In Brides of Long Island’s Monthly “Mrs.” series, we profile some of our members’ unforgettable weddings! This month, we spoke with BOLI Mary Kate Lively about why rain on her big day made for some great memories.
(Courtesy of Silverfox Studios)
Rain on your wedding day is good luck. And go with the flow Brides of Long Island member Mary Kate Lively took the rain in stride, even taking advantage of it for some of her most favorite photos on her wedding day. But let’s rewind to see the journey Mary Kate and her husband Salvatore took to get to their wedding day!
To say that Mary Kate had a lot going on in 2019 is an understatement. She got engaged. She celebrated her now husband’s graduation from the police academy and closed on a house all in June of that year. In fact, her husband actually proposed to her at his graduation. Things were going so great that when the pandemic hit in 2020, Mary Kate went with the flow because her wedding was planned for June of 2021.
Planning During COVID
Since Mary Kate and her husband Salvatore booked the Fox Hollow, a BOLI preferred vendor, first, and secured their date for June 4, 2021, when the pandemic hit, they said they wouldn’t worry about it. “I just kind of went on planning, thinking that it was going to go back to normal at some point,” she says. She booked all of her vendors in 2020, not really thinking that she’d have to make any adjustments or changes. It wasn’t until November rolled around – at the six-to-eight-month mark – that Mary Kate started to worry. However, when she reached out to Fox Hollow, they were dealing with current brides and their needs, and whatever adjustments or cancellations they needed to make.
(Courtesy of Silverfox Studios)
Three months before her wedding, there were still capacity limits due to COVID-19. So, Mary Kate worked with the Fox Hollow to change to their larger room, The Somerley Room, to be able to accommodate her full guest list. And while she didn’t have to pay a difference, she did have to change her date to Thursday, June 3, 2021. Mary Kate took this in stride though, as The Somerley Room was the original room she had wanted, but it was out of her budget when she booked. “You know how when you tour venues, you look at different rooms? There was one that I fell in love with, and at the time it was out of budget,” she says. “So when Fox Hollow offered to bump up my room, but I had to move back a day, I was sold because, really, that was the room I wanted.”
(Courtesy of Silverfox Studios)
No Second Guessing for this BOLI
Throughout 2020, as she booked her vendors, Mary Kate didn’t do a lot of second guessing. She explains that if she had a good feeling, liked their work and they were available on her date, she would book them. She adds that the fact that all of her vendors were available on her new date, so she knows that she made the right choices.
“Because, with all of these vendors, you really can’t go wrong either way.”
Her favorite part of planning was the hair and makeup trial! She told the team at Mane Glam Beauty Co. that she wanted to do an ode to the 1940s and to say they did a fantastic job is an understatement. “When I came out of my trial, I was like, ‘this is how I want to look the rest of my life,’” Mary Kate says.
(Courtesy of Silverfox Studios)
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The Rain Held Off
Like any other bride, Mary Kate checked the weather forecast the entire week leading up to her wedding day. It was supposed to rain the entire day, but Mary Kate had wanted to use the outdoor space at the Fox Hollow for her ceremony. The rain held out! Even though the staff set up for an inside ceremony, Mary Kate took a gamble and went ahead with an outdoor ceremony, trying to beat the rain. And they did! She says that they finished the ceremony with five minutes to spare, as it started to drizzle as her guests walked into the cocktail hour!
(Courtesy of Silverfox Studios)
(Courtesy of Silverfox Studios)
But Then It Poured
Throughout the night, the rain got heavier. But this didn’t phase Mary Kate. “Rainy weather brings an awesome background for lighting in photos.” She says that her photographer Lauren, and videographer James, both of Silverfox, a BOLI preferred vendor, asked if she wanted rain shots. Of course, she said yes! And despite everyone getting soaked, “the pictures that I got from those 10 minutes were incredible!” Mary Kate says those are some of her favorite photos from the entire night.
(Courtesy of Silverfox Studios)
MORE: 6 Reasons Why Rain on Your Wedding Day Can Be Awesome
Going Above & Beyond
For Mary Kate, two vendors really went above and beyond to make her wedding day special – the Fox Hollow and the Silverfox Studios. She says the maitre’d and bridal attendant were amazing at the Fox Hollow. In fact, the entire team at the Fox Hollow, including the hotel, were on point with everything.
“I literally had to do nothing. They organized everything.”
And her photographer Lauren had her babysitter cancel on her at the last minute, but made it work to be there for Mary Kate. “They had to uproot their lives that day just to be at my wedding,” Mary Kate says. “But [Lauren] was going to be there no matter what.”
(Courtesy of Silverfox Studios)
“Don’t Go Killing Yourself.”
What does Mary Kate want to tell other Brides of Long Island? “If you find something you like, don’t go killing yourself trying to see if there are better options out there.” There are so many things you can do as you plan your wedding, and “who’s to say one choice is better than the other.” For Mary Kate, she went with her gut and everything worked out. She adds that with COVID adding to her stress, she didn’t want the vendor process to be a stressful experience for herself.
She also warns you NOT to check the weather report every day. “No matter what you do, you can’t change it.”
And lastly, Mary Kate wants other BOLIs to know that you need to do what you want and not what might be expected or what makes other people happy. “It’s your day. Really, honestly and truly, do what you want.”
(Courtesy of Silverfox Studios)
MORE: Grab all your bridal goodies at the BOLI shop
Vendors:
Venue: The Fox Hollow – Somerley Room, A Brides of Long Island Preferred Vendor
Wedding Dress: Pronovias Flagship Store in New York City
Photo & Video: Silverfox Studios, A Brides of Long Island Preferred Vendor
Hair & Makeup: Mane Glam Beauty Co.
Flowers: Something Borrowed Blooms
Officiant: Harris Bloom
Bridesmaid Dresses: Azazie
Groomsmen Tuxes: Joseph A. Bank
Invitations & Website: Zola