March122012
Welcome to Jake and Shannon’s Wedding Website! Click the links above or simply scroll down to find everything you need to know about our upcoming nuptials!  

Welcome to Jake and Shannon’s Wedding Website! Click the links above or simply scroll down to find everything you need to know about our upcoming nuptials!  
March112012
We are delighted you will be joining us for our Greenpoint, Brooklyn wedding!  We love Brooklyn and are excited to have you visit our neighborhood for our special day. The ceremony and reception will both be in Greenpoint, so you’ll experience the unique diversity of the area.     The wedding ceremony will be at a local park, McGolrick Park, and the reception will be a quick trip down the road at Princess Manor.  

We are delighted you will be joining us for our Greenpoint, Brooklyn wedding!  We love Brooklyn and are excited to have you visit our neighborhood for our special day.

The ceremony and reception will both be in Greenpoint, so you’ll experience the unique diversity of the area.    

The wedding ceremony will be at a local park, McGolrick Park, and the reception will be a quick trip down the road at Princess Manor.  

wedding 

March102012
The sun rose over the Manhattan skyline one Saturday in May, just as it had the day before and it would the following morning. The morning’s first light scattered last night’s holdouts from the streets and back to their homes and quieted the city’s caverns. Still, the city that hadn’t slept stirred to the sounds of taxis beginning their shifts and early risers conversing on the sidewalks and to the aromas of fresh coffee and bagels. This particular sunrise, though, signaled not only the beginning of a new day in the city but also the dawn of a new beginning for both Jake and Shannon. Jake had a college buddy in town, Christopher, and he had planned a day of New York fun for the two of them. They darted and dashed through the East Village’s tree-lined streets, wreaking their own special kind of havoc while the day slipped quickly into night as they enjoyed the city’s finest libations in the city’s seediest establishments. After what could have been the day’s final slice of pizza, Chris asked Jake if they could meet up with his cousin nearby. Jake, despite near record levels of exhaustion, thankfully relented. It wasn’t a particularly special bar, a bar that neither Jake nor Shannon would choose under different circumstances, but it was a bar that would offer a special opportunity on this night. The real magic sparked when, despite having resigned to not drinking any more for the rest of the night, Shannon asked Jake if he wanted another beer and he, dazzled by Shannon’s charm, wit and easy smile, accepted. The couple’s first date the next week was memorable enough to keep Jake out very late into the night despite his pre-dawn wake-up call to travel up to Boston for his sister’s graduation, a trip in which Jake would confess to his mother that he had gone out with a very special lady the night before. After a few months of eating Indian food in trailers, attending Skee-ball competitions, attending air guitar competitions, drinking Manhattans in Brooklyn, drinking Brooklyn IPAs in Manhattan, brunching from the early afternoon into the evening, obsessively watching Spartan football, obsessively watching Yankees baseball, watching The Simpson’s every night, watching Swingers every weekend, skydiving, playing kickball, and all the other ways to date in New York, they were pretty sure they could keep doing fun things forever.

The sun rose over the Manhattan skyline one Saturday in May, just as it had the day before and it would the following morning. The morning’s first light scattered last night’s holdouts from the streets and back to their homes and quieted the city’s caverns. Still, the city that hadn’t slept stirred to the sounds of taxis beginning their shifts and early risers conversing on the sidewalks and to the aromas of fresh coffee and bagels. This particular sunrise, though, signaled not only the beginning of a new day in the city but also the dawn of a new beginning for both Jake and Shannon. Jake had a college buddy in town, Christopher, and he had planned a day of New York fun for the two of them. They darted and dashed through the East Village’s tree-lined streets, wreaking their own special kind of havoc while the day slipped quickly into night as they enjoyed the city’s finest libations in the city’s seediest establishments. After what could have been the day’s final slice of pizza, Chris asked Jake if they could meet up with his cousin nearby. Jake, despite near record levels of exhaustion, thankfully relented. It wasn’t a particularly special bar, a bar that neither Jake nor Shannon would choose under different circumstances, but it was a bar that would offer a special opportunity on this night. The real magic sparked when, despite having resigned to not drinking any more for the rest of the night, Shannon asked Jake if he wanted another beer and he, dazzled by Shannon’s charm, wit and easy smile, accepted. The couple’s first date the next week was memorable enough to keep Jake out very late into the night despite his pre-dawn wake-up call to travel up to Boston for his sister’s graduation, a trip in which Jake would confess to his mother that he had gone out with a very special lady the night before. After a few months of eating Indian food in trailers, attending Skee-ball competitions, attending air guitar competitions, drinking Manhattans in Brooklyn, drinking Brooklyn IPAs in Manhattan, brunching from the early afternoon into the evening, obsessively watching Spartan football, obsessively watching Yankees baseball, watching The Simpson’s every night, watching Swingers every weekend, skydiving, playing kickball, and all the other ways to date in New York, they were pretty sure they could keep doing fun things forever.

