Great weddings are the sum of great moments. Here are some of Onteora's finest moments.

Every wedding is unique, but successful weddings have something in common: a plan and a schedule. Here’s what we’ve evolved over the last two decades...

Friday afternoon is pretty laid back, with the bride and groom and the house guests arriving from all over the country -- maybe even the world -- and hanging up their wedding outfits.

Around sunset, there’s an informal rehearsal, just to be sure everyone knows what they’re doing the next day.

Some couples elect to hold their Friday night rehearsal dinner in Onteora’s glassed-in dining room. Others go out to a local restaurant.

Everyone -- hopefully -- wakes up on schedule the next morning for a big breakfast around the long table.

Brides go off with their friends to the Bridal Suite and undergo magical transformations.

And the transformation is always spectacular.

The ceremony is staged on the 90 foot deck, facing the valley, with chairs on the gently sloping lawn.

The braver brides make their entrance down the hillside staircase.

The sun provides excellent lighting for great photographs. (No extra charge.)

Guests use the freedom of the cocktail hour to explore the house, gardens and trails...

...as eye-catching hors d’oeuvres circulate.

And not to forget the tempting signature Drink of the Day.

If it’s too cool or too hot, guests can always enjoy the house with it’s Great Room

Of course, the bride and groom are totally pre-occupied with wedding photos.

(Don’t worry, the waiters will find them with refreshments too.)

And finally everyone moves into the 3600 square foot pavilion.

The inside bar is busy, refreshing everyone’s drinks for the arduous process of finding their places.

The newlyweds make their entrance into the room.

and usually go into their First Dance.

The bride and groom join their friends at the bridal table, with its backdrop of the mountains.

And it’s time for a welcome toast, and an occasional roasting by sisters, brothers, or best men.

Then it’s time for dinner

After the dishes are cleared, dance music livens up the mood as the guests invade the dance floor.

Later, there’s a brief intermission while the bride and groom cut the cake.

The day is over, the wedding guests depart, and the house guests crawl off to bed or, more likely, change out of their rented shoes and go out for an after party staged at a nearby tavern.

Sunday morning, all the house guests are again served breakfast. Often, other wedding guests are invited for a bigger open-house farewell brunch. By noon, all the bridal wear is packed up and the couple is headed on their honeymoon.

As we said at the beginning, each Onteora wedding is unique. But what you see here can provide a solid framework for your own personal wedding planning. Happy dreaming.