An "Eclectic and Quirky" Outdoor Wedding in Port Jervis, New York

Jackie Honeybourne and Wolfram Ott first met in 2009, when Jackie's best friend suggested Wolfram as a lighting designer for a theater show she planned to direct. He ended up taking another job, and the couple didn't cross paths again until January 2013; this time, says Jackie, "timing finally worked in our favor, and we began dating." Four years later in Pittsburgh, after ice skating at the city's NHL arena and sandwiches at their favorite restaurant, Wolfram proposed at Duquesne Incline, overlooking the city at night.

The couple wanted to plan a wedding that fit their personalities: "We have been called a quirky and eclectic couple," says Jackie, "and we wanted our wedding to be a true reflection of us and our many sides." They began searching for a venue that was close enough to New York City, able to accommodate guests for an entire weekend, and didn't feel overly formal. "We had been together for many years by the time we got married and as such, we wanted this to be more of a celebration with our loved ones than just a ceremony," says Jackie. Cedar Lakes Estate in Port Jervis, New York, became their number one choice: "It checked every box—including ones we didn't even know we had," she says.

Jackie and Wolfram worked with planners from In Any Event to host a multi-day celebration for 75 guests—including their ceremony on September 1, 2019—that was peppered with countless unique touches: Tattoo accents in a nod to the couple's shared love of the art; days spent swimming, canoeing, and hiking; an outdoor movie night and cookout; a custom heraldry design that appeared on the invitations (and the groom's suit); personalized playlists; and even a handmade cake topper that incorporated the couple's favorite animals. As they celebrated, some of their favorite memories came from "watching the reactions of our friends and family throughout the weekend as the different events were revealed and they spotted all the little pieces of each of us incorporated," says the couple. "We really wanted everyone to have a good time, and it was just so special to see that happening."

Watch Jackie and Wolfram's wedding video by Shark Pig.

Jackie and Wolfram asked Happy Menocal Studio to create their paper suite, which Jackie calls one of her favorite things about the wedding. "She created a custom heraldry for us featuring our favorite animals, a squirrel and a sheep," says the bride. "But if you look even closer, you see additional details including a hockey puck for Wolfram and the Honeybourne signet—three arrows bound at the center."

She then went "zillions of steps beyond" for the set's complementary pieces: "Our RSVP card featured a watercolor painting of our cat, Fritzie; the envelope liners were a beautiful collage of the various places we have called home." Shades of purple, pink, and green previewed the color palette of the ceremony, while a custom font type alongside swooping calligraphy felt cohesive, but surprising.

The duo kicked off the weekend with a vibrant welcome party; guests sat at a long wooden table topped with tropical-inspired centerpieces and fruits.

On Saturday, the couple hosted a daytime beach party followed by a "Retro Rockabilly" cookout at night. Jackie and Wolfram wore coordinating outfits with a vintage vibe from Peter Soronen for the Saturday evening event—which also inspired the playlist they made for the party: "Saturday night for the cookout, we featured 'Rockabilly' music that matched our ensembles," says the pair.

The couple set up a temporary tattoo station as a nod to Wolfram's back piece, which honors his grandparents. "The older relatives, especially those from out of the country, loved the temporary tattoos," they explain.

After dark, they hosted an outdoor movie night where they showed an unexpected cinema classic: Friday the 13th. "We kept that a secret until the moment it started," they say. "We refused to do anything close to a romantic movie."

Though Jackie worried that she wouldn't find a wedding dress that worked with her self-described "eclectic taste," her search ended almost immediately. "Monique Lhuillier was the first place we went, and my dress was the third one I put on," she says. "It had everything that I had been looking for: fit and flair and a vintage feel. I felt beautiful the moment it went on. Later, I realized that in my Pinterest board, I had pinned that exact dress twice."

She borrowed Victorian diamond and pearl earrings from her mother, wore blue leather Chaos and Harmony shoes, and carried a 1950s Lucite clutch. "Instead of a veil I had two capes," she says," a long ceremony cape which was custom made by Monique Lhuillier to have a lace neck to match the dress, and a short reception cape made of the Swiss dot overlay, also by Monique."

Jackie and Wolfram kept their bridal party small, each asking just one person to stand up with them. Jackie chose her best friend, Katie—the same friend who introduced the couple—and together they picked her off-the-rack gown from Parker NY. "We wanted something that would complement the antique nature of my dress and look like it was from the same world," says Jackie. "It was just kismet that we happened to find this dress that was perfect and required no tailoring."

Jackie's bouquet from Putnam & Putnam incorporated dusty shades of white, cream, and lavender with flowers that included roses, dahlias, olive branches, and lavender.

Wolfram also chose a wedding look with custom elements, opting for a slate-colored three-piece suit and tie from Michael Andrews Bespoke. "The lining of the suit had our heraldry printed, and his white shirt cuffs had the date embroidered on them," says Jackie. "Funnily enough, Wolfram was the more challenging!"

