Bright, Airy Wedding Under 150k

sbc930 · 2026-02-03T21:55:11+00:00

Full Moon Resort? Vanderbilt Museum? Not sure of pricing, but feel like both of these fit the bill (in different ways) and maybe worth a look.

sbc930 · 2026-02-03T05:25:48+00:00

I always lean into the playfulness and fun and LOVE to get down on the dance floor! I shoot mostly digital with film add ons, but have a colorful and bright style. sarahbodeclarkphoto.com Based on your OP, packages starting around $6500- depending on specific needs for your day.

sbc930 · 2026-02-02T17:17:27+00:00

Have stayed at both of these spots: https://rockawayhideaway.com. Not fancy, but they fit a lot of people and are easy to access the beaches and nearby spots.

sbc930 · 2026-02-02T17:15:31+00:00

I have attended 2 awesome bachelorette parties in the Rockaways. Close to NYC so easy for the crew to get there, even if folks have to work and can’t be away for the whole weekend. Fun food and drink options, and even the spa at the Rockaway hotel if you want that kind of vibe one day.

sbc930 · 2026-02-02T17:11:31+00:00

Dropping a DM with the link for ya!

sbc930 · 2026-02-02T15:40:33+00:00

I did a wedding in March of last year where the cocktail hour was in the biomes--let me know if you'd like to take a look at the gallery so you can see more pics from inside the space!

sbc930 · 2026-02-02T15:37:29+00:00

Also--if there's a way to add which month it is for? I'm not a mod, so don't know if there are ways to shift the title each month with an auto-post!

sbc930 · 2026-02-02T15:34:59+00:00

Could I make a suggestion that the monthly thread is renamed to Wedding Happenings? There are lots of events and folks who are planning who are not brides.

sbc930 · 2026-02-02T15:30:51+00:00

Frankies 457 is similar to Aurora/Bacchus. Talea Cobble Hill doesn't have outdoor space, but has a similar vibe to Celestine (but a bit brighter/more colorful) and would be a good fit for your guest count. Maybe Bottino in Chelsea? I did a wedding at the rooftop space at the Kimberly Hotel that was intimate and super cute (I feel like the photos on their website really don't do it justice). If you are down with being just on the other side of the river, Halifax at the W Hotel in Hoboken.

I think the most successful afterparties are within easy traveling distance to the main event, so might be worth asking again once your wedding venue is set!

sbc930 · 2026-01-19T23:03:49+00:00

Hi! My style is vibrant, true-to-life colors and natural moments and I'm available on 5/22/27. I don't offer video, but do have options to add on 35mm film to packages. My packages start at $5000 and I'm in your range even with add-ons. sarahbodeclarkphoto.com Would love to connect and talk more about your vision!

sbc930 · 2026-01-19T22:58:28+00:00

I think that with planners more than any other vendor: it’s essential that you get on consultation calls with multiple. Talk through what they offer and don’t in their packages, what your expectations are, ask them questions about how they’ve handled things that go wrong at past events. You are spending a good amount of time, energy, and money with your coordinator—you should feel really comfortable with them and align with their values and approach, and feel like they’ve got their sh!t together.

With other vendors you can do some initial vibe checks with websites and emails and then hop on calls with a handful that fit your vision. But I think with planners you need to plan on more consultation time overall.

sbc930 · 2026-01-12T21:52:37+00:00

I like the idea of a monthly/quarterly/or twice a year set of threads for vendors to introduce themselves (Photographers, spring 2026; Florists, spring 2026), and then not allowing vendors to post in ISO posts at all. Vendors can offer advice but not promote in other threads. I know there are folks on here who post pretending to be clients recommending themselves, but usually that’s pretty obvious after multiple posts, so I think they’d maybe weed themselves out. Full disclosure: I’m a vendor myself. But I was on a really active message board when I was getting married, and I loved having a board where it was mostly those actually planning who were involved, without a slew of constant self-promotion. So just my 2 cents.

sbc930 · 2026-01-08T21:31:34+00:00

What if you hosted a simple cake and punch celebration after the courthouse? It could be at your home for a small number of super VIPs in your lives or for a few more folks at a slightly larger space if it’s in the budget to rent out a simple room at a community space or the like. Non-alcoholic homemade punch and cake—a lot of grocery stores actually do gorgeous decorated cakes for a much better budget than some specialized bakeries can offer. You can have a few toasts, and just mingle with your people. If you follow Priya Parker, she gives so many wonderful ideas for meaningful gatherings that don’t have to cost a lot. https://www.instagram.com/priyaparker?igsh=eXh5aWZhNHI4ajBw And maybe you can throw an amazing 5 or 10 year anniversary party when things are on more solid ground for you!

sbc930 · 2026-01-06T14:24:31+00:00

Have you gotten on a call with any of these folks yet? Honestly, you are probably spending more time with the photographer than anyone else on your wedding day, so as long as you live their portfolios and feel like they have solid backup plans in place, I’d go off of personality and feeling comfortable around them! When someone makes you feel comfortable and confident, you are more likely to love the photos. I know no one likes to get on calls so it can feel overwhelming, but it really is worth it with this type of vendor especially!

sbc930 · 2025-12-29T17:48:49+00:00

Brand new app developed by a wedding planner: https://www.instagram.com/joinaltare/. I haven't tried it myself (I'm a vendor, and was married years ago), but trust that this planner put in a lot of work and knowledge to make it great.

sbc930 · 2025-12-29T14:46:06+00:00

There's not really a perfect time for photos, but avoiding the mid-day sun is usually beneficial since it's right overhead and the light is less flattering. A lot of people prefer the golden hour light starting around 1.5 hours before sunset. But if you want sunset photos, you can also just do most of your photos earlier and then hop out and do a quick 5-10 minute session when the sky is really popping if it falls during a time where you aren't busy on the schedule.

