FAQs

Question

I heard you have a welcome packet. Can I see it?

Answer

Yes we do! Please find it here: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1iUvUJbuFIMi-zvh8Y9W64a3-azMyUTllVlj5pV93EW8/edit

Question

Where and when is your wedding?

Answer

Our wedding is at Corman Outdoor Center at Harriman State Park. It will be held at 4pm on Sunday, September 4, 2022. Harriman State Park is accessible by car and public transit, and there will be transportation from the train station to our venue for our guests as needed. You can find more information about this on the "travel" page.

Question

What are your COVID-19 Safety Protocols?

Answer

- All guests should be up to date on vaccination, including booster doses for those eligible. - Guests with symptoms will sadly be asked NOT to attend. Even if you test negative on multiple rapids! - We strongly recommend taking a PCR test within three days of coming to our event. - Please take a rapid test the day of your arrival and send us the negative result. Thank you for doing your part to keep our loved ones safe.

Question

What should I wear?

Answer

Casual or garden party attire: clothes you feel good in that make you want to dance—inside and outside, potentially on uneven ground. No one getting married is wearing a wedding dress, tux, or tie/bowtie, if that helps. Chuppah will be outside and reception inside, so consider layers for temperature fluctuations throughout the night. TL;DR wear whatever you want but maybe not heels?

Question

There's a lot of gendered language at a wedding. What should we refer to you as?

Answer

We prefer: Partners, spouses, lovebirds, "brooms," "people getting married," Naomi and Mariel, "that Jewishly married couple over there," "Nomi and Michal" We would rather you not: Wife, bride, "kallah," husband, groom, "kataan"

Question

Speaking of which, what non-gendered version of "Od yishama/Kol sasson v'kol simcha" do you want us to use?

Answer

We would prefer you use: "Kol sasson v'kol simcha, kol ahuv v'kol re'ah" Explanation: During the seven blessings said during the wedding ceremony, there is one line that is sung aloud by everyone in attendance. It usually gendered and includes the words "bride" and "groom." The translation of what we want is: "The voice of joy and the voice of gladness, the voices of the loving partners." Here are the full lyrics: https://www.zemirotdatabase.org/view_song.php?id=60#rec

Question

What should I expect at a Jewish wedding?

Answer

Our wedding festivities will kick off with two tischen—one for Mariel and one for Naomi. These will be raucous and festive, involve music, singing, Jewish learning, and humor. They'll also serve as a quasi cocktail hour. Afterwards, Naomi and Mariel will come together with our witnesses to sign our wedding contract, and then we will all make our way to the ceremony. The Jewish wedding ceremony involves a lot of custom and ritual. It will be led and officiated by our friend, Rabbi Miriam Liebman, who will walk all of us through the ceremony. It will involve circling, a reading of our marriage contract, blessings said by friends and family, and yes, a smashing of the glass! We'll have more specific information for you to read about at the ceremony itself. After the ceremony, there will be traditional Jewish dancing (hora) followed by dinner, dessert, and more non-Jewish dancing. We can't wait!

Question

Are you changing your last names?

Answer

We have combined our last names—Barnett and Boyarsky—to have a family name of Barnesky. We will eventually be changing our names legally, but for now, you can use this to refer to us socially. (Point blank: If you're writing a check, please use our current legal names: Mariel Boyarsky and Naomi Barnett)

Question

Will there be alcohol served at your wedding?

Answer

We will be serving wine, beer, hard cider, and whiskey at the wedding reception. Guests coming for the entire weekend should BYOB for Friday and Saturday.

Question

Are people sleeping over at the venue?

Answer

Some of our guests are sleeping over in rustic accommodations at our venue. Those individuals have already been notified and are being asked to RSVP through this site. Others are invited to book a hotel through our hotel block, which can be found on the "travel" page.

Question

What is there to do at Corman Outdoor Center?

Answer

What isn't there to do at Corman Outdoor Center?! There's a beautiful lake for swimming, lounging + reading, kayaking, and canoeing. (There are boats on-site for our use). There are hiking trails (short/long, easier/more strenuous options), so we recommend bringing hiking shoes or sneakers in addition to sandals. We'll have some planned activities such as shabbat services, campfires, games—and maybe even a triathlon!