Claire Connolly & Peter Wiltenburg
Shadow Lawn in High Falls, New York
July 28, 2012
When Claire Connolly and Peter Wiltenburg, both 30, met at a friend’s party in June 2007, it wasn’t exactly love at first sight. “We didn’t really get along,” recalls Claire, an art teacher. “We have conflicting baseball allegiances: He’s a Yankees fan, and I’m a Red Sox fan.” But when they met up again that summer, their rivalry turned to sparks. Four years later, Peter, a lawyer, proposed during an evening stroll through Ditmas Park. When it came time to wed, the couple chose Shadow Lawn in the Hudson Valley, a convenient location for both the bride’s family in Boston and the groom’s in Westchester. They opted for a relaxed, Victorian tea-party vibe with vintage-inspired, homemade details. Claire and her mother designed and sewed her high-waisted, full-skirted gown, while sisters, aunts, and cousins came together to create a dessert buffet. With all the details in place, the weather proved to be the one wild card. “A torrential downpour started the morning of our big day, and we had to move our ceremony into the barn at the last minute,” says Claire. “We improvised a few parts, but it ended up being more beautiful than we ever could have planned.”
The Details
Flowers: Steven Bruce Design
Suit: Alan David
Music: D.J. Jimmy Lutz
Caterer: Main Course Catering
Photographs: Cappy Hotchkiss Photography
“I’m glad the rain forced us inside, because the barn was so beautiful with the sunlight coming in through the slats. Everyone was huddled in, and it felt really intimate. It was spine-tingling.” Photo: Cappy Hotchkiss
Photo: Cappy Hotchkiss
“The cakes were made from a family recipe called Mrs. Moran’s Chocolate Cake. My sister, aunts, and cousins all helped bake, and my family and I made the cake stands by hand out of antique vases.” Photo: Cappy Hotchkiss
