Izzy and I met at Oneonta State where we shared many laughs and memories during our good ol’ college days. I’ve been following her wedding journey since she announced she got engaged. She even had a fun bachelorette party in Austin, Texas! Then COVID-19 hit and her plans went from concrete to up in the air. Like most couples, her and JT had high hopes they would not need to postpone or cancel their wedding they put so much time into planning. Unfortunately, they would have to make this decision. So, when I saw that they got married and had the most beautiful intimate backyard wedding, I couldn’t have been happier for them. But seriously, their wedding was stunning.
Bride: Izzy Dale
Groom: JT Dale
Wedding Date:
June 27, 2020
Wedding Venue:
JT’s Parents Backyard in New City, NY and St. Francis Church of Assisi West Nyack, NY
How did you and your partner meet? Tell me your story:
JT and I first met working at Gate Hill Day Camp in Stony Point, New York in 2012. I was a counselor, and JT was part of the camp’s sports staff. When we returned to camp to work the summer of 2013 is when we began to notice each other.
I fell in love with JT’s sense of humor and his uncanny ability to make s’mores. We went on a series of dates, our first date being dinner at The Hudson Water Club in Haverstraw, New York (this is where JT proposed!). We ordered pizza and calamari, and to this date it is one of our staple orders when we dine out at our favorite pizza places. Other big dates during “Izzy and JT: The Early Years” included a Yankees game, Luke Bryan concert at Bethel Woods, and a beer festival at Bethel Woods. When summer ended, and the leaves began to change, JT and I spent some time apart. As the holidays approached, I could not help but notice the hole that was missing from my life. With the New Year of 2014 starting, the timing was natural for our new chapter to begin. We’ve been together since January of 2014, and the rest is pretty much history.
What were your original wedding plans pre-pandemic?
Our plan was to always get married at St. Francis. Our plan pre-pandemic, was to have our reception at Perona Farms in Andover, New Jersey. We fell in love with The Reserve’s modern yet rustic ballroom.
How do you choose to move forward with getting married vs. rescheduling to a later date?
In the beginning of May, we received “the call” from Perona Farms giving us the option to reschedule.
We luckily were able to move our big reception to June 5, 2021. When we were given the option to reschedule, it just seemed like the right thing to do. We could not imagine risking the health and safety of our loved ones during these uncertain times. Yes, the weeks following the rescheduling of our big party we were absolutely bummed. Changing the party plans never once meant to us that we were going to change the core reason for the day, getting married.
We always knew regardless of what the day would look like on June 27, 2020 with the ever changing guidelines, that we would get married. It was really a no brainer to us. We had been engaged for nearly two years at the time. Neither of us wanted to wait any longer. It was extremely important to us that this took place at St. Francis. As establishments and vendors began to open up, by June we were planning our intimate ceremony/day. Through planning all of this, I said to our event decorator that love is not cancelled. You can always cancel a party, but you can not cancel what we have.
Tell me a little bit about the experience you had on your wedding day!
We wanted to keep the day as intimate as we could. It was important to us that our day did not feel like a pity party because of the cards we were dealt. We wanted this to feel original given the circumstances, yet modern with some not so traditional themes.
Our original plan was to not have a first look prior to the ceremony. A couple of days before, we decided to have a first look and we are so happy we made this last minute decision! This was such a great chance for JT and I to have some private moments before the ceremony. It helped calm our nerves and excitement before walking into the church. We wanted our small 14 person reception to feel like a fairytale garden party which Paula from 14 & Hudson brought to life! We kept everything sleek and neutral.
What wedding vendors did you use? Anything special to tell me about them?
Jen and Steve from The Fox & The Hare Photography are not only our photographers, but are a fellow “corona couple.” We have been working with them since 2018, and even introduced them to their wedding venue! Our wedding was also featured on their blog!
Bassett Flowers in New City, NY created my bouquet and JT’s boutonniere.
We told Brooks that we wanted something very clean, simple, and neutral and he was on point!
Paula from 14 & Hudson in Piermont, NY did all the decor for our intimate dinner reception back at JT’s parents’ house.
Joe from NoCo catering in Tappan, NY cooked up a delicious meal which included appetizers when we arrived at the house
Brianna Kelly from Hair By Bri Studio in Nanuet, NY gave me Princess Belle hair vibes!
Hope Kehoe, a family friend did my makeup and did such a good job.
Samantha Cofsky, a friend of mine provided the most beautiful signage for our small reception.
Lastly, my dress is from BCBG, I ordered online because….rona.
Are there one or two specific details you want to highlight?
Due to the pandemic, JT and I were not able to purchase wedding bands. We didn’t want to just buy rings online for the sake of having them. Instead, we borrowed wedding bands. I wore my grandmother’s gold wedding band which really complimented my rose gold engagement ring. JT wore his great grandfather’s high school signet ring which is over 100 years old. This was a really special way for us to pay homage and respect to our family.
Any advice to future couples who are still unsure of whether or not they are going to reschedule their weddings from this year or have rescheduled already?
Talk it out with your partner! So much of what is going on is out of your control, and it is okay to feel angry, sad, frustrated, and all other uncomfortable feelings! It is easier said than done, but try to make light of the situation. On our big day, as we were celebrating, I said “this is so nice we get to do it twice!” When taking pictures JT said to me “well if these don’t come out good, we get to redo them!” Have fun and don’t lose sight of why you’re making the decision to get married.
Any advice to future couples about the whole “getting married” thing?
Think about who you could not imagine your time in quarantine without! On a more serious note, as a couple, do not let the opinions of others influence the choices or decision making process when planning your big day. Your relationship with your partner is unique, so what worked for one couple may not necessarily work for you. We’ve learned that putting our needs and desires as a couple first, especially during this time has made us stronger.
Michella Hand 