story 

12AM
*Greenpoint from our apartment* Greenpoint is a neighborhood in northeast Brooklyn that is bordered by Queens, the East River, and the Brooklyn neighborhood of Williamsburg.  It is often referred to as “Little Poland” because of the large concentration of Polish immigrants that reside in the area (second only to Chicago)! About 45% claim Polish ancestry, so there are many tasty Polish restaurants to choose from which we highly recommend you sample during your visit! My car was even towed once to make way for the President of Poland’s visit, so, you get the idea.   The neighborhood continues to grow, however, and there are many unique shops and restaurants that have emerged just in the last 5 years that I have lived here.  We hope you find Greenpoint as charming as we do! 

*Greenpoint from our apartment*

Greenpoint is a neighborhood in northeast Brooklyn that is bordered by Queens, the East River, and the Brooklyn neighborhood of Williamsburg.  It is often referred to as “Little Poland” because of the large concentration of Polish immigrants that reside in the area (second only to Chicago)! About 45% claim Polish ancestry, so there are many tasty Polish restaurants to choose from which we highly recommend you sample during your visit! My car was even towed once to make way for the President of Poland’s visit, so, you get the idea.  

The neighborhood continues to grow, however, and there are many unique shops and restaurants that have emerged just in the last 5 years that I have lived here.  We hope you find Greenpoint as charming as we do! 

greenpoint 

12AM
[Flash 9 is required to listen to audio.]

Vampire Weekend “Horchata”

(4 plays)

nyc 

March92012

Photography by Jillian Patterson. 

engage 

12AM

Photography by Jillian Patterson. 

engage 

12AM

Where to Eat & Drink in Greenpoint.

If you are looking for a bite to eat in Greenpoint, might we recommend:

Lomzynianka - BEST Polish food in the ‘hood

Calexico - Mexican cart food that got a permanent home

Sapporo Haru - Sushi that comes with free hot sake!

Enids - home cookin’ hipster style

Keg & Lantern - delicious comfort food (try the handmade veggie burger) and 32 beers on tap

Red Star - sports bar with tasty bar food

Matchless - for late-night bar food

Paulie Gee’s - AMAZING pizza

Brooklyn Mac - more mac-n-cheese options than you ever knew existed

Manhattan Inn - Piano bar and restaurant

Five Leaves - Cafe and oyster bar

Lokal - Mediterranean bistro 

Spritzenhaus Beer Hall - German beer garden & specialty brats 

Brooklyn Label - part cafe, part diner, part coffeehouse  

The Gutter - 6 lane bowling alley and craft beer bar

Berry Park - beer garden with German fare and an amazing roof-top view

t.b.d. - craft beer bar

The Diamond - craft beer bar with horseshoes in the back garden

Black Rabbit - cute and cozy bar with delicious beer 

greenpoint 

March82012

Transportation

LaGuardia (LGA) is the closet airport to Greenpoint, Brooklyn.  

JFK and Newark (ERW) are additional options, but will require extra transportation costs.

Taxis—Taxis can easily be acquired both at LaGuardia and JFK airports. Telling the cab driver the neighborhood and cross streets should be sufficient, but you may want to have printed directions available just in case. Do NOT take rides from those offering to take you to your destination for a flat rate (gypsy cabs/black cars). Take heed of the signs at the airport: “Anyone who asks if you need a ride, shouldn’t be giving you one.” Always use the Taxi line, which will be easy to find.

Taxis from LGA to Long Island City are between $15-$18. Taxis to the Greenpoint/Williamsburg area range from $16-$22 depending on traffic. From JFK to Greenpoint/Williamsburg are slightly more, ~$30-$40. Taxis from LGA or JFK to the Park Slope area (Holiday Inn Express) are $35-$40. If you are staying in Park Slope you may want to consider carpooling (taxi-pooling) with someone else to save on the cost. Either way, try to schedule your flight arrival outside rush hour to avoid meter-increasing traffic. 

Hailing a cab on the street is fairly easy. However, if you are in an area that doesn’t have many yellow cabs, you may need to ask for the name of a car company and have one dispatched to you.

