Three-and-a-half years after meeting online, William Caleo proposed to Megan Noetzel while picnicking in the Catskills. After an impromptu hike to find the perfect spot to rest, the two settled on a private bench overlooking the Mohonk Mountains. Once Megan sat down, Bill asked her to marry him. She happily obliged.
“After years of witnessing and contributing to Bill’s incredible dedication to the development of what is now The Lake House on Canandaigua, we decided that there was no better place to celebrate not only our love and the official merging of our two families, but also what is now something with which we are both so proud to have been a part,” Megan explains. “This hotel was exactly what we had been looking for in a venue, and it was right under our nose. A chosen spot that so clearly represents and has become a true gathering place for both of our families and one that feels like home for ourselves, our children, our families, and our closest friends.”
They enlisted two photographers for the weekend: Lucy Cuneo and John Dolan, who introduced Bill and Megan to planning extraordinaire Augusta Cole. The couple felt like they were in the right hands at once. Augusta had an instant vision of how to decorate the property’s barn in a fashion that would feel warm, ethereal, and intimate.
When Megan first put together her bridal look, she had one guiding star that informed every decision: she wanted to look like herself. The welcome party outfit was a chic Gabriela Hearst raffia bodice dress with Ten Thousand Things chrysoprase chandelier earrings.
“I’ve always been attracted to the simplicity and ease of a lot of Australian designers, so it was no surprise that the style that spoke to me so clearly was that of J. Andreatta,” Megan shares of her wedding dress. “The slight edge of the silhouette felt just right for what I had in mind for myself.” She paired it with her mother-in-law’s vintage sapphire and diamond ring. It was originally a gift from Bill’s grandfather to his grandmother in the 1960s and has now become the signature accessory that all of the women in Megan’s mother-in-law’s family wear on their wedding day.
The Oscar de la Renta x Tricia Paoluccio wildflower minidress Megan stumbled upon was perfect for the reception. She bought it right away before any other wedding plans were underway. “I was already envisioning myself on the dance floor in that beautiful piece!” she recalls. She complemented the dress with Brent Neale peony earrings and a jade signet ring with their Happy Menocal wedding monogram.
Augusta Cole suggested Alexa Rodulfo for Megan’s beauty needs. To get that almost-married glow, the bride and groom also received facials from Ivan Pol of The Beauty Sandwich.
Bill kept his groom look dapper and classic with Ralph Lauren for the welcome party and a Ralph Lauren Purple Label tuxedo for the wedding. He paired the suit with custom Stubbs & Wootton tuxedo slippers and bespoke Brent Neale green jade cufflinks.
The florals were arranged by Charles with Arena’s. The wedding party consisted of their daughters in Bonpoint dresses and sons in Ralph Lauren tuxedos.
It was a beautiful blue sky day on May 21, 2022 as all the guests met on the dock. A string quartet began playing the couple’s favorite songs as the bride arrived with their children in Bill’s parents’ wooden boat. The children took their seats in the audience, and Megan met her groom at the altar. Hughes O’Winter served as the officiant, and Courtney Winslow of Moon & Stone gave the couple each a birth crystal to throw into the lake as a symbol of their family unity. Each child read a few words written by Bill and Megan, guaranteeing to love and support each other and their children forever. The ceremony captured the beautiful blending of both the bride’s and groom’s families.
Everyone reconvened in the barn for a personal and fun reception. Elan Artists played songs that had the entire crowd dancing.”We had about 20 children in our small party of 70 guests, and they wasted no time getting right out on the dance floor together!” Megan smiles as she remembers. “It was really special and brought so much energy to the evening.”
The adults sipped special wine vintages that represented Bill’s family history and ate a delicious menu of steak and scallops. Bill and Megan worked closely with Steven Eakins at The Lake House to perfect the meal. Charlotte Neuville baked the mini floral-inspired cakelettes. Bill thanked their family and friends in his touching toast, which he delivered with their daughter Poppy by his side. Then, it was back to dancing!
The party continued in the hotel library with late-night snacks and nightcaps. Megan looks back on her wedding, saying, “We wanted to feel completely at ease and in the moment being surrounded by those who have made us who we are and have been by our sides since the very beginning. We couldn’t have asked for a more exquisite day and weekend.”
