In Brides of Long Island’s Monthly “Mrs.” series, we profile some of our members’ unforgettable weddings. This month, we spoke with Amanda about her romantic wedding at the Old Field Club.
(Photo courtesy of Courtney Hotis)
Amanda and Luke had their first date on a beach, so it seemed only fitting for the pair to get married at a venue overlooking the water. And three years after their first date, they celebrated their wedding at Old Field Club, a BOLI Preferred Venue, as they danced the night away with their friends and family.
Bonding on the Beach
Amanda and Luke met on a dating app. While that’s common for many brides, Amanda says it was unlike her. “It was totally out of character to meet someone on a dating app,” she explains. “But it turned out to be our story.” Their first date was on the beach during sunset in the summer of 2021. They both love the beach, and would often take walks on the beach while they were dating.
Fast forward to April of 2023, and Luke wanted to take a walk on the beach one foggy morning. “I thought it was a little weird with the poor weather, but we went out anyway,” she says. “And that’s when he proposed.”
(Photo courtesy of Courtney Hotis)
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Love at First Venue
Amanda and Luke legally married shortly after their engagement, then started planning their reception for Nov. 9, 2024. “Getting married first took some of the pressure off of us throughout the planning,” she says.
After they confirmed their date with their pastor, Roger Blackmore, they set out to find the perfect venue. It didn’t take long, as once they toured Old Field Club, they fell in love. “We actually canceled all other venue tours,” Amanda says. “We just fell in love with the outside ceremony space overlooking the water and the beautiful ballroom. Since we love the beach, the water view spoke to us.”
With the venue and pastor in place, Amanda and Luke wanted to make sure their DJ would keep the dance floor full the whole night. Absolute Entertainment, a BOLI preferred vendor, did just that. “When we met with Terrence, we were there for a long time – but in a good way,” Amanda explains. “He was so amazing and listened to all of our requests. We wanted music from the 90s and early 2000s, and he and Vincenzo delivered. There were people who danced that I didn’t think would!”
While they didn’t have any trouble booking their vendors, Amanda says two weeks before their wedding, Carlos, who they had been working with at Old Field Club, left. “We had developed such a great rapport with him, he knew everything we wanted for our wedding day, so we were so nervous working with someone new so close to our date,” Amanda says. “At the end of the day, everything was flawless, and Carlos’ replacement, Russ, was wonderful to work with.”
(Photo courtesy of Courtney Hotis)
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A Timeless and Romantic Day
Amanda wanted their wedding day to feel timeless and romantic. However, she didn’t want to order real flowers. Instead she ordered fake bouquets, which were so beautiful that some people thought they were real. For their centerpieces, Amanda ordered candles and some greenery. To execute her vision, Amanda worked with Lavender Events, and she was thrilled with how everything turned out. “When I walked into the ballroom, it was better than I ever could have imagined,” says Amanda. “From the long-tapered candles to the seeded eucalyptus, it was whimsical and magical.”
Though they were legally married, Amanda says Pastor Roger did a great job centering their ceremony around their faith in a beautiful way. “Our ceremony was so special to me,” Amanda says. “He put his own personal touches on it because it knows us so well.”
Besides the ceremony, another special moment for Luke and Amanda was their first dance. “Luke’s sister choreographed our first dance for us,” she says. “It was nice to have the dance choreographed, but it was even more special because she taught it to us.”
While all of their vendors were fantastic, Amanda says their photographer, Courtney Hotis, went above and beyond. “We used her for our engagement photos, and we couldn’t wait to work with her on our wedding day,” Amanda says. “She created the perfect timeline that day and even helped with my mom’s dress malfunction. She was truly a rockstar that day.”
(Photo courtesy of Courtney Hotis)
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Don’t Sweat the Small Stuff
Amanda credits her diligent research on the Brides of Long Island Facebook page for her ability to secure the wonderful vendors who made her day fantastic. “I would keep one tab open on the Facebook page, and another tab to research the vendors I’d read about,” she says. “It was such a great resource to get people’s real experiences working with these vendors. Without it, I would have been lost.”
Now that the day is behind them and they can focus on beginning this next chapter together, Amanda admits that everything she stressed about during the planning process wasn’t such a big deal. “Everything is not a crisis – though it feels like that in the moment, for sure,” she says. “But looking back, I laugh as I think about how I stressed out about the stamps on my invitations. So, don’t sweat the small stuff!”
(Photo courtesy of Courtney Hotis)
Vendors:
Venue: The Old Field Club, a BOLI preferred vendor
Photographer: Courtney Hotis
Videography: White Diamond
DJ: Absolute Entertainment, a BOLI preferred vendor
Florist: Lings Moments (artificial)
Hair: Hair by Vickk
Makeup: Makeup by Maria
Officiant: Genesis Church – Roger Blackmore
Dress: Blu Rayne Bridal Boutique, a BOLI preferred vendor
Cake: Frank and Son’s Bakery
Tuxedos: Rico’s Clothing, a BOLI preferred vendor
