Rehearsal Dinner

Wedding Day

Ceremony

Reception

Brunch

If one shall ask me why I love them; I can say no more than that it is because they are them, and I am me.

Our Wedding

Once Upon a Time

at a Renaissance Faire…

In September 2023, Carlyn’s friends, Will and Emily, insisted on taking Carlyn to the New York Renaissance Faire in Tuxedo Park. Carlyn wasn’t in the mood to go out, let alone be surrounded by crowds. But her friends, with just the right mix of persistence and affection, managed to coax her out of the house, determined to lift her spirits and remind her how to have fun. The multiple cups of ale, also helped.

Elsewhere in the fairegrounds, Justin was arriving with his best friend Tim; invited by their friend Sofie. He, too, hadn’t planned on making much of the outing, but let himself be carried along by the whim of the day.

As the separate groups arrived to the faire and eventually crossed paths, something shifted. A few more drinks were shared, and laughter began to echo more freely. Carlyn and Justin found themselves drawn to one another with a quiet but unmistakable pull.

It wasn’t thought to be much at first, as Carlyn and Justin had already known of one another for a few years. They moved through the same circles, attended the same gatherings, and shared mutual friends. But their previous encounters, conversations, had always been brief and forgettable.

So here they were, at this Renaissance Faire, dressed up, drinking ale, and seeing the other for what felt like the first time. What began as casual conversation quickly turned into something more. There was a spark; genuine and sudden; that neither of them could ignore.

By the time the sun began to set and the day drew to a close, both Carlyn and Justin were asking their friends the same question: “Should I ask them out?” And to no one’s surprise, these friends all answered with a resounding, “NO!”

Luckily, Carlyn and Justin had never been the best at taking advice.

Our Story

Photos

The Bridal Party

Sara

Carlyn’s 2nd built in bestie since ‘99

Annaliese

Jamie

The Bridesmaids

The Best Men

Greg

The Groomsmen

Blank

American Hotel

The Radisson Hotel

4 minute drive from the venue. There is no official room block here.

Red Roof Inn

Accommodations

Things to Do

Our Registry

Carlyn’s Wish After Meeting Justin

I have been here once before, some place similar at least. The place you go to when you feel for someone with an intensity, that you fail to find the words to properly describe it. Feeling as though your heart may literally burst. And no matter what, you can't get them out of your head. It’s as if a storm of anxiety has washed over you as countless scenarios play through your head. I know a storm like that all too well, but this current storm feels different. This storm isn't a wild tornado of emotions and fantasy. This storm is a calm light breeze brushing against my skin. A breeze so gentle and perfectly tempered that it keeps me cool enough so I may never get too hot; yet never left in the cold to catch a chill. I feel the light breeze of his embrace grace over me as I watch bright clouds of promise and hope glide over every moment. The rain of this storm isn’t like the rain that I have known, showers of false intent that pour down onto me for weeks only to follow up with months of drought. This storm only rains when I'm thirsty. The clouds aren't like the ones that I have known, they are not so dark that their gray thick smog blocks the warmth of the sunlight I desperately crave. These clouds only come when I need shade. This time, there is barely a storm,if at all... it is just the calm changing weather of every moment, and I am in bliss. I cannot stop thinking about him. It is not because I have been upended by a storm of obsession, but because I have never felt such a calm, uncomplicated, and comfortable wind. With such ease I can express all of who I am and feel understood. He makes me want to be honest, to not hide behind my thick fortress of falsehoods that i have spent years building up. He hasn't broken down my walls, they simply vanished with a glance of his smile. He hasn't pressed me to share, he hasn't pried, he hasn't needed to because the moment he made himself clear all of my barriers turned to dust... no… maybe not dust….. but sand. Sand soft like flour. Sand that he walked slowly and softly across barefoot, baring his own scars and embracing mine as he approached me. As he approached the most vulnerable parts of me. As I embraced the most vulnerable parts of him. With him I have needed no mask, no performance, no makeup. I have only needed me... plain, raw, and honest. He has seen more parts of me in few moments than most have in years. And maybe he does not yet know all of me, but damn… do I want to continue to ride this storm and see where it takes me.

Carlyn & Justin

Carlyn & Justin

C&J

Wedding Day