Brooke & Pete’s Garden Wedding

16 Friday Nov 2012

Posted by melissaoconnor in Real Weddings, Weddings

Tags

Beamin Sounds, botanical garden, buffalo, Buffalo & Erie County Botanical Gardens, Chef Avi, etsy, flowers, garden wedding, Heather Boyd, Karol Kirberger, Maureens Buffalo Wholesale, music, nature, new york, NY Bride, Obviously Avi Catering, Susan Deborah Bridal, The Wedding Agent, Vasili, weddings, Wild Things, Zilly Cakes

Brooke & Pete Densing wanted to create a wedding that was fun, nature inspired and one that supported their community. Living in Buffalo, New York gave them such a sense of unity among their neighbors they felt it was necessary to feature the city they loved so much. Despite living a good distance from friends and family, planning their big day was a joint effort and the fact they have similar tastes and style made it much easier to accomplish.

Together for a number of years, these two lovebirds went through a lot in their relationship. Relocating to Buffalo and purchasing their first home was the last goal they checked off the list before the wedding. And having accomplished all they have is something to be proud of. Sadly, both have lost a parent who could not share this exciting time with them. With Brooke losing her father at the age of 13 and Pete losing his mother at 19, it was hard to imagine celebrating such an important occasion without them. However, with the support from everyone around them, they continued on their emotional journey.

The events leading up to the wedding were really special for both Brooke and Pete. The bridal shower was hosted by Brooke’s lovely bridal party, her mother and Aunt Ruth and held at her aunt’s house where the bride spent many years of her life growing up. This made is more personal and meaningful. Brooke was also lucky to not have one but two bachelorette parties in both Long Island and Buffalo. Having a great night out on the town with the girls for each was certainly a good time.

Pete and his groomsmen, along with a few other good friends, spent a weekend in Buffalo hanging out and having guy time. Since he doesn’t get to see them that often it was really cool to spend time with them all at once. Their rehearsal dinner was at Cozumel Grill which served a buffet style meal so everyone could enjoy each other’s company.

The process of their wedding wasn’t complicated or hectic. From finding her gown at the bridal shop her sister-in-law went to and picking the bridesmaids dresses to figuring out who to hire for the catering and photography, they made their final choices with ease. Once the dresses were chosen, the wedding colors were picked and everything pretty much slid into place nicely after that. Knowing they wanted to find everything local definitely helped as well.

August 21, 2010, the big day was finally here! Since their ceremony started at 6pm, everyone had plenty of time to get ready. The event was held at the Buffalo & Erie County Botanical Gardens. Falling in love with the gardens made their choice much easier. With both of them big nature lovers and Pete a vegetarian, having their wedding in a place that was connected to the Earth was important. Having had the honor to attend their wedding, I can personally say, the venue was gorgeous.

Before the ceremony, the bride and groom decided to have a first look shoot. Brooke met Pete in the gardens with a smile which he happily returned.

Everyone was seated and the officiant, the father of Brooke’s close friend, was ready to start the ceremony. As the bridal party walked down the aisle to Coldplay’s Til Kingdom Come, Pete stood patiently with his best man and brother as he awaited his bride to be. The bridesmaids all wore champagne cocktail dresses by Priscilla of Boston and held Gerber daisy bouquets while the groomsmen, as well as the groom, wore suits from Mens Warehouse along with a classic on their feet, Converse.

Finally it was time for Brooke to make her entrance. With her older brother Colin by her side, she walked toward her husband to be with glee. Her face was priceless. As My Favorite Smile played into the air, a song written by the groom, the birds chirped and the butterflies joined in the garden. As soon as the ceremony began, it seemed as if their lost loved ones were watching over them as they become husband and wife.

With a bouquet full of Calla Lillies, which had a photo of her father attached, and in a strapless lace gown, the bride looked stunning as her Grandmother’s pearls gleamed and handmade headpiece sparkled. Included in the ceremony was unity sand that was a combination of sand from the beaches of Long Island and Buffalo, which Brooke’s mother and Pete’s aunt joined to unify their new home town. And as soon as we knew it, they were married!

After some time to congratulate the newlyweds, the event was taken indoors in the main space for cocktail hour. Choosing to have this extended, they featured lots of yummy vegan/vegetarian eats and their signature cocktail was Peach Champagne. Chef Avi from Obviously Avi Catering created all the delicious food for the night. Besides his fun personality and full support through all the planning, the couple really loved how he donated leftover food to a local youth shelter.

