Wedding Day 101

Welcome to Helen & Ben's wedding blog! We're so excited to celebrate with you on August 8th, 2015 in Coxsackie, NY, a sweet town in Hudson Valley only a 2-hour drive up from Manhattan. We'll be keeping this website updated with the latest wedding details. 

First, the wedding destination...

Windrift Hall

West Coxsackie, NY 12192

Note: Shuttles will pick you up between 3:30pm and 4:44pm at 

Wm. Farmer & Sons Hotel & St. Charles Hotel. See your exact shuttle times HERE.

(Both in Hudson, NY - right across the river from Coxsackie)

Windrift Hall

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The Order of Events

Saturday, August 8th

Wedding ceremony at Windrift Hall at 5:30pm,

to follow with cocktail hour, BBQ buffet dinner, dancing, and drinking by the pond.

The pond behind Windrift Hall

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Home sweet Hudson, New York

We realize that it's no small feat to attend a destination wedding, so we suggest that you make a fun weekend out of it! We recommend that you stay in Hudson, a charming, historic town just a short drive across the river from Coxsackie  (pronounced cuk-SAHK-ee).

*To get to Hudson from Manhattan, you can take the Amtrak at Penn Station directly to Hudson (2 hour trip) or rent a car and drive.

*If you're interested in car-pooling and/or sharing a hotel room, we are happy to connect you to some other guests who are also looking. Let us know!

Here's a list of Hudson lodging options...

Hotels and B&Bs:
* Wm Farmer & Sons (formerly Front Street Guest House) - On the river with great views. One of our top recommendations!
* St. Charles Hotel - Another one of our top recommendations!
* 26 Warren B & B - 2-night minimum stay required.
* The Barlow Hotel - In the middle of town.
* The Country Squire  
* The Croff House   
* Hudson B & B - 2-night minimum stay required.
* Hudson Merchant House  
* The Hudson Milliner 
* The Inn at 240    
* The Inn at Ca' Mea   
* The Inn at Hudson   
* Mt. Merino Manor   
* Thyme in the Country -2-night minimum stay required.
* Union Street Guest House - These are full suites with kitchen.

We highly recommend visiting these websites: 
* airbnb.com
* vrbo.com 
Private homes and apartments that are comparable in price to hotels and B & Bs.

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Getting to (and from) Windrift Hall

Since there is restricted parking at Windrift Hall, we'll provide shuttle service to and from Hudson, NY. Please note your exact the pick-up times and locations HERE.

TIPS & FACTS
* We have charted two shuttles and each shuttle fits approximately 25 people.
* If you're not staying in Hudson but want to catch a shuttle, parking is OK near the St. Charles and more ample near the Wm. Farmer & Sons, which is close to the train station.
* The shuttles will also be taking you back to Wm. Farmer & Sons and St. Charles after the reception
* Disclaimer: if you miss the shuttle, you will need to hire Pronto Taxi.

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What to Wear

Our wedding will be intimate and semi-formal, so anything you want to wear will be fine. It will be an outdoor summer wedding in the country, so be prepared for acres of fresh grass and an evening breeze by the pond. 

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Our Honeymoon Registry

In lieu of a formal registry, we’ve created a honeymoon fund for our dream honeymoon to Greece and Italy. You can find the link to our honeymoon registry HERE.

Please don’t worry if this forum is not convenient: gifts sent via any method (even carrier pigeon) are very gratefully received.

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That's all! See you in August!

Email us if you have any questions! 

Helen: helenofzuo@gmail.com

Ben: benjamin.j.schmid@gmail.com

Hudson City Guide

Hi friends! We are so excited to celebrate with you at our wedding & very appreciative of you journeying out to Hudson, NY for the weekend! If you plan on arriving on Friday or staying through Sunday, here's our Hudson city guide to food, shopping, and general adventuring. Enjoy!

Hudson is a cozy town known for its local charm, over 50 antique shops, and creative people. It's considered to have some of the most historic homes in NY state and is a great place to wander (particularly Warren Street, which is its main street).

Eat
Hudson has a ton of acclaimed restaurants, from Asian fusion to farm-to-table to BBQ. Here are the ones we would recommend.

Swoon Kitchenbar - Local, sustainable and fresh sophisticated food, beautifully presented in a great flower-filled space. Delicious cocktails, as well. This is a must-visit. We've had both lunch and dinner here - go for either!

Daba - A Scandinavian -inspired gastropub with excellent food and wine. We particularly liked their burgers.

Hudson Food Studio - Vietnamese fusion food in ginormous portions (think they pivoted after originally serving smaller portions). We came here for Valentine's day this year and were surprised by how good everything was (and Helen is picky with her Asian food).

Bonfiglio and Bread - Tiny place, but amazing food. We came here for breakfast and found their menu extremely creative and very tasty. Lots of egg options and the baked goods looked enticing too. Also - iced coffee in mason jars! :)

Cafe Le Perche — French café bakery with a rustic atmosphere. Go for the chocolate croissant with a coffee.

Baba Louie’s — We haven't been here yet, but have heard stellar things about their pizza. Super thin crust baked in a brick oven and topped with many gourmet goodies including figs, apricots, fennel and huge salads to round out the meal.

Our eggy breakfast at Bonfiglio and Bread!

Shop
Too many antique stores to mention, with some of them on the pricier side. Since we love a good deal, our favorite antique store is the White Whale Limited. Go to their back room and be prepared for treasures for only a buck or two!

Red Chair — French and Belgian antiques.

Spotty Dog — Independent bookstore and café with art supplies.

Hudson City Books — Used books, including lots of art books.

Carrie Haddad Gallery — Two locations, one for paintings and the other for photography. Consistently some of the best work around.

Bernabach — Jewelry and handbags.

Culture and Commerce — A shop dedicated to emerging designers from NYC and the local area. Furniture, lighting, art and jewelry.

Lili & Loo — Two floors of elegant jewelry, furniture and housewares.

De Marchin — Local and European men’s, women’s and kids’ clothing.

Hedstom and Judd — Swedish-influenced pottery, decorative accessories, botanical prints and books.

Antiques -- everywhere!

See and Do

Olana — Painter Frederic Church’s Persian-style house and studio with a picturesque landscape, outstanding views and hikes. This is high on our Hudson to-do list, and we've heard it's a must-see in the Hudson area. Just make sure you have at least 2 hours to explore.