Subway—The subway is the easiest way to get around New York City. The only exception, unfortunately, is transit to and from the airport (see above). A subway ride is $2.25 and requires a MetroCard. One ride also gets you as many train (New Yorkers call the subway “the train”) transfers as you want and one bus transfer. If you get turned around, just ask a local, most are happy to help once you get their attention. :) 

Buses—City buses are the same fare as the subway, $2.25. They require either a MetroCard or exact change (bills not accepted). The buses can be a great way to get around the outer-boroughs (read:Brooklyn!) and save time in certain parts of Manhattan.  

hotel 

March72012

Lodging

There are a few hotels in the area, and then there are some other, less conventional options…

For hotels we have:

Fairfield Inn LIC—located just over the Brooklyn border into Queens in Long Island City. Offering two double beds or one king bed for $151.00/night. This hotel is not too close to public transit, but does have ample street parking.  They also provide a free and frequent shuttle to the 7 train, which runs into Midtown Manhattan.  This is likely the best option for those traveling in or driving in for the wedding weekend and not looking to sample the local area.  Breakfast, wi-fi, fitness room, and outdoor deck included.  Rate offered until September 12th.  Approximately $15-$20 cab fare to/from LGA. 

Wythe Hotel—loft-like hotel with exposed brick and original pine.  Just opened!  This hotel will be within walking distance or a quick cab ride of the ceremony, reception, and subway to the city.  No room block pricing and rooms average $279/night, but they have some rooms with bunks and some group rooms available (ask about the “band” rooms—4 to 6 bunks per room) for ~$75 per person.  Breakfast not included.  Approximately $20-$25 cab fare to/from LGA. (Take a photo tour)

Fairfield Inn Brooklyn—located in lovely Park Slope, Brooklyn. Brand new construction, beautiful property, rooftop, breakfast included. Close walk to great restaurants and shopping, as well as multiple subway lines. Farthest hotel from Greenpoint of those listed (along with the Holiday Inn Express) but still an easy cab or subway ride away. Great option for those extending their trip and wanting to see some of the local area. Offering King rooms for $159/night (Group code: SOLSOLA) and Double rooms for $169/night (Group code: SOLSOLB). Rates offered until September 12th. 

The Verve—located in Long Island City, Queens, close to public transit and quick cab rides to Midtown Manhattan. Not offering a block rate, but has very reasonable regular rates and even better advanced purchase rates. Perks include breakfast, outdoor deck, free wifi, pool table, air hockey, ping-pong, and laundry. Also across the street from St. Patrick’s church. Approximately $15-$20 cab fare to/from LGA. 

Hotel Le Jolie—standard hotel in Greenpoint/Williamsburg by the BQE (I-278). Close to the reception hall and public transportation. They are not offering room blocks for the fall, but average ~$235/night in October.

Hotel Williamsburg—Modern trendy Williamsburg Hotel. Pricey. Very pricey. Pool. Close.

Holiday Inn Express—also located in Park Slope, Brooklyn. Very close to the Fairfield Inn Brooklyn (but not new construction). Close to Downtown Brooklyn and multiple subway trains to the city. Farthest hotel from Greenpoint of those listed (as in not walk-able) but an easy cab or subway ride away.  Hotel blocks for $169-$179/night.  Rate offered until September 12th.

Other options include:

AirBNB—rent a local’s room or apartment for cheap and live like a New Yorker for the weekend.  This could be a great option for groups and those wanting to be closer to the action.  An economical and fun way to visit Greenpoint!

VRBO—Vacation Rentals By Owner. Helpful for lodging of large groups. 

Greenpoint YMCA—very cheap Greenpoint lodging, but bare bones (essentially a hostel). Shared bathrooms, but private rooms, clean, and close to everything Greenpoint has to offer.  Don’t hate, we work out here. :) $69 single occupancy or $79 double occupancy per night. 

See all the properties listed on this map.

hotel 

March12012

RSVP

Jake and Shannon try their best to be green.  They love recycling and buying local produce at the Greenpoint farmers’ market. They begrudgingly use public transportation. Jake is reducing his impact on the globe by practicing strict vegetarianism, and is slowly dragging Shannon along with him. They’re not quite to the point of composting, but its been discussed.

Help make our wedding a little bit greener by RSVPing online.  We hope you can make it for our special day!