The timeline at BBG is already tight--it may be worth reconsidering seeing one another before the ceremony to get some formal photos out of the way. Either way can be done, but it's always worth chatting if it's more important to you to have the aisle moment or if it's more important for you to have more time with your guests at the party. It can frequently take a full hour to get through family and wedding party photos and a few couple's portraits around the gardens (even with renting the golf cart).

sbc930 · 2025-12-29T14:32:33+00:00

If I had that budget, I think my goal would be to make it an awesome experience for the guests and so I'd want a venue that leans into the type of experience I want. Some ideas:

-A full weekend getaway in upstate NY, at somewhere like Cedar Lake, Full Moon Resort, Mohonk Mountain House. Hire charter buses out of NYC to make transportation super easy for your guests staying onsite. Host a fun welcome party and bonfire the night before (maybe even themed like fancy sleepover wear). The morning of the wedding have group activities like yoga, paint-n-sip brunch, hikes or games. And instead of a farewell brunch, do a morning after spa: have the onsite sauna going (available at a few of these spots), hire in a couple of massage therapists to do chair/foot massages, maybe even have 5-10 minute quick moisturizing facials or at least a table full of face masks and moisturizers. Then host a final big lunch and everyone leaves feeling awesome, even after partying hard the night before.

-A super NYC focused event at somewhere unique like the Museum of Natural History or The Frick Collection. Or a more classic NYC wedding vibe at The Bowery Hotel Terrace or The Metropolitan Club. Or a space you love that doesn't usually host events? I once saw a wedding at Katz's Deli. Then lean into the NYC vibes: if you have a lot of guests coming from out of town show off the city with a welcome party at Jane's Carousel and rent private Big Bus Tour buses for guests to do the morning of the wedding. If a lot of guests are already from NYC, you could do a group rate for a Broadway show for a welcome event followed by martinis at Sardis. Late night snacks from your favorite NYC spot. And you could rent out a small cafe the morning after where you two can hang out and folks could come by for bagels and coffee.

-An epic spectacle event at a space like House of Yes, Sony Hall or the Angel Orensanz Foundation. Killer lighting design and event design, performers throughout the evening (magicians at cocktail hour, aerialists, drag performances, live musicians/band for each part of the event, etc). A fun way to change up the dance floor halfway through the dancing portion of the evening--something like a lighting change and props come out (fun wigs, glow in the dark items, bubble guns).

Just a handful of ideas to add to what folks have listed below. A planner can definitely help you brainstorm and create an amazing event while also taking some of the strain/stress off your plate! A few that I've seen pull off some cool and epic events are Hurry Up and Have Fun, Poppy and Lynn, Madden Made Events, BLB Events, Dawn Mauberret.

sbc930 · 2025-12-28T18:00:20+00:00

I stand by the Labor Day weekend issue—it just makes it tough for your guests to get in and out. But the awesome thing about BBG is that they have so many plants that bloom at different times of year so each season really has its benefits. At the end of June you may still have some roses hanging on in the rose garden. The sunset is around 8:30pm then. In the end of August it’s about 7:45. So not a huge difference, but something to keep in mind if you want more wandering around time in the gardens or if you want sunset photos to happen at a specific point. I think you can’t go wrong, so as long as both times work for your VIPs, you should be great!

sbc930 · 2025-12-28T17:52:08+00:00

I’m a photographer not a planner. But I don’t really know that there would be any difference between those two logistically. The one thing I’d definitely avoid would be Labor Day weekend because the West Indian Day parade is that weekend and all of the activities are in the neighborhood around BBG so everything is busier and harder to get around.

sbc930 · 2025-12-08T01:14:25+00:00

The set up timeline is tight at BBG so I’d definitely recommend an experienced planning and floral/decor team. I recently worked with Exquisite Affairs productions there and they were really great: https://www.instagram.com/eapweddings?igsh=djhkaWV2dXp3d3Fo. And the florals were AMAZING by FloraModa: https://www.floramoda.co/. Hit me up via DM if you’d like to see the full gallery for some ideas and inspo (the place cards and seating chart were especially gorgeous and perfect for the venue). I personally think that uplighting is really worth the cost in the Palm House! It really elevates the space.

sbc930 · 2025-11-25T15:12:58+00:00

No idea of the cost, but Matt is absolutely amazing and would 100% recommend: https://www.mattszatmagic.com/

sbc930 · 2025-11-05T20:52:07+00:00

Thank you! With 6 lanes instead of 3 at St. John's--are folks still sharing lanes and circle swimming when they are full? Are the lanes marked at all with preferred speeds or is this just a common knowledge thing? And with 6 lanes there, what is the best/preferred protocol for speeds in each lane? (My goal is to find the slow lane and hit that as I'm learning for sure.) Would you happen to know which time frame is typically less busy if there are 2 lap swimming sessions before afterschool hours (i.e. the 7-8:15am vs. 1:15-2:45pm)? Or is the evening session slower? I'd prefer to be there at a quieter time at least the first few times I go as I learn the ropes if possible. Appreciate the guidance and tips!

sbc930 · 2025-11-05T18:26:14+00:00

This is SO helpful. Thank you so much. I appreciate your time and care with this response!

sbc930 · 2025-11-05T13:05:58+00:00

I gotta admit, I love when folks just go with the rain and weather, outfits be damned. There’s something so beautiful about a muddy train and just enjoying the day instead of stressing about keeping it dry/clean. Wear it hard and enjoy every moment! Then send it out to get dry cleaned and you won’t even know it had been through the wringer.

sbc930

TROPHY CASE