A Whimsical, Eclectic Wedding at the Pocketbook Factory in Hudson, New York

Nina Christensen (32 and a photographer and associate at Off Beet Productions) and Charlie Scott (31 and an entertainment lawyer) originally planned to tie the knot in New York City, the place where they met and now call home. But the pair decided on an upstate affair after hearing about a new venue called the Pocketbook Factory in Hudson, New York. “We love taking day trips and weekend trips upstate in the fall, and when I learned a venue that I love in Queens, the Metropolitan Building, had a new venue in Hudson, I knew we had to check it out,” Nina says. “The Pocketbook Factory was exactly what we were looking for.” The pair planned a whimsical, eclectic event with vintage flair that spoke to their fun-loving personalities and distinct cultural heritages and stories. “My family is from Thailand. and since it didn’t make sense to make Charlie’s big Italian family fly to Thailand, it was important to add in some Thai customs and decor to our wedding,” Nina says. Mango paper straight from Thailand was used to make the placements and table numbers and a motif of a tuk-tuk (an auto rickshaw in Thailand) was incorporated into the stationery and reception tablescapes. Thai traditions were also incorporated into the ceremony. Vintage furnishings and antique accents played up the historic feel of the venue, while bright blooms, including statement-making king proteas, and playful touches like bicycles and handmade bunting infused the day with vibrancy and personality. After dinner, DJ Niceness kept the dance floor packed with a mix of '90s hip-hop, pop and R & B hits, and a prop-filled photo booth encouraged guests to mix, mingle and strike a pose. Instead of more traditional favors, the couple gave guests funky temporary tattoos, including robots, pretzels, Statues of Liberty and personalized pumpkins, a nod to one of Charlie's tattoos. A tip from Nina: “Don’t forget that your wedding is about you. Yes, family and traditions are important, but only if it makes sense to you. It’s also about creating new traditions together. So don’t get pressured into doing something you don’t want to do.”