rsvp 

12AM
There are lots of ways to experience fabulous New York City, but we prefer the *free* or *cheap* varieties!  Here are a few suggestions to have a great time in New York for less! American Museum of Natural History -  Endless fun and knowledge. Please note: Admission is a suggested donation! That’s right, you can pay what you wish, they just keep it a secret! Metropolitan Museum of Art - the Mother of the Bride’s favorite NYC tourist attraction. Hours upon hours of art and excitement, once again all for a suggested donation! Central Park - take a nice walk and take in the City’s largest park. People watch.  Dog watch. See how those trapped in a concrete jungle unwind. The Empire State Building - often quite a wait, but truly spectacular views. Find out why the ESB tower is lit for each day of your visit!  Intrepid Sea, Air, and Space Museum - Intrepid Museum features a range of interactive exhibits and events providing a snapshot of heroism, education, and excitement. The Staten Island Ferry - You can ride the ferry for free to the forgotten borough and back.  Affords beautiful views of the Statue of Liberty and lower Manhattan. We love to take out-of-town guests on this ride across New York Harbor.    Governors Island - Another free ferry and another fantastic view. This island was purchased by the city for $1 but its worth at least $5 of fun. Rent bikes and ride all the way around the island!  The Financial District and Battery Park - Take a walk around lower Manhattan to see Wall Street, the NYSE, Ground Zero, Trinity Church, and lovely Battery Park.  Top of the Rock - great views of the city from the top of Rockefeller Center.  Times Square - Ok, we hate it here. But it’s worth seeing for a few seconds. Or brave the lines at the TKTS booth and get discount tickets to the hottest Broadway shows!  Herald Square - another tourist nightmare (see above), but home of the world’s largest Macy’s!  Shop SoHo - Hey, its free if you don’t buy anything. Good luck. :) The East Village - If we leave Brooklyn on the weekends, this is where we go. Find Avenue A and enjoy.   

There are lots of ways to experience fabulous New York City, but we prefer the *free* or *cheap* varieties!  Here are a few suggestions to have a great time in New York for less!

American Museum of Natural History -  Endless fun and knowledge. Please note: Admission is a suggested donation! That’s right, you can pay what you wish, they just keep it a secret!

Metropolitan Museum of Art - the Mother of the Bride’s favorite NYC tourist attraction. Hours upon hours of art and excitement, once again all for a suggested donation!

Central Park - take a nice walk and take in the City’s largest park. People watch.  Dog watch. See how those trapped in a concrete jungle unwind.

The Empire State Building - often quite a wait, but truly spectacular views. Find out why the ESB tower is lit for each day of your visit! 

Intrepid Sea, Air, and Space Museum - Intrepid Museum features a range of interactive exhibits and events providing a snapshot of heroism, education, and excitement.

The Staten Island Ferry - You can ride the ferry for free to the forgotten borough and back.  Affords beautiful views of the Statue of Liberty and lower Manhattan. We love to take out-of-town guests on this ride across New York Harbor.   

Governors Island - Another free ferry and another fantastic view. This island was purchased by the city for $1 but its worth at least $5 of fun. Rent bikes and ride all the way around the island! 

The Financial District and Battery Park - Take a walk around lower Manhattan to see Wall Street, the NYSE, Ground Zero, Trinity Church, and lovely Battery Park. 

Top of the Rock - great views of the city from the top of Rockefeller Center. 

Times Square - Ok, we hate it here. But it’s worth seeing for a few seconds. Or brave the lines at the TKTS booth and get discount tickets to the hottest Broadway shows! 

Herald Square - another tourist nightmare (see above), but home of the world’s largest Macy’s! 

Shop SoHo - Hey, its free if you don’t buy anything. Good luck. :)

The East Village - If we leave Brooklyn on the weekends, this is where we go. Find Avenue A and enjoy.   

nyc 

12AM
Bride’s side: Laura E. Lines, Atlanta, GA                     Shannon Tarwater, Chicago, IL Corinne L. Michaud, Las Vegas, NV Michelle M. Egermann, New York, NY Jillian L. Patterson, New York, NY Jenna L. Bertanza, Boston, MA Groom’s side: Michael F. Aube, Portland, ME Brian F. Roundy, San Francisco, CA Raymond P. Guido III, New York, NY Trevor Leb, New York, NY Rocco M. Sainato, Albany, NY Photographer: Lauren H. Wilenski, Atlanta, GA Officiant: Brian F. Roundy, San Francisco, CA
Bride’s side:
  • Laura E. Lines, Atlanta, GA                    
  • Shannon Tarwater, Chicago, IL
  • Corinne L. Michaud, Las Vegas, NV
  • Michelle M. Egermann, New York, NY
  • Jillian L. Patterson, New York, NY
  • Jenna L. Bertanza, Boston, MA
Groom’s side:
  • Michael F. Aube, Portland, ME
  • Brian F. Roundy, San Francisco, CA
  • Raymond P. Guido III, New York, NY
  • Trevor Leb, New York, NY
  • Rocco M. Sainato, Albany, NY
Photographer:
  • Lauren H. Wilenski, Atlanta, GA

Officiant:

  • Brian F. Roundy, San Francisco, CA

party 

February282012

OFFICIAL WEDDING MAP

Click the link above for a map of area hotels, subway stations, ceremony location, and reception site, and more. 

greenpoint wedding 

12AM
[Flash 9 is required to listen to audio.]

Ceel Lo Green - Bright Lights Bigger City

(1 plays)

nyc 

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