Dinner was buffet style in the dining room where the bride and groom decided to not have a seating plan in hopes everyone would mingle and get to know each other. The tables were adorned with birdcages wrapped in little wreaths that Brooke and her bridesmaids put together. They also made 1000 origami cranes with her Mom, cousin and best friend to scatter along the tables which represented health and happiness.

Once the dinner hour was done it was time to party. The music was provided by Beamin Sounds and was a mix of songs the couple grew up with as well as ones that influenced their relationship while they were together. Since Pete is a musician this was the one area he was most involved in. He and Brooke made sure the DJ didn’t include group dances and that the music was nonstop without him being on the microphone the whole night.

The toasts were lovely and the cake, made by Zilly Cakes, brought color and whimsy to the room. It’s ombre blue design, cascading stars and hand painted trees represented how much they love nature and tied into their garden theme nicely. It also featured hand painted butterflies on each tier and was made in an almond flavor with homemade raspberry jam and cream cheese frosting. Because fondant isn’t vegan the couple chose not to use it. To top it off, a small tandem bike with their names in the wheel stole the show. Bought from Etsy and made with one continuous wire, it represented the couple’s love for bike riding as well as their endless love for each other.

The first dance was one to remember. The couple’s song was an easy one to choose. It has been their song for the whole 9 years they were together and truly felt it was special. So they graciously danced, hand in hand, to Passenger Seat by Death Cab for Cutie. It was surely a precious moment to be in. To realize that all those years simply led up to this magical moment where the two of them would be surrounded by people who love them as they enjoy being husband and wife.

In honor of his mother, Pete’s aunt Patty joined him on the floor to Landslide by Fleedwood Mac, a favorite of his mother’s as well as his aunt’s. Brooke was led to the floor by her brother Colin and danced away to Guster’s Come Downstairs and Say Hello, his favorite song. The lyrics in the song also references the Wizard of Oz which is the bride’s favorite movie of all time.

The evening was filled with love, laughter and great people. The newlyweds couldn’t ask for anything more. As their guests left the event, they were gifted with a bottle of hot sauce the couple created themselves with Chef Avi. It is known that Pete’s family loves hot sauce and both him and Brooke love it as well. Pete has about 30 bottles in his collection! Chef Avi bottled them all up and adorned each with a custom label Brooke and Pete designed along with another flavor he made just for them.

All the beautiful photographs were taken by Vasili who also filmed their wedding video. Brooke’s brother has used him and his crew for his wedding and since they did such a great job on their video Brooke and Pete hired them as well. It just so happened that Vasili was breaking into photography as well so they had decided to give him the whole event. You can view their wedding video on Vimeo. I highly suggest you take some time to watch it because it’s seriously awesome, just like a movie. I have to say it brought happy tears to my face all over again.

And the two lived happily ever after in their home in Buffalo which they share with their dog Odie and cat Boomer.

Wedding Details:
Venue: Buffalo & Erie County Botanical Gardens
Catering: Obviously Avi Catering – Chef Avi
Wedding Cake: Zilly Cakes
Wedding Cake Topper: Heather Boyd
Music: Beamin Sounds
Videographer & Photography: Vasili
Invitations & Thank You’s: The Wedding Agent
Bridal Gown: NY Bride
Bridal Party Dresses: Susan Deborah Bridal
Brides Jewelry: Wild Things
Bridal Party Jewelry: Wild Things – Karol Kirberger
Flowers: Maureens Buffalo Wholesale

Historic Series: Seaview Hospital

14 Wednesday Nov 2012

Posted by melissaoconnor in Historic Places

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Tags

abandoned places, brielle ave, Charles Schmidt, children's hospital, Colonial Revival style, Dr. Edward Robitzek, Dr. Irving Selikoff, graffiti, historic, hospital, laboratory, nature, new york, New York City Farm Colony, photography, sanatorium, sanitorium, Seaview Hospital, Spanish Mission, staten island, Staten Island Greenbelt, tuberculosis

I have been exploring buildings of the past since I was a kid. It all started with my friend Henry the time we went to an old orphanage in Elizabeth, NJ. From then on I was hooked. When I first met Dan, my now husband, I was happy to know we shared a love for abandoned places. In the beginning of our relationship we ventured out to a few. The first one was an old school in Suffolk County, which was interesting. After that I wanted to take him to a place I once visited but really wanted to see again, Seaview Hospital.

