How you can get hitched, celebrate Valentine's 'love week' and boost charity in Nyack
NYACK - Anyone who's looking for an affordable way to wed, while doing good for your community, can get hitched during "love week" and give to a local feeding program at the same time.
At $2,500 a pop, a local group is offering "micro weddings" at First Reformed Church of Nyack, in the Lovatt Chapel, a jewel box of a room at the side of the sanctuary.
Susan Wilmink, co-coordinator of the "love week" weddings, sees the ceremony as a great opportunity for a couple planning to elope or interested in vow renewal.
What you get
There's just space for about 10 guests in the 13x13-foot room, so the emphasis is on "micro."
The flat fee provides flowers, champagne, confetti, live music and an officiant.
The small chapel has been staged by Nyack artist Kris Burns, owner of Festoon-on-Hudson, past honoree of the Arts Council of Rockland County Executive Arts Awards, and mover and shaker behind sundry other artistic efforts countywide.
Coordinating the effort is Wilmink, board president of Angel Nyack, theangelnyack.org, a newly formed nonprofit that has plans to transform First Reformed Church, smack in the middle of downtown, into a multi-use community space that will celebrate the arts.
Both are part of the Nyack Wedding Collective, which recently received a Rockland County tourism grant to launch a promotion called "Marry Me in Rockland," which highlights the county's central location, natural surroundings and various venues.
Several officiants and photographers are available for the planned pop-up wedding dates, Feb. 10, 14 and 17.
On Wednesday, Leslie and Joe Solan of Nyack tested out the chapel with a vow renewal ceremony after 27 years of marriage. The ceremony was officiated by Mikki Baloy with photographer Kellie Walsh documenting the ceremony.
What you give
Half the $2,500 goes to pay for supplies and workers.
The balance — $1,250 — will be a donation to Soup Angels, a nonprofit based at the church that provides hot meals and other supports, no questions asked. That part is tax-deductible for the couple.
Soup Angels, a non-denominational program, serves dinners from 5-6:15 p.m. Mondays and Wednesdays and accepts food donations from noon to 6 p.m. Mondays and Wednesdays. The Soup Angels entrance is on Burd Street, at the side of the church.
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Burns and Wilmink also see a community support angle to the effort. While the micro weddings aren't catered affairs, Wilmink said that the church is nearby many great restaurants. "They can go off into Nyack and hopefully spend some good money there."
And if a week turnaround is a little too tight to plan even these scaled-back nuptials, Wilmink says they plan to stage "micro wedding" opportunities again in June.
How to book a ceremony
Ceremonies take place between 4-8 p.m. Feb. 10, 14 and 17 at First Reformed Church Lovatt Chapel, 18 S. Broadway, Nyack.
To get one of the 12 micro-wedding slots, find a reservation form at Angel Nyack, theangelnyack.org, or directly at theangelnyack.org/#reserve.
Questions? Email hello@theangelnyack.org.
This article originally appeared on Rockland/Westchester Journal News: Nyack NY pop up wedding supports charity, celebrates love week
