A Cozy Fall Wedding at Foxfire Mountain House in the Catskills

When an art director and photographer tie the knot, you know it'll be a beautiful event. Such was the case when Sonja “Sonny” Georgevich and Jeff Allen said "I do" on November 3, 2018, using their creative expertise to host a cozy fall wedding at Foxfire Mountain House in Mount Tremper, New York. “I fell in love with Foxfire while art directing a photo shoot there in 2017, and was drawn to the warmth and charm,” Sonny recalls. “It’s been beautifully restored and feels like it’s out of Bing Crosby’s White Christmas!” It was the perfect setting for a wedding just before the holiday season, with dark wood and velvet accents filling the mountain retreat. “I was surprised by how fun wedding planning was, and really just treated it like a photo shoot,” Sonny admits. “I spent evenings pulling reference images from old movies and editorials, then teamed up with some of my closest colleagues-turned-friends to bring it to life.” 

For a celebration that was all about "cozy comfort," the couple turned to muted colors and candlelight to execute their vision. They invited 125 guests to join them, emphasizing the feeling that they’d opened their home up to their loved ones instead of simply booking a wedding venue. Keep reading to see the wedding’s cozy, homey details, as photographed by Jenny Fu, below.  

The simple invitation suite featured an illustration of the venue, as well as a textured white wax seal.  

Sonny found her wedding dress on TheRealReal! “I was scrolling through and randomly spotted this strapless Lanvin gown with a pleated bust,” she says. “I immediately knew I’d feel like myself in it!” She carried a bouquet of creamy dahlias, anemones, ranunculus, astilbe, silver bell eucalyptus and geranium foliage, tied with a flowing ribbon.  

Jeff wore a Todd Snyder tuxedo, which the twin ring bearers matched in tiny style. Even the couple’s pup made an appearance, dressing for the weather in a cozy white sweater.  

The couple’s guest book was displayed alongside family photos and a fall-toned arrangement of proteas and autumn leaves.  

The bridesmaids all chose their own dresses in a muted color palette. "I wanted them to buy dresses they’d wear again,” says the bride. After the bridesmaids walked to the altar, Sonny made her entrance on her father’s arm.  

“We’d originally planned to have the ceremony outdoors, but the wind picked up and the temperature dropped so we moved it inside, in front of a beautiful stone fireplace topped with candles and foraged fall foliage,” says Sonny. “It created a more intimate vibe that was so romantic!”  

Sonny and Jeff’s vows were more like love letters to one another, filling the room with happy tears. A friend of the couple played “Waterloo Sunset” by The Kinks on the violin.

Guests sipped herb-infused vodka gimlets while the couple and their wedding party made their way outside for a quick–and windy!–photo session. “The wind was so strong that the power went out, meaning our entire cocktail hour was lit by candlelight,” Sonny says. “Many of our guests thought it was intentional! It wound up being a very memorable and intimate few hours before the power came back on.” 

The tented reception took place at long tables topped with handmade beeswax candles and petite arrangements of geranium leaves, chrysanthemums, scabiosa, and chocolate cosmos. "I taught myself calligraphy and wrote every place card, " Sonny adds. "It was probably too ambitious, but I loved adding a personal touch to the table.”

The fresh, locally inspired menu included free-range roasted chicken and penne with basil pesto and blistered cherry tomatoes.

The couple took to the tiled dance floor, beneath a disco ball and garlands of greenery, to dance to “More Than This” by Roxy Music. “We put together a curated playlist, then our friend DJ’d all night,” says the bride.

Layers of vanilla cake were sandwiched with lemon curd and fresh raspberries, then topped with white and red blooms.  

“The weather may not have cooperated, but we did our best to go with the flow–especially because we knew it was out of our control,” recalls the bride. “The power outage wound up being one of the most memorable moments of the entire day.”