Hudson Valley Country Wedding

Isabelle Bosquet, a floral designer originally from France and John Morra, an inspired painter from California, met, fell in love, and married in Stuyvesant, New York, a small, sleepy town two hours north of Manhattan. Their wedding, on a gorgeous late spring evening in May, incorporated the charms of the place they both had to find, in order to find each other.

In the months after September 11th, Isabelle Bosquet, owner of one of Manhattan's premier floral design companies, Fleurisa, had found a country getaway, (which she calls Daffodil Cottage) in Columbia County, New York. John Morra, a noted painter, had the same desire for a country retreat and studio when he bought and refurbished a country church right up the road. One hundred miles north of the city - in fact, right in front of Daffodil Cottage in Stuyvesant - John and Isabelle met in September, 2003.

At five o'clock in the evening, on May 28, 2005, John and Isabelle were married in John's beautiful renovated church home which he has lovingly named St. Chardin on the Hudson. From the balcony above the ceremony, as John and Isabelle turned to leave, John's nephews showered huge baskets of rose petals on the couple, as the church bell tolled. While the newlyweds squeezed into a little, French Deux-Chevaux, driven by Isabelle's father, the rest of the wedding party joyfully processed up the country lane to a neighboring barn where the dinner reception was to take place. The beauty of the surroundings was made even more dramatic by epic cloud formations, and air redolent with spring flowers, as almost 100 guests made their way up to a beautiful old barn on the hill.

Isabelle had created a large photo frame from wood covered in lemon leaf and roses which was set up as a sort of photo station where guests enjoyed taking pictures of themselves during cocktails, while listening to Spanish guitar. The food was served under an authentic Indian tent which made the barnyard festive in an unexpected sort of way.

With grapevine chandeliers and sparkling lights hung from the rafters, the dinner barn was transformed into a warm and magical setting. The centerpieces, in shades of pink, peach, orange, green and ivory showcased the bride's artistry. One of the reception's highlights was when John toasted his new wife, Isabelle, with a gift of a new red Mazda Miata convertible that was driven right into the barn at the conclusion of the wedding meal. Isabelle laughed and cried all at once, jumped in the car in a most graceful and larger than life fashion, and drove off with the guests following on foot.

Our staff handed out giant sparklers to light their way back to the church for dancing and more merrymaking. The guests walked back down the country lane, through the still-warm night air, sparklers in hand, lighting the way. It was simply magnificent! John, Isabelle, and their guests danced to the Latin rhythms of Son Sublime of Chappaqua, New York, with the church windows open, and the Hudson River sparkling below. It was a magical, memorable spring evening in the small country town where Isabelle and John found each other, and love ever after.

Service Providers
Wedding Coordination: Lisa Light, Ltd.
Catering: Carlucci Catering
Décor: Fleurisa
Photography: Brian Palmer
Music: Maria Zemantauski and Son Sublime
Rentals: Classical Tent and Columbia Tent