An existing archway on the property was draped with wisteria vines and flowers in shades of purple, pink, and peach to create a focal point for the couple's ceremony.

Hanging lanterns at the ends of each row defined the aisle.

Wolfram insisted on saving his first glimpse of Jackie for the moment she walked down the aisle. "Wolfram couldn't take his eyes off me," says the bride. "There are many candid shots of him staring!"

Jackie's mother and father escorted her while an acoustic guitarist played Sixpence None the Richer's "Kiss Me." "I was adamant that both of my parents walk me down the aisle," she says. "They have both been such a big part of my life. I am lucky to have such wonderful, supportive parents."

Justice Dan Brookshire led the bride and groom through their ceremony, during which they exchanged their own vows. "We did them in one-line exchanges that varied from sentimental to humorous," says the couple. "We both wanted to avoid doing something trite and overly sappy."

While guests filled up on brie and fig grilled cheese, shrimp and grits, and roasted lamb at the cocktail hour, the newlyweds posed for portraits around the property.

Instead of using numbers or names for their tables, Jackie and Wolfram marked each one with a card showing a different tattoo design; escort cards matched guests' names with the image at their table.

The exposed wood ceiling and hanging chandeliers in the reception space were softened by an "overgrown hanging garden" suspended above the head table; the installation was the result of one of the bride's childhood dreams.

Centerpieces in brass bowl and glass holders ran down the center of the table to mimic runners, while antique bud vases showed off delicate blooms. White plates, patterned linens, amber glassware, and pale purple napkins added color and variation to the tables.

Botanically-illustrated menus—a nod to the couple's invitation suite—detailed the meal to come.

Jackie and Wolfram hired Generation Events to provide a combination of live musicians with a DJ. For the wall behind the band, Putnam & Putnam sourced a custom wallpaper with a pattern of vines, flowers, and birds and brought it to life with real floral accents.

The duo showed off the venue's locally-sourced ingredients with a menu they call "superb," which included pasta and salad made with vegetables grown on-site, braised short ribs, and roasted chicken. "They do everything family style, which was perfect," says the bride. "Everyone could have a bit of everything they wanted and didn't have to make decisions months in advance. We also had several desserts from Cedar Lakes—I loved their banana pudding and Wolfram the mini Oreo milkshakes."

Jackie and Wolfram's only DIY project was their guest book: "A collection of retro fabric squares for our guests to sign and hang." They used Jackie's mother's collection of 1930s quilts as inspiration for recreations of their favorite patterns, and plan to make the signed squares into a quilt for their home.

The newlyweds wanted a distinctive cake, so they asked Sugar Monster Sweets to create two very different tiers: Naked layers of strawberry shortcake alternating with iced layers of "funfetti" cake and lemon curd, all decorated with realistic sugar flowers. A made-to-order cake topper from Heartmade Cottage incorporated the couple's two favorite animals in one sweet tableau.

Determined to start off their '90s-inspired dance party reception with a choreographed swing dance, Jackie and Wolfram took private lessons at New York City's You Should Be Dancing before their big day, choosing The Jive Aces "Bring Me Sunshine" for their song. "We loved how the song really evolved as it went, allowing the potential for different dance styles," they say. "Six weeks and 13 lessons later we were ready to rock. We actually still take swing classes there because we loved it so much!"

As for Jackie's best advice for couples currently in the planning phase? "I've always felt the best weddings I have been to have been the ones that reflected the couple," she says. "Make it your own. Throw out what you think other people might want it to be…if it reflects you as a couple, everyone will love it because they love you!"

Photography, Heather Waraksa
Venue and Catering, Cedar Lakes Estate
Event Planning, In Any Event NY 
Flowers, Putnam and Putnam 
Videography, Shark Pig
Officiant, Justice Dan Brookshire
Stationery, Happy Menocal
Cake, Sugar Monster Sweets
Music, Generation Events 
Rentals, Party Rentals LTD; Patina Rentals
Bride's Gown andCapes, Monique Lhuillier  
Bride's Shoes, Chaos and Harmony  
Hair, Nikki Avanzino 
Makeup, Tiffany Patton; White Rose Collective 
Bridesmaids' Dress, Parker NY  
Groom's Suit, Michael Andrews Bespoke
Menswear, Hugo Boss
Lighting, Event Lights
Transportation, VIP Transportation
Cake Topper, Heartmade Cottage
Choreographer, Stephanie Shapiro, You Should Be Dancing
Engagement Ring, Doyle and Doyle
Photobooth, Rose and Dale Photo Co.
Stylist, The Stylish Bride
Temporary Tattoos, Easy Tatt
Wedding Rings, The Clay Pot
Welcome Bags, Corbin Style totes and water bottles; Raspberry Fields Farm cookies