September 1, 2008, we took the drive to Staten Island during the day so we could get some good time in to see the property. There are various buildings that lie within the gates of the hospital and when its dark it’s totally creepy. That was my mistake the first time. So once we got there and crawled through the hole in the fence, our journey began.

The complex, built between 1913 and 1938 and was created to treat tuberculosis. With a beginning budget of 1 million, it was the largest facility in the country at the time, ending at about 4 million in contributing funds. Back then they thought the best cure was fresh air, rest, sunshine and a healthy diet. Because the center was somewhat rural, this was a perfect place. It was built on the former estate of Charles Schmidt along the East side of Brielle Avenue and most of the 37 contributing buildings are of Spanish Mission and Colonial Revival style.

In 1915 it was expanded to another 2.5 acres and the sanatorium was completed in 1917. Eleven years later, the chapel was constructed as well as a new laboratory and in 1938 they added the children’s hospital.

Thanks to the contributing work and trials of Dr. Edward Robitzek and Dr. Irving Selikoff at the hospital, a cure was found about 39 years later. However, the facility was pretty much shut down and just left there. It was named part of the Staten Island Greenbelt as well as part of the historic district. Today, a new Seaview still stands using some of the functioning buildings as well as new buildings that were created in 1973. These replaced some of the original structures.

Behind the historic Seaview is the histortic New York City Farm Colony which was founded in 1829 to house the poor. They were asked to work on the farm as payment. It had numerous dormitories, a dining hall and kitchen, laundry building, nurses’ residence, an insane pavilion and morgue. These buildings were built between 1829 and the 1930s. The farm was very successful in bringing fresh food to the area. In 1912, it is reported that $22,887 was the value of its crops.

This time around I really enjoyed my visit to this place of the past. There are a number of abandoned structures so we were plenty busy exploring the grounds. We didn’t see the functioning buildings because losing light was not an option. I wanted to get as many photos as I could. Although covered in graffiti and wreckage, Seaview Hospital is definitely a place to check out.

It wasn’t that creepy being there during the day but there is surely a haunting feeling that resonates throughout the grounds. Especially when you enter underground and explore the basements. It’s very damp and cold. I always wonder what it would be like to have lived there when it was up and running. It is said to be one of the greatest treatment centers in the area. I think its great the doctors and staff were able to help thousands of people.

Maybe these buildings will stand forever, even know most are crumbling down. It seems as though they are just left to depreciate and age and with so much land just going to waste, why not explore Seaview while you can. I would recommend you wear the proper clothing and bring a small bag of items like water, flashlights and even a first aid kit. You can seriously get hurt out there so be prepared. Other than that, have fun exploring!

Interview with Artist & Musician Reinder Oldenburger

09 Friday Nov 2012

Posted by melissaoconnor in Art & Design, Featured Artists

≈ 2 Comments

Tags

andy warhol, art, canvas, color, conservatory of amsterdam, countryside, de kooning, dutch, fine arts, fryslan, greetings cards, guitar, hurricane sandy, karel appel, matisse, music, netherlands, new york, owl, painting, picasso, playful, red cross, Reinder Oldenburger, ryan oldcastle, rythm, songwriting, structure, Van Gogh

My first impression of Reinder Oldenburger was definitely a good one, as he seemed laid back, kind and very sweet. Off the bat you can tell he was artistic, which he totally is, and he looked quite handsome that one winter day. You see I met him and my friend Jen in NYC to take photos of their wedding at city hall. It was such an honor to capture their special day.

Photo Credit: Jen Lombardo

Since that day, I have kept up with what Reinder has been creating and I have to say, I am impressed. Not only can he write and play music but he paints as well. Born in the Netherlands, he started playing guitar at 13 and then later moved to attend the Conservatory of Amsterdam. The artist, 28, now resides in Queens with his wife and fabulous makeup artist, Jen Lombardo.

Owl

Color plays a big part in his art as well as his music. In 2011, he decided to start putting his thoughts on canvas and through this has become a self taught fine artist with clear intention and abstract vision, one held by the great expressionists that have truly influenced him. His work is playful, raw and childlike with a touch of maturity and sensibility. It’s amazing he has only been painting for about a year.

