed out as we danced. Clearly. I loved them enough to run back to our table and snap a pick. LOVE! Follow that up by an individual dessert plate witn a molten chocolate mini cake, ice cream in a chocolate bowl, and fruit atop a pile of whipped cream. Oh, and don't forget the wedding cake. Let's just say I haven't eaten since.











The whole weekend made me want to take more driving trips. I'm in luck because we'll soon be driving to South Carolina, with the in-laws no less!!! Stay tuned.

The color scheme was white, off white and tan. Classic.