I asked Reinder if he would do an interview with me for the blog and he kindly said yes. I am very happy to share the Q and A we had so you can learn a little more about this unique young man too.

What would you consider your first love, music or art? And why?
I started playing guitar in 1997 when I was 13. I took lessons and started playing in some local bands and eventually moved to Amsterdam to study music at the Conservatory of Amsterdam. I didn’t start painting until much later in 2011 after a visit to the van Gogh museum so it’s safe to say music was my first love.

How do you feel art and music/songwriting influence each other in your life?
I think they are essentially the same. They both have rhythm, color, and structure. I get inspired to paint a picture from listening to music and vice versa.

Andy Warhol

What is it that draws you to use vibrant colors in your paintings?
I think they’re just mesmerizing! Some of my favorites are cadmium yellow, naphthol red and azure blue. They’re so powerful I find it hard not to look at them.

Untitled

How do you feel your upbringing and surroundings have influenced your artistic vision and what experiences have influenced you the most?
I grew up in a generation without cell phones and social media. There was less distraction and more time to use the imagination. I’ve had a very free and untroubled childhood growing up on the Dutch countryside. The skies are amazing over there! The Dutch landscapes are a painter’s dream and I definitely believe that has influenced my perception of space and color.

Where do you look for inspiration?
Most of the time inspiration comes as I’m working. Music and books are some of my favorite sources. I believe that everything I see, hear and experience influences and inspires me when the time is right.

Explain your artistic process when starting to work on a painting.
A blank canvas can be very intimidating. It’s all about being open and fearless, adding and taking away. Every brush stroke leads to another. I often have no idea where I’m going. I basically start building on a simple idea and let the current take me to unknown waters. When I paint I like to listen to loud music and drink lots of coffee.

Untitled

Is it ever hard to part with a painting when it’s sold?
For me it’s all in the process of creating. I’ll give it everything and when I’m done with a painting I’m ready to part with it.

Who are your favorite artists and why?
Picasso, Matisse, de Kooning, Karel Appel, and van Gogh are some of my favorites. Mostly because of their incredible use of color.

Vincent van Gogh

{To learn more about Reinder, you can visit him at reinderoldnburger.com and ryan oldcastle.com. You can purchase his paintings in his Etsy shop. Also currently for sale are limited greeting card boxed sets featuring 8 paintings from his 2012 work which you can buy for $20. He is kindly donating 25% of the profits to the Red Cross to help Hurricane Sandy victims.}

Historic Series: Reverend Prime House

05 Monday Nov 2012

Posted by melissaoconnor in Historic Places

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Tags

american revolution, Ebenezer Prime, england, historic, history, huntington, long island, new york, religion, Reverend Prime House

Still standing at 18 Spring Road in Huntington, Reverend Ebenezer Prime’s second home was his sanctuary during the later years of his life. Originally, the house faced the south but after several generations, new owners turned the main entrance facing west.

The home has the usual colonial style clapboard structure of that time. Its geometric design somewhat resembles the Prime House down the street with the placement of its windows. The main entrance also features two vintage porch lights that seem to be true to the house. Although, the home looks updated, there is a clear history to the structure that one cannot miss.

Ebenezer Prime was born in 1700 in Connecticut. He graduated from Yale College when he was 18, came to Huntington in 1719, and was ordained on June 5, 1723. He was an understanding minister and allowed even non-Christians to receive the sacraments. Prime baptized every child born during that time within three days of birth.

His home fell victim to the British during the American Revolution with the house seized and the library destroyed. This library was of great importance because the town commissioned him in 1759 to purchase books and keep them as a collection. There were imports from England as well as Greek and Latin versions of text.

The townspeople were allowed to borrow the books for a certain amount of time but had to pay fines when they were late or damaged. Eventually all 155 books in the collection were of religious text and none were fiction. Known as the Library Keeper, Prime led the way for the library’s 39 members until 1768 when it ended.

The Rev. Prime married three times, all within a 13 year-period, with each marriage ending in the death of his wife. His only son to live up to adulthood was Benjamin Youngs Prime, who later became a doctor in New York City and also practiced in Huntington where he met his future wife, Mary Wheelwright Greaton. They had five children.

Although the Rev. Prime died in 1779, his memories are clearly noticed throughout his home and the town church. He had a number of published texts